By: Henry Gwani on October 28, 2021
How to Read Numbers is a very engaging and practical book that discusses the different ways in which statistics in the news can be misleading, and how to get a more objective perspective of the reality being presented. In some 22 chapters, Tom and David Chivers explain how less-than-representative and biased samples; rankings; forecasting; and…
By: Michael Simmons on October 28, 2021
My title comes from a review from New York Times journalist Manjit Kumar quoting Mark Twain who wrote, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” Actually, Mark Twain was apparently quoting 19th century British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, though the true origins of the quote are truly unknown.[1] I suppose one could…
By: Nicole Richardson on October 28, 2021
My first call out of seminary was pastoring a small bedroom community church. Several attempts were made by me to start an adult Sunday school class using my newfound theological knowledge. No.One.Was.Interested. I decided to come at it from a different angle; use entertainment to garner interest. Gospel According to the Simpsons’ was a hit!…
By: Denise Johnson on October 28, 2021
The last year and a half have put a very real spotlight on the use of numbers in the public forum like none other that I can remember. To the point that most people have no idea what the truth is actually, lies or misinformation. Tom Chivers and David Chivers have combined their perspective expertise,…
By: Troy Rappold on October 28, 2021
In their book, “How to Read Numbers,” Tom and David Chivers seek to reveal the complexity of statistics found in news reporting. The authors state on page two, “We’re going to talk a lot about numbers: about how they’re used in the media, and about how they can go wrong—and give misleading impressions.” The book’s…
By: Roy Gruber on October 28, 2021
Mark Twain popularized the saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Manipulated and misrepresented numbers bolster a weak argument by signifying false credibility. In “How to Read Numbers,” brothers Tom and David Chivers expose common mistakes in using numbers by the media. The media’s goal of maximum engagement lends itself…
By: Andy Hale on October 28, 2021
In a world in which attention-seeking headlines sell, it appears as if scientists and psychologists are not immune from fudging the numbers to make a little dough or rise to the top. Already a natural skeptic, Chivers and Chivers have paved the way for me to second guess many attention-seeking stats. The cousins refer to…
By: Kayli Hillebrand on October 27, 2021
In processing How to Read Numbers this week, I continually thought about the characters from the hit comedy ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ The emphasis on proving or disproving equations, ensuring there is accuracy in even the smallest of details, and communicating clearly were what Sheldon, Leonard, and the rest of the crew (minus Penny) did…
By: Henry Gwani on October 24, 2021
Thinking Fast and Slow explains the two important “systems” that make up our mental faculties: intuition and reasoning, or as it is popularly described, the conscious and subconscious mind. The author describes these as “judgment and decision making[1]” shaped by psychological discoveries. Building upon decades of previous psychological research, the book critically examines the intricate…
By: Elmarie Parker on October 22, 2021
Monday, I returned to my virtual desk after five weeks of family leave. One of the first emails to greet me was a tirade from a superior in my organization accusing me of undermining our organization and threatening action against me unless I immediately responded to their email. All this based on their interpretation of…
By: Denise Johnson on October 21, 2021
Polarization or the contrasts of various perspectives seems to be themes that reappear in the readings these days. Daniel Kahneman’s widely cited, influential book Thinking, Fast and Slow, is yet another example. His descriptions of contrasting decision-making approaches that influence one’s biases. He highlights the variety of seemly logical processes that a person or institution…
By: Jonathan Lee on October 21, 2021
Daniel Kahneman, the author of Thinking, fast and slow, has achieved enormous markers in his life as a renowned psychologist, emeritus professor of Princeton University, and winner of Noble prize in Economics. The international bestseller, Thinking, fast and slow, educates the reader to become more conscious and reflect upon one’s own decision-making process. The author’s…
By: Nicole Richardson on October 21, 2021
Alice was bored; bored with the doldrums of regular life; bored of books with no pictures. Out of boredom Alice is lured to follow the white rabbit down the rabbit hole. I imagine Alice would be similarly bored with the Daniel Kahneman’s 400 plus page book (with very few pictures) Reading, Fast and Slow. Kahneman’s…
By: Troy Rappold on October 21, 2021
In the best seller, “Thinking fast and Slow,” Daniel Kahneman expounds how the two systems of the human mind works. System one (which is fast) is instinctual, intuitive and emotional. System two (which is slow) is more logical, deliberate, and analytical. The book is sweeping in its ambitions and it succeeds on all its promises.…
By: Roy Gruber on October 21, 2021
How we think does not occupy one’s thinking. So says psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman. Like the process involved in the air we breathe, our decisions happen naturally, or so we assume. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Kahneman examines the biases of intuition.[1] The author employs principles of behavioral economics to inform numerous examples from…
By: Andy Hale on October 21, 2021
If we scratch just a little bit beneath the surface, maybe I am not as wise and thoughtful as I initially thought. What leads me to such thinking beyond a general observation of my existence? Kahneman so lovely argued, “Our comforting conviction that the world makes sense rests on a secure foundation: our almost unlimited…
By: Eric Basye on October 21, 2021
Daniel Kahneman’s book, Thinking Fast and Slow, dives deep into the science of how humans make decisions. In this in-depth and witty book, the author provides a two-system approach to categorize how decisions are made. “System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effect and no sense of voluntary control,” whereas “System 2…
By: Michael Simmons on October 20, 2021
Comprehending Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow is like trying to capture the entire Grand Canyon in a single photo – there is so much detail and stimuli coming in that it is nearly impossible to see a single detail. So, I cognitively zoom up a few thousand feet to gain a greater perspective on…
By: Kayli Hillebrand on October 20, 2021
Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, while daunting in size provides an engaging opportunity for the reader to think differently about common notions of psychology, statistics, and intuition. While the work in essence focuses on the psychological factors behind economic behavior, there is much more to glean, especially from a leadership lens. It is evident…
By: Elmarie Parker on October 15, 2021
Simon P. Walker writes Leading Out of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership (The Undefended Leader Trilogy Book 1) out of his experience working with The Leadership Community.[1] That alone sets his work apart from many other books classified under leadership development based on psychological insight. Walker writes for the purpose of…
