The Truth About Better Decision-Making (Collection), 2/e

Book description

A brand new collection of state-of-the-art tools for making better business decisions…

4 authoritative books bring together hundreds of bite-size, easy-to-use techniques for optimizing every business decision, choice, interaction, and negotiation!

Your decisions drive your business performance and determine your career success. Whether you’re collaborating, leading, negotiating, or persuading, those decisions must be consistently sharp – and this 4 book collection will help you sharpen every decision you make. Start with Robert Gunther’s The Truth About Making Smart Decisions: 50 powerful bite-size “truths” about making better real-world decisions when it matters most. Gunther shows how to systematically prepare to make better decisions... get the right information, without getting buried in useless data... minimize risks and then act decisively... handle emotions... make better group decisions... profit from mistakes... and much more. Next, William S. Kane focuses on the decision to change – and to lead change. In The Truth About Thriving in Change, Kane shares 49 powerful decision-making “truths” about change leadership: which skills you need most, and how to develop them... how to lead change without eroding commitment or productivity... why you must start fast, and “run before you walk”... when to persuade, when to educate, and when to “use force”... how to create the right cultural framework for successful change, and more. Next, Leigh Thompson’s The Truth About Negotiations helps you optimize every decision associated with successful negotiations. Thompson provides realistic game plans that work in any scenario, showing how to create win-win deals by leveraging carefully collected information. Learn how to prepare quickly and efficiently… handle imperfect negotiating situations… establish trust with someone you don’t yet trust… recognize when to walk away. Thompson guides through planning strategy, identifying your “best alternative to a negotiated agreement,” making the right first offer to control the process, resolving difficult disputes, and achieving the goals that matter most. Finally, in The Truth About Getting the Best From People, Second Edition, Martha Finney turns to day-to-day management decision-making, offering 60+ powerful techniques -- including new ways to persuade, manage virtual teams, overcome unconscious decision-making biases, and identify/cultivate high performers. These four books offer definitive, evidence-based principles for optimizing your decision-making throughout your entire management career!

From world-renowned decision-making expertsRobert E. Gunther, William S. Kane, Leigh Thompson, and Martha I. Finney

Table of contents

  1. About This eBook
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Table of Contents
  5. The Truth About: Making Smart Decisions
    1. Copyright Page
    2. Dedication Page
    3. Praise for The Truth About Making Smart Decisions
    4. Preface
    5. Introduction
    6. PART I: The Truth About Preparing for Decisions
      1. Truth 1. Before a major decision, get some Z's
      2. Truth 2. Act from a state of clarity
      3. Truth 3. If you can't get distance, get perspective
      4. Truth 4. Keep it real
      5. Truth 5. Use a systematic process
      6. Truth 6. Know your decision-making style
    7. PART II: The Truth About Why Bad Decisions Are Good
      1. Truth 7. To make better decisions, make more mistakes
      2. Truth 8. Be prepared to profit from your mistakes
      3. Truth 9. Learn from your close calls
      4. Truth 10. Learn from the decisions of others
      5. Truth 11. Don't judge your decisions based on their outcome
      6. Truth 12. Leave yourself room to get back from the pole
    8. PART III: The Truth About the Limits of Your Mind
      1. Truth 13. Understand common "decision traps"
      2. Truth 14. Giving up something? Get over it!
      3. Truth 15. It's possible to miss an entire gorilla
      4. Truth 16. You may see only what you're looking for
      5. Truth 17. You're not as clever as you think you are
      6. Truth 18. Your view of the world depends on what planet you're from
      7. Truth 19. Beware of seeing patterns that aren't there
      8. Truth 20. Different is not always better
    9. PART IV: The Truth About Complex Decisions
      1. Truth 21. Boil knowledge down to its essence—and then act on it
      2. Truth 22. Decisions are not snapshots but movies
      3. Truth 23. No decision is an island
      4. Truth 24. Build the city around your decision
    10. PART V: The Truth About Data
      1. Truth 25. Listen for the dog that doesn't bark
      2. Truth 26. Sorry, Joe Friday. The facts are never "just the facts."
      3. Truth 27. Recognize the power of intuition
    11. PART VI: The Truth About Acting Decisively
      1. Truth 28. The wrong decision is better than none at all
      2. Truth 29. Get 80 percent (or less) of what you need, and then act on it
      3. Truth 30. Every decision carries risk. Get used to it
      4. Truth 31. Not making a decision is a decision
    12. PART VII: The Truth About Decisions in Groups
      1. Truth 32. Two heads can be worse than one
      2. Truth 33. Use constructive conflict
      3. Truth 34. Surround yourself with people smarter than yourself
      4. Truth 35. Make decision roles clear
      5. Truth 36. Break free from the prisoner's dilemma
    13. PART VIII: The Truth About Emotions
      1. Truth 37. A little adrenaline can be a good thing
      2. Truth 38. Understand the impact of emotions
      3. Truth 39. Beware of the attractive new shortcut
    14. PART IX: The Truth About Ethical Decision Making
      1. Truth 40. Don't do anything you wouldn't want seen on YouTube
      2. Truth 41. There are no quiet corners safe from scrutiny
      3. Truth 42. To know where you're going, know where you stand
      4. Truth 43. Don't let power or ego sway you from your course
    15. PART X: The Truth About Big Decisions
      1. Truth 44. Lower the costs of failure
      2. Truth 45. Break down big decisions into smaller ones
      3. Truth 46. Don't forget the screwdrivers
    16. PART XI: The Truth About Moving On
      1. Truth 47. Keep your eye on the long term
      2. Truth 48. Belief in your decision can make it come true
      3. Truth 49. Keep a sense of humor
      4. Truth 50. Don't look back
    17. Additional Resources
    18. References
    19. About the Author
  6. The Truth About: Thriving in Change
    1. Copyright Page
    2. Praise for The Truth About Thriving in Change
    3. Preface
    4. PART I: The Truth About Staying or Going
      1. Truth 1. Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react
      2. Truth 2. If your values don't agree, it's probably time to flee
      3. Truth 3. Service awards aren't what they used to be
      4. Truth 4. Teaching long division doesn't work on a Blackberry
    5. PART II: The Truth About What You should Pack
      1. Truth 5. It's not what you've got; it's what you need
      2. Truth 6. To manage change, you must lead change
      3. Truth 7. You can't do without a "can-do" attitude
      4. Truth 8. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything
    6. PART III: The Truth About Those Early Days
      1. Truth 9. Run before you walk
      2. Truth 10. Keep your boss your biggest fan
      3. Truth 11. There are only three ways to introduce change
      4. Truth 12. Build the case: It's a challenge and an opportunity
      5. Truth 13. Teach others how to treat you
    7. PART IV: The Truth About Planning
      1. Truth 14. If you don't know where you're going, you won't get there
      2. Truth 15. To realize the future, you must create it
      3. Truth 16. Convert aspiration to invitation
      4. Truth 17. Having organizational values matters; living them means more
      5. Truth 18. Make the change agenda everyone's agenda
    8. PART V: The Truth About Communications
      1. Truth 19. We listen with our eyes
      2. Truth 20. Email is the tool of the devil
      3. Truth 21. People can't drink from a fire hose
      4. Truth 22. Conversion is for missionaries and crusaders
    9. PART VI: The Truth About Matching People with Purpose
      1. Truth 23. Organizational structure: Look in from the outside
      2. Truth 24. Build your team around your "A" players
      3. Truth 25. Candidate screening: Let the facts speak for themselves
      4. Truth 26. Avoid the ten potential "placement pitfalls"
      5. Truth 27. Don't surround yourself with yourself
      6. Truth 28. Why you need to get staffing right
      7. Truth 29. If you must "right-size," do it the right way
    10. PART VII: The Truth About Managing Performance
      1. Truth 30. One style does not fit all
      2. Truth 31. You can influence without authority
      3. Truth 32. You can't work the plan if you don't plan the work
      4. Truth 33. There's no excuse for excuses
      5. Truth 34. Know what buttons to push
    11. PART VIII: The Truth About Creating Your Cultural Framework
      1. Truth 35. Calm waters make for easier sailing
      2. Truth 36. Trust is a currency not easily earned, but easily spent
      3. Truth 37. If you're out of sight, you're probably out of touch
      4. Truth 38. Teams aren't a necessary evil
      5. Truth 39. Your way may not be the best way
      6. Truth 40. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts
      7. Truth 41. Embrace—don't run from—the questions
      8. Truth 42. Decision making: The fastest don't always finish first
      9. Truth 43. Exceptions: Can't live with them; can't live without them
      10. Truth 44. Employee discipline: Ask the more meaningful question
    12. PART IX: The Truth About Recognition and Reward
      1. Truth 45. Make every employee feel like your only employee
      2. Truth 46. A little formal recognition goes a long way
    13. PART X: The Truth About Sustenance
      1. Truth 47. Your best investment is in... YOU
      2. Truth 48. Your title is manager; your job is teacher
      3. Truth 49. Trying to be all things to all people is a slippery slope
    14. References
    15. About the Author
    16. Appendix A. Career Reflections
    17. Appendix B. Vision/Mission Statements
    18. Appendix C. Strategic Objectives
    19. Appendix D. Tactics
    20. Appendix E. Values
    21. Appendix F. Behavioral Interviewing Examples
    22. Appendix G. Types of Organizational Learning
    23. Appendix H. Prompting a Dialog About Values
  7. The Truth About: Negotiations
    1. Copyright Page
    2. Praise for The Truth About Negotiations
    3. Introduction
    4. PART 1: Negotiation: A 30,000-foot view
      1. Truth 1. Negotiation: A natural gift?
      2. Truth 2. The magic bullet: Preparation
        1. Pattern X Preparation
        2. Pattern Y Preparation
      3. Truth 3. Your industry is unique (and other myths)
        1. Myth #1: Your industry is unique
        2. Myth #2: Business people care only about money
        3. Myth #3: Always maintain a poker face: Never reveal anything
        4. Myth #4: Never make the first offer
      4. Truth 4. Win–win, win–lose, and lose–lose negotiations
        1. Win–win negotiation
        2. Lose–lose negotiation
        3. Win–lose negotiation
      5. Truth 5. Four sand traps in the golf game of negotiation
        1. Sand trap #1: Leaving money on the table
        2. Sand trap #2: Settling for too little
        3. Sand trap #3: Walking away from the table
        4. Sand trap #4: Settling for terms that are worse than your current situation
      6. Truth 6. If you have only one hour to prepare...
        1. Identify your goals
        2. Brainstorm your options
        3. Plan your opening move
    5. PART 2: The bottom line on bottom lines
      1. Truth 7. Identify your BATNA
      2. Truth 8. Develop your reservation price
      3. Truth 9. It’s alive! Constantly improve your BATNA
      4. Truth 10. Don’t reveal your BATNA
      5. Truth 11. Don’t lie about your BATNA
      6. Truth 12. Signal your BATNA
      7. Truth 13. Research the other party’s BATNA
    6. PART 3: Black belt negotiation skills
      1. Truth 14. Set optimistic but realistic aspirations
      2. Truth 15. The power of making the first offer
      3. Truth 16. What if the other party makes the first offer?
      4. Truth 17. Plan your concessions
      5. Truth 18. Be aware of the “even-split” ploy
      6. Truth 19. Reveal your interests
      7. Truth 20. Negotiate issues simultaneously, not sequentially
      8. Truth 21. Logrolling (I scratch your back, you scratch mine)
      9. Truth 22. Make multiple offers of equivalent value simultaneously
      10. Truth 23. Postsettlement settlements
      11. Truth 24. Contingent agreements
    7. PART 4: Psychology
      1. Truth 25. The reciprocity principle
      2. Truth 26. The reinforcement principle
      3. Truth 27. The similarity principle
      4. Truth 28. The anchoring principle
      5. Truth 29. The framing principle
    8. PART 5: People problems (and solutions)
      1. Truth 30. Responding to temper tantrums
      2. Truth 31. How to negotiate with someone you hate
        1. Replace D statements with B statements
        2. Label your feelings, not people
        3. Change your behavior, not your feelings
      3. Truth 32. How to negotiate with someone you love
      4. Truth 33. Of men, women, and pie-slicing
      5. Truth 34. Your reputation
      6. Truth 35. Building trust
      7. Truth 36. Repairing broken trust
        1. Let them vent
        2. Apologize
        3. Focus on the future
        4. Do a relationship checkup
        5. Go overboard
      8. Truth 37. Saving face
    9. PART 6: I-negotiations and E-negotiations
      1. Truth 38. Negotiating on the phone
      2. Truth 39. Negotiating via email and the Internet
        1. Get in touch with your inner nerd
        2. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
        3. High rollers
        4. First you see it, then you don’t
        5. Talk this way
      3. Truth 40. When negotiations shift from relational to highly transactional
      4. Truth 41. Negotiating across generations
      5. Truth 42. Negotiating with different organizational cultures
      6. Truth 43. Negotiating with different demographic cultures
    10. PART 7: Negotiation Yoga
      1. Truth 44. What’s your sign? (Know your disputing style)
      2. Truth 45. Satisficing versus optimizing
        1. Satisficing
        2. Lack of feedback
        3. The fixed-pie perception
      3. Truth 46. Are you an enlightened negotiator?
      4. References
        1. Truth 5
        2. Truth 6
        3. Truth 7
        4. Truth 13
        5. Truth 15
        6. Truth 19
        7. Truth 27
        8. Truth 28
        9. Truth 29
        10. Truth 30
        11. Truth 32
        12. Truth 33
        13. Truth 34
        14. Truth 35
        15. Truth 37
        16. Truth 38
        17. Truth 39
        18. Truth 40
        19. Truth 42
        20. Truth 43
        21. Truth 44
        22. Truth 45
    11. Acknowledgments
    12. About the Author
  8. The Truth About: Getting the Best from People
    1. Copyright Page
    2. Praise for the First Edition
    3. Dedication Page
    4. Introduction
    5. PART I: The Truth About Employee Engagement
      1. Truth 1. You don’t need the carrot or the stick
      2. Truth 2. You have direct influence over your employees’ passion quotient
      3. Truth 3. You get the best by giving the best
      4. Truth 4. It’s not money that motivates
      5. Truth 5. Employee engagement isn’t for sissies
      6. Truth 6. Real engagement gains happen after survey scores come in
    6. PART II: The Truth About Yourself
      1. Truth 7. Your behaviors are your brand
      2. Truth 8. You can’t give what you don’t have
      3. Truth 9. “Best” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone
      4. Truth 10. Think you’re a great leader? Think again
      5. Truth 11. You could be your own worst employee
      6. Truth 12. Visionary or beat cop? Your choice
      7. Truth 13. Your health may be compromising your leadership effectiveness
      8. Truth 14. You don’t have to be perfect
      9. Truth 15. Your career can recover from an engagement hit
    7. PART III: The Truth About Engaged Cultures
      1. Truth 16. Employee happiness is serious business
      2. Truth 17. Great leaders make their people cry
      3. Truth 18. Better questions lead to better answers
      4. Truth 19. Individual passion builds a passion-fueled customer service culture
      5. Truth 20. Authentic is better than clever
      6. Truth 21. Retention begins with hello
      7. Truth 22. The bad will do you good
      8. Truth 23. Your biggest complainer may be your best supporter
      9. Truth 24. You can sell an unpopular decision
      10. Truth 25. Flex is best
      11. Truth 26. Nobody cares if you don’t mean to be mean
      12. Truth 27. Controlling your temper is a labor-saving device
      13. Truth 28. There is no “but” in “I’m sorry”
    8. PART IV: The Truth About Motivation
      1. Truth 29. Engagement happens one person at a time
      2. Truth 30. If you’re a manager, you’re a career coach
      3. Truth 31. The candidates you’re seeking may not be the ones you need
      4. Truth 32. Ask for cheese—you might get the moon
      5. Truth 33. You lead better when you get off your pedestal
      6. Truth 34. Trust is your strongest persuasion tool
      7. Truth 35. If they aren’t buying it, they aren’t doing it
      8. Truth 36. Overselling an opportunity can cost you precious talent
      9. Truth 37. Focusing on what’s right can help solve what’s wrong
      10. Truth 38. High performers are motivated by a piece of the action
      11. Truth 39. All the generations want the same things
    9. PART V: The Truth About Performance
      1. Truth 40. Compassion promotes performance
      2. Truth 41. A hot star can brighten your whole team
      3. Truth 42. B players are your A team
      4. Truth 43. High performers have enough coffee mugs
      5. Truth 44. Discipline deepens engagement
      6. Truth 45. You don’t have to inherit the problem employees
      7. Truth 46. Performance appraisals are really about you
      8. Truth 47. New hires can inspire current employees
      9. Truth 48. Terminations are an engagement tool
    10. PART VI: The Truth About Creativity
      1. Truth 49. Innovation begins with y-e-s
      2. Truth 50. Everyone can be creative
      3. Truth 51. You stand between inspiration and implementation
      4. Truth 52. Failures promote progress
      5. Truth 53. People don’t quit their bosses, they quit their colleagues
      6. Truth 54. Extreme pressure kills inspired performance
      7. Truth 55. Creativity is a balancing act
    11. PART VII: The Truth About Communication
      1. Truth 56. Open questions ignite inspiring answers
      2. Truth 57. Serving your employees means managing your boss
      3. Truth 58. Bad news is good news
      4. Truth 59. Trivial conversations are essential
      5. Truth 60. The way you listen speaks volumes
      6. Truth 61. Crap happens
      7. Truth 62. Engaged employees need to know more
    12. PART VIII: The Truth About Teams
      1. Truth 63. Absence makes the employee happier
      2. Truth 64. Your team has untapped talent
      3. Truth 65. People need to fight their own battles
      4. Truth 66. Games don’t build teams
      5. Truth 67. Answers build teams
      6. Truth 68. Your team can lead you to greatness
      7. Truth 69. You’re still the boss
    13. References
      1. Truth 16
      2. Truth 32
      3. Truth 37
      4. Truth 42
      5. Truth 50
      6. Truth 51
      7. Truth 54
      8. Truth 55
      9. Truth 57
      10. Truth 68
    14. About the Author
    15. FT Press

Product information

  • Title: The Truth About Better Decision-Making (Collection), 2/e
  • Author(s): Robert E. Gunther, William S. Kane, Leigh Thompson, Martha I. Finney
  • Release date: June 2013
  • Publisher(s): Pearson
  • ISBN: 9780133445770