The Logic of Failure
by Dietrich Dörner
A German psychologist's experiments on why intelligent people fail at complex problems: ignoring side effects, over-steering, fixing the wrong variable. Sobering and underread.
Read it if…
you manage complex systems and want to understand your own failure modes.
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Skip it if…
you want a quick read.
Try instead: People Follow You →
Three things you will actually use
- Complex systems punish simple fixes.
- Watch for delays and side effects.
- Gather information before acting, but act.
Do this first
For your next decision, list three side effects before acting.
Our verdict
Why smart people fail at complexity.
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Compare with other Leadership books
Built to Last
Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras · Leadership
Influential and still relevant, with caveats.
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