Book Summaries

Primal Teams shows how anyone can control potentially damaging emotions, while triggering the kind of passion and energy that supercharge performance.

In his groundbreaking book, Predictably Irrational, social scientist Dan Ariely revealed the multiple biases that lead us into making unwise decisions. Now in The Upside of Irrationality, Ariely exposes the surprisingly negative and positive effects irrationality can have on our lives. Focusing on our behaviors at work and in relationships, he offers new insights about what really motivates us on the job, how unwise actions can become long-term habit, and more.

How much do we know about what we buy? What truly influences our decisions in today’s message-cluttered world? In Buyology, Martin Lindstrom presents the astonishing findings from his groundbreaking neuromarketing study that peered inside the brains of two thousand volunteers as they encountered various ads, logos, commercials, brands and products. His startling results shatter much of what we have long believed about what seduces our interest and drives us to buy.

Proactive Risk Management offers product development teams a plan with which they can enhance their management of project risks by identifying risks early and managing them to diminish disruption throughout the project. Using a practical, easy-to-use, fact-based approach, it will help developers manage all the risks associated with a project. Although this process is tailored to commercial product development, it is applicable to many other types of projects with some adaptation.

Managing a project is not about getting the job done on time and on budget. It’s about getting the job done in a way that contributes to the bottom line of your company. Covering everything from the basics of accounting and finance to understanding the marketplace, this summary shows how to link project success to organization success.