The Book of Beautiful Questions Summary
- Amazon: Link
- Score: 6/10
- Category: Questioning
- Mental Models: Commitment and Consistency Bias, Emotions: Fear, First Conclusion Bias, Language Instinct, Liking, Narrative Instinct, Newton's 3rd Law: Action & Reaction, Tendency to Minimize Energy Output
Mental Models from the book:
'The Book of Beautiful Questions' can be summarised into 8 mental models:
1. Commitment & Consistency Bias
- Jeff Bezos says 'if you have a conviction....even if there is no consensus say: "Look, I know we disagree on this but will you gamble with me on it? [can we disagree and commit?]
2. Emotions: Fear
- We are happier when we make bolder choices. Steven Levitt conducted a study using people who were in the process of making a difficult decision. These people agreed to use a coin flip to decide if they would go ahead with their decision, if it landed heads they would say "yes". 6 months later he found that the "yes/heads" people were significantly happier than the "no/tails" people. When left to our devices we are too risk-averse and say no too often.
- To overcome our risk aversion tendency: (instead of using a coin) use a weighted question: If I am usually better off saying yes to bold opportunities, why wouldn't I say yes to this one?
3. First Conclusion Bias
- Scientific studies do not support the idea of following your gut instincts. You will be wrong more than you are right.
- Asking: "And what else?"... encourages people to think more and go beyond the obvious answers and conclusions.
4. Language Instinct
- To become a better listener ask:
- "Just to make sure I am understanding, are you saying...."
- "Can I try and explain what I think your position is- and then you can do the same for me? Because until we can accurately present one another's arguments, we do not know what the other is saying"
- Repeat back a few words that the person has said in the form of a question.
5. Liking
- If you ask more questions you become more likable.
6. Narrative Instinct
- The Journalist Mindset - Before going to a gathering tell yourself: I am going to go to this event as a journalist, looking for stories about the people I meet.
- We are too short-termist in our thinking. To overcome this ask yourself: Which decision will make for a better story in 5 years?
7. Newton's 3rd Law: Action & Reaction
- Ask Don't Sell - People put up their defenses when they think you are trying to sell them something. When you ask questions you build a relationship.
8. Tendency to Minimize Energy Output
- Daniel Kahneman found that "people who face a difficult question, often answer an easier one instead."
Mental Model Mind Maps:
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