Cambridge Business Association
The Power of Noticing
Book

The Power of Noticing

What the Best Leaders See

Max Bazerman
Wall Street Journal Books, 2014
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Eye Opening
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

In this lovely book, Max Bazerman, co-director of Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership, does a fine job of examining factors that lead you not to notice a lot of what is going on around you. He identifies conditions that make it harder for you to notice. While some of his examples of “failure to notice” are standard – such as the unseen gorilla in the basketball video and the Challenger explosion mechanical fault – many are new. Bazerman’s unique blend of humility, clarity and insight make his exploration particularly appealing. getAbstract recommends his research and advice to anyone interested in the emerging field of behavioral economics or, generally, in how to think better and see more.

Summary

The Need to Notice

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, many people wondered why the US hadn't seen this calamity coming. Such crises highlight the need to notice.

People habitually do not notice what happens around them. For example, students working on case studies might not ask for more information – even when that information is available – because they think their case studies are complete. What is “right in front of you is rarely all there is” to an issue. There’s almost always more information if you develop the habit of looking for it. If you don’t, you can make bad decisions, as NASA did when it launched Challenger in 1986. Engineers had warned their corporate superiors and NASA that a shuttle launch in cold weather was unsafe, but decision makers never asked for data on launches and temperature. As a result, the shuttle blew up, killing everyone on board.

What Causes Blindness?

Several factors can lead to “motivational blindness” – failing to see things because not “noticing” these disruptions serves your best interest, at least in the short term. Consider the Catholic Church’s sexual-abuse scandal: church officials’ loyalty...

About the Author

Max Bazerman, co-director of Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership, co-authored Negotiation Genius with Deepak Malhotra and Blind Spots with Ann Tenbrunsel.

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