Things go wrong There is small stuff that goes wrong and there is big stuff that goes wrong. Size matters We are taught to focus on the big-ticket items, to seek out the silver bullets and pull the big levers. Think big not small Focus on revolution not evolution Be radical not incremental We are […]
A Sense of Perspective
Fear of the new We don’t like things that are new or unusual. It is part of our nature. When we were cavemen, it paid to be risk averse. New things could bite us, so we preferred what we knew. The status quo made us feel safe. That is why we invest in risk and control departments. […]
What is Sample Bias?
There are some jobs you really wouldn’t want… Perhaps the most dangerous in history was to be a crew member of a World War II bomber (I don’t suppose it matters which side). You shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet, but according to some of the more reliable sources, during World War II: Over […]
Can You Make the Right Decisions?
Decision-making is hard. So hard that we pay people handsomely to be professional decision makers: Doctors Underwriters Bank Managers Tax Inspectors All of them make their living by taking complex ill-defined situations and making decisions. Unfortunately they don’t always decide the same way If you put two professional decision makers in a room at the […]
Seven Ways to Make a Difference
And some links to help: Define your purpose. What are you here to do? Measure your performance. Are you doing it well? Admit your failings. Self delusion never helped anybody. Find the big lever. Work out what really matters. Plan the work. Maybe even just a to-do list. Work the plan. Go on, I dare […]