The Decision Book – 50 Models for Strategic Thinking by Mikael Krogerus & Roman Tschappeler

Thanks to my bro Hems for giving me this book. I have used a few of the models and can tell you they have been a great help especially when my boy Mehul introduced me to the SMART and SWOT analysis. Those 2 really helped me figure out my own barriers and external barriers to getting the hell out of Kenya. The book is divided into 4 parts as you’ll see below in the contents. If all the models don’t have links just google them as it’s taking a lot of time finding the right models and links.

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Notes:
– Apparently Visa is able to predict divorce rates based on credit-card data.
– Harrah’s Casino can predict a punter’s ‘losing pain threshold’ and their program alerts a warning which queues the ‘luck ambassador’ to entice the loser with a gift to stay and keep losing.
– Talks about the importance of drawing while talking with some do’s and don’ts.

Contents
Instructions for use.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOURSELF
The Eisenhower matrix: How to work more efficiently
The SWOT analysis: Howto find the right solution
The BCG box: Howto evaluate costs and benefits
The project portfolio matrix: Howto maintain an overview
The John Whitmore model: Am I pursuing the right goal?
The rubber band model: Howto deal with a dilemma
The feedback model: Dealing with other people’s compliments and criticisms
The family tree model: The contacts you should maintain
The morphological box and SCAMPER: Why you have to be structured to be creative
The Esquire gift model: How much to spend on gifts
The consequences model: Why it is important to make decisions promptly
The conflict resolution model: How to resolve a conflict elegantly
The crossroads model: So what next?

HOW TO UNDERSTAND YOURSELF BETTER
The flow model: What makes you happy?
The Johari window: What others know about you
The cognitive dissonance model: Why people smoke when they know it’s unhealthy
The music matrix: What your taste in music says about you
The unimaginable model: What do you believe in that you cannot prove?
The Uffe Elbæk model: How to get to know yourself
The fashion model: How we dress
The energy model: Are you living in the here and now?
The SuperMemo model: How to remember everything you have ever learned
The political compass: What political parties stand for
The personal performance model: How to recognise whether you should change your job
The making-of model: To determine your future, first understand your past
The personal potential trap: Why it is better not to expect anything
The hype cycle: How to identify the next big thing
The subtle signals model: Why nuances matter
The network target model: What your friends say about you
The superficial knowledge model: Everything you don’t need to know

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HOW TO UNDERSTAND OTHERS BETTER
The Swiss cheese model: How mistakes happen
The Maslow pyramids: What you actually need, what you actually want  (my preferred model is from Tony Robbins here)
Thinking outside the box:How to come up with brilliant ideas
The Sinus Milieu and Bourdieu models: Where you belong
The double-loop learning model: How to learn from your mistakes
The AI model: What kind of discussion type are you?
The small-world model: How small the world really is
The Pareto principle: Why 80 per cent of the output is achieved with 20 per cent of the input
The long-tail model: How the internet is transforming the economy
The Monte Carlo simulation: Why we can only approximate a definitive outcome
The black swan model: Why your experiences don’t make you any wiser
The chasm – the diffusion model: Why everybody has an iPod
The black box model: Why faith is replacing knowledge
The status model: How to recognise a winner
The prisoner’s dilemma: When is it worth trusting someone?

HOW TO IMPROVE OTHERS
The Drexler–Sibbet team performance model: How to turn a group into a team
The team model: Is your team up to the job? (REALLY GOOD ONE BUT CAN’T FIND THE RIGHT MODEL)
The gap-in-the-market model: How to recognise a bankable idea
The Hersey–Blanchard model (situational leadership): How to successfully manage your employees
The role-playing model: How to change your own point of view
The result optimisation model: Why the printer always breaks down just before a deadline
The world’s next top model: What can we learn from this book

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
Drawing lesson
Drawing lesson
My models