Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business

Author: Charles Duhigg

I enjoyed Duhigg’s “Power of Habit” and felt compelled to read this new title so I too could be Smarter, Faster and Better. From the start you can tell that you are in the hands of a professional writer as the book is engaging, well written and interspersed with anecdotes to keep your interest.

The chapter on decision making is both entertaining and educational. He deconstructs a few Texas Hold'em poker hands explaining the probabilistic and psychological analysis of the game. The lesson is that we are confronted by numerous decisions in everyday life. While our brain is remarkable at conducting Bayesian analysis it can easily be biased because we inherently have exposure to more outcomes that are successes than failures. The more we stick to the fundamentals of probability in our decisions the better off we are.

In the discussion on Teams, he draws heavily from Project Aristotle at Google which went to considerable lengths to examine what makes one team more effective than another. The composition of the team didn't matter as much as the group norms. It was important that the members felt comfortable to suggest ideas and weren't afraid of retribution. It was important that everyone's opinion is heard and they felt a sense of "psychological safety" in the group.

For the chapter on focus, Duhigg emphasizes the importance of having a mental model before you evaluate any situation. He uses examples from pilots dealing with unexpected situations in the cockpit; the one who applies a mental model to the situation is best able to figure out what is wrong and can quickly rectify the situation.

Setting goals is a well established method for achieving more in life. I didn't find any new nuggets in this chapter. Also the chapter on managing others covers the much written about details on Toyotas lean manufacturing process and the success in transforming NUMMI in Fremont.

Overall, it is a good book with a lot of material that you are likely to have encountered elsewhere. Read it to be reminded about the things that will help you be more successful in whatever you do.