What is *You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake!* about?

*You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake!* explores nine cognitive biases that distort strategic decision-making in business, offering 40 actionable methods to combat them. Drawing on behavioral economics and psychology, Olivier Sibony emphasizes designing organizational processes—not just individual awareness—to reduce errors. The book blends case studies, research, and practical frameworks like "decision hygiene" to help leaders improve choices.

Who should read *You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake!*?

Executives, managers, and decision-makers in business will benefit most, along with anyone interested in behavioral science. It’s ideal for leaders seeking systemic solutions to biases in teams or organizations. Sibony’s clear, research-backed approach also appeals to fans of Daniel Kahneman’s *Thinking, Fast and Slow*.

Is *You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake!* worth reading?

Yes—it’s praised for translating complex behavioral science into practical organizational strategies. Reviewers highlight its actionable advice on mitigating biases through structured processes rather than individual willpower. The book’s blend of academic rigor and real-world examples makes it a standout in decision-making literature.

What are the key decision-making traps identified in the book?

Sibony outlines nine traps, including confirmation bias, overconfidence, and groupthink. He illustrates how these errors manifest in business contexts, such as mergers or investments, and provides tools like "pre-mortem analysis" to anticipate failures before decisions are finalized.

How does *You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake!* differ from other behavioral economics books?

Unlike books focused on individual biases (e.g., *Thinking, Fast and Slow*), Sibony emphasizes institutional "decision hygiene"—systemic processes to reduce errors. He shifts the lens from personal improvement to organizational redesign, offering concrete methods for teams to leverage collective intelligence.

What is "decision hygiene" in the book?

Decision hygiene refers to structured processes that minimize bias, such as devil’s advocacy, diverse input channels, and scenario planning. Sibony argues these systems are more reliable than training individuals to spot their own cognitive errors.

What real-world case studies does the book include?

Examples span industries: failed mergers due to overoptimism, flawed investment decisions from anchoring bias, and product launches derailed by groupthink. These cases demonstrate how biases operate in high-stakes business environments and how to counteract them.

How does Olivier Sibony’s background influence the book?

A former McKinsey strategist and HEC Paris professor, Sibony combines 25+ years of consulting experience with academic research. His expertise in behavioral strategy and collaboration with Daniel Kahneman (*Noise*) informs the book’s rigor and practicality.

You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! Summary, PDF, EPUB, Audio

You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake!

Olivier Sibony

4.06 (684 Reviews)

Business Psychology Leadership

Resumen

Puntos Clave

Autor

Preguntas Frecuentes

Discover why your brain betrays you in crucial moments. Endorsed by Daniel Kahneman, this 4.7-rated guide reveals 40 methods to outsmart cognitive biases. "The best, funniest guide to cognitive bias in business" - Safi Bahcall. Warren Buffett's decision-making secrets inside.

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Individuals cannot overcome their own biases, but organizations can compensate through collaboration and process.

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@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

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Creado por exalumnos de la Universidad de Columbia en San Francisco

BeFreed Reúne a una Comunidad Global de 1,000,000+ Mentes Curiosas

Ver más sobre cómo se habla de BeFreed en la web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

1.5K Ratings4.7

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You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake!

Olivier Sibony

4.06 (684 Reviews)

Business Psychology Leadership

Resumen

Puntos Clave

Autor

Preguntas Frecuentes

Explora Tu Forma de Aprender

Resumen Rápido9min

Siente el libro a través de la voz del autor

Análisis Profundo42min

Convierte el conocimiento en ideas atractivas y llenas de ejemplos

Tarjeta Flash10 ideas

Captura ideas clave en un instante para un aprendizaje rápido

Divertido25min

Disfruta el libro de una manera divertida y atractiva

Mejor cita de You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake!

Individuals cannot overcome their own biases, but organizations can compensate through collaboration and process.

Más Como Este

29 sources

The Mind's Hidden Shortcuts: How Psychological Biases Shape Decisions

11 sources

Cognitive Biases: Our Mind's Hidden Shortcuts

The Art Of Thinking Clearly

Blind Spots: Navigating Cognitive Biases

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The Hidden Traps Behind Our Worst Decisions

00:00

Ever watched a brilliant leader make an astonishingly bad decision and wondered how it happened? Even the smartest executives consistently fall into predictable decision traps. These aren't failures of intelligence or character-they're systematic cognitive biases that affect us all. Despite warnings, executives repeatedly make identical mistakes: overpaying for acquisitions, creating wildly optimistic budgets, ignoring disruption signals, and doubling down on failing ventures. The puzzle is that these bad decisions come from extremely successful individuals with good advice and proper incentives. The solution lies in behavioral science. We make systematic, predictable mistakes called cognitive biases. While unconscious-bias training has become popular for addressing discrimination, it rarely tackles how our own biases affect strategic decisions. Overcoming these biases requires three fundamental ideas: First, our biases create predictable patterns of strategic error. Second, individuals cannot overcome their own biases, but organizations can compensate through collaboration and process. Third, organizations don't naturally overcome biases-they often amplify them. Leaders must become "decision architects" who deliberately design processes to counteract these predictable errors.

When Compelling Stories Override Critical Thinking

The Dangerous Allure of Business Genius

When Gut Feelings Lead You Astray

The Confidence Paradox

Breaking Through Organizational Inertia

Designing Better Decision Processes

Explora Tu Forma de Aprender

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Resumen de You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! en 9 Minutos

Desglosa las ideas clave de You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! en puntos fáciles de entender para comprender cómo los equipos innovadores crean, colaboran y crecen.

00:00

Tarjeta Flash

Las 10 Ideas Principales de You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! en Resumen

Destila You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! en pistas de memoria rápidas que resaltan los principios clave de franqueza, trabajo en equipo y resiliencia creativa.

Divertido

Lecciones de You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! Contadas en Historias de 25 Min

Experimenta You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! a través de narraciones vívidas que convierten las lecciones de innovación en momentos que recordarás y aplicarás.

00:00

Personalizar

Experimenta You’re About to Make a Terrible Mistake! a tu manera.

Pregunta lo que quieras, elige la voz y co-crea ideas que realmente resuenen contigo.

Creado por exalumnos de la Universidad de Columbia en San Francisco

BeFreed Reúne a una Comunidad Global de 1,000,000+ Mentes Curiosas

Ver más sobre cómo se habla de BeFreed en la web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Creado por exalumnos de la Universidad de Columbia en San Francisco

BeFreed Reúne a una Comunidad Global de 1,000,000+ Mentes Curiosas

Ver más sobre cómo se habla de BeFreed en la web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

1.5K Ratings4.7

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Más Como Este

Puntos Clave

The Hidden Traps Behind Our Worst Decisions

When Compelling Stories Override Critical Thinking

The Dangerous Allure of Business Genius

When Gut Feelings Lead You Astray

The Confidence Paradox

Breaking Through Organizational Inertia

Designing Better Decision Processes

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Más Como Este

Puntos Clave

The Hidden Traps Behind Our Worst Decisions

When Compelling Stories Override Critical Thinking

The Dangerous Allure of Business Genius

When Gut Feelings Lead You Astray

The Confidence Paradox

Breaking Through Organizational Inertia

Designing Better Decision Processes