Psychologist and Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino has long studied the factors at play when judgment and decision-making collide with the results of our choices in real life. In Sidetracked, she explores inconsistent decisions played out in a wide range of circumstances from our roles as consumers and employees (what we buy, how we manage others) to the broader human choices that we make (who we date, how we cultivate friendships). Gino's research reveals when a mismatch is most likely to occur between what we want to do and what we actually end up doing. What factors are likely to sway our decisions in directions we did not initially consider? And what can we do to correct for these subtle influences?The answers in Sidetracked to these and similar questions help us better understand the nuances of our decisions and avoid the unconscious obstacles to greater efficiency, satisfaction, and ultimate success.
About the Author :
Francesca Gino is associate professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School. Her research focuses on judgment and decision making, social influence, and ethics and creativity. Her studies have been featured on CNN and NPR, as well as in leading print publications including Economist, Financial Times, New York Times, Newsweek, Scientific American, and Psychology Today. In 2009, the New York Times featured Gino's research in the 9th Annual Year in Ideas.
Tamara Marston has been an actor, singer, and director for more than thirty years. A career performer and musician, she has toured nationally with several groups and appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show and A&E's Goodtime Café. Dividing her time between acting and singing gigs, choral conducting, music and stage directing, jingle and voice-over work, private and public teaching, and family, Tami feels very fortunate to make her living working in the arts.
Review :
"A powerful survey outlining the entire decision-making process, how it gets derailed, and how to get it back on track."
-- "Midwest Book Review"
"For the general reader desiring to learn more about research studies on some human decision biases and their effects, this book can provide a valuable perspective."
-- "Choice"
"Similar to Chip and Dan Heath's Made to Stick and Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, this book will appeal to those looking to build their business platform."
-- "Library Journal"
"This engaging, beautifully written, and thought-provoking book is a must read for anyone who wants a deep understanding of how decisions get so easily derailed and advice on how to stick to well-thought-out plans. A truly entertaining journey that will keep you turning pages through the very end."
-- "Susan Cain, New York Times bestselling author of Quiet"
"Thoroughly researched and informative, the book's clarity and simplicity of structure are quite refreshing. Gino possesses a wealth of well-constructed research and experience--both inside university labs and in the business world. This book is filled with carefully explained studies that have taken many years to collect and establish, as well as many insights from the business consulting world."
-- "Business World"
"We are often unaware of the many forces that affect our decisions--sometimes with devastating consequences. In Sidetracked, Francesca Gino identifies and illuminates many of these forces to help us all make decisions that we, our mothers, and our kids will be happier with."
-- "Dan Ariely, New York Times bestselling author of The Upside of Irrationality"
"What separates Sidetracked...from some other books on decision-making is an in-depth exploration of the 'human' obstacles as opposed to the 'organizational' obstacles that can inhibit sound decision-making processes."
-- "Business Standard"
"With diction that sounds precise but never forced, Tamara Marston gives an appealing performance of this practical guide. The innocent quality in her voice is a good foil for the author's academic rigor, making Gino's advice sound more inviting than prescriptive. Decision-making becomes derailed when intentions and realities relevant to choices are pushed aside by the power of inner emotional issues, important relationships, or the messages we get from our immediate surroundings and culture. Illustrated by personal anecdotes and research conducted by herself and other psychologists, her stimulating insights will widen everyone's field of vision when in the midst of any important decision. This is an essential lesson for those wanting to be more proactive and effective with their choices."
-- "AudioFile"
