Black Box Thinking

BLACK BOX THINKING: The Surprising Truth about Success (and Why Some People Never Learn from Their Mistakes)

by Matthew Syed

Why do we avoid/deny mistakes and is there a way to systematically use failures as building blocks to success? Indeed, how you respond to mistakes will decide whether you repeat the same errors or successfully use them as stepping stones to move ahead. In this book, Matthew Syed explains why some people never learn from their mistakes (while others do), and you can harness the power of failure to grow, improve and attain top performance.

In this summary, you’ll learn:
• The difference between close loop systems vs open loop systems, and why one leads to repeated mistakes/failures while the other brings ongoing improvements and growth;
• The psychological and cultural reasons behind why people and organizations avoid or deny failure, and what you can do to reverse that; and
• The specific strategies, techniques and tips to develop the right systems and mindsets, including examples from various industries to illustrate these ideas at work.

Who should read this:
• Leaders, managers, educators and people developers
• Anyone wants to learn how to cultivate a learning mindset and culture.