I just recently listened to a really great interview with him and am going to post my notes here because I think they reveal one of my favorite things about thinking: We don't think the way we think we do!
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Happiness is not the same as Life Satisfaction (satisfaction is when you are actually reflecting on your life). Happiness is mostly social (being with people you love and who love you back). Satisfaction is more about money, prestige, etc. Surprisingly what people want is satisfaction: they want to have a good story about their life. Having a lot of money does not make you happier (above a certain threshold), but life satisfaction does not satiate. Money is a proxy for success – that’s why so many rich people are working their heads off.
How to change behavior – it’s hard to change! When you want to change someone’s behavior, you really shouldn’t push them, instead ask “why aren’t they already doing this?” These restraining forces should be removed (rather than applying additional forces). (Don’t add to the driving forces which is what most people do naturally, instead work on weakening the restraining forces). Imagine two sets of opposing springs and how they hold something in equilibrium. Adding driving forces increases overall tension whereas removing restraining forces moves a person but does not add to the overall tension.
Behaviors are not from personality, it’s from the situations they are in. “Fundamental attribution error”: people tend to think that personality primarily driving their actions when it’s probably the situation they are in. It’s more painful to give something up than to not get something. Things are more expensive than anticipated for society/government because you have to compensate the losers.
What gets in the way of clear thinking is that we have intuitive views of things; “ready-made answers.” Independent clear thinking is basically impossible. Our ‘reasons’ are made up to support our existing beliefs. Smart people can be better at inventing ‘reasons’ so that doesn’t actually make them better at clear thinking.
Most organizations make decisions poorly: it’s hard to improve decision making. You should slow down. Use algorithms instead of using judgements.
When you are making decision, break the problem or job applicant into dimensions and evaluate each separately. Delay your decision, focus on the separate points. People decide too quickly and not too well. Don’t allow people to give their final judgement while discussing. Otherwise you spend your time reinforcing your initial impressions.
Protect the dissenters in your organization. They are valuable.
Judgement is a measurement where the instrument is your mind.
Not much hope of individuals overcoming their own biases. Organization can to better: they think more slowly and they can rely on procedures.
When you re negotiating, the person who moves first has an advantage: the first number thrown out changes everyone’s view of what is plausible. When negotiating, actively disagree with a number that is absurd (“erase that number”).
Do a pre-mortem on any decision. “Suppose two years from now, the decision has turned out to be a disaster. Write down the history.”
Why don’t people/organization delay decision making, evaluate point by point rather than holistically, and do pre-mortems? It’s hard work – much easier to go with your gut or someone else’s points…
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