Michael J. Mauboussin Books
Michael J. Mauboussin is an American investment strategist, author, and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Known for: Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
Books by Michael J. Mauboussin
Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
What if your biggest mistakes are not caused by lack of intelligence, but by the way your mind naturally works? In Think Twice, Michael J. Mauboussin explores a powerful idea: good decisions often require thinking against instinct. The book shows how even smart, experienced people fall into predictable cognitive traps, from overconfidence and confirmation bias to faulty pattern recognition and poor probability judgment. Rather than treating decision-making as a matter of talent or intuition alone, Mauboussin breaks it down into skills that can be improved. This matters because modern life constantly demands judgments under uncertainty: investing money, hiring people, choosing strategies, evaluating risks, and interpreting information. In all of these areas, intuition can help, but it can also mislead. Mauboussin argues that better outcomes come from understanding when to trust your gut and when to slow down, question assumptions, and use more rigorous thinking. Mauboussin brings unusual authority to this subject. Known for his work in investing, behavioral finance, and decision science, he blends research from psychology, economics, and real-world business into a practical guide for clearer thought. Think Twice is a smart, accessible reminder that better thinking starts with doubt, discipline, and intellectual humility.
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Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions
The most dangerous decision errors often come not from ignorance, but from confidence. One of Mauboussin’s core insights is that intelligent, informed people are still vulnerable to systematic mistakes because the human brain is built for speed and efficiency, not perfect judgment. We rely on shortc...
From Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
Recognize the Traps of Intuition
What feels obvious is often only familiar. Mauboussin shows that intuition is not inherently bad, but it is highly context-dependent. In stable environments with repeated feedback, intuition can become remarkably accurate. A chess master, firefighter, or experienced musician often develops rapid and...
From Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
Use Probabilities, Not Certainties
One reason people make poor choices is that they think in absolutes when reality is probabilistic. Mauboussin argues that the world rarely offers certainty, yet the mind naturally prefers clear stories and definite conclusions. We say a product launch will succeed, a stock will rise, or a strategy w...
From Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
Beware Stories That Feel Too Neat
Humans are storytelling creatures, and that strength can also become a weakness. Mauboussin explains that we naturally build narratives to explain events, connect causes, and make the world feel understandable. The trouble is that reality is often messier than the stories we tell. We compress comple...
From Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
Separate Skill from Luck
Success is seductive because it invites a flattering conclusion: we did well because we were right. Mauboussin challenges this instinct by showing how often outcomes reflect a blend of skill and luck. In many fields, especially those involving uncertainty and competition, the line between the two is...
From Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
Build Better Decision Processes
The quality of a decision often depends less on brilliance than on structure. Mauboussin argues that one of the best defenses against bias is to create reliable processes that reduce the influence of mood, ego, and inconsistency. Good decision architecture does not eliminate uncertainty, but it impr...
From Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
About Michael J. Mauboussin
Michael J. Mauboussin is an American investment strategist, author, and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. He is known for his work on decision-making, behavioral finance, and the application of complex systems theory to investing and business strategy.
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Michael J. Mauboussin is an American investment strategist, author, and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
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