Human Systems and Behavior

The War of Words: The Invisible Logic of Political Language and Automated Influence 1 The War of Words - Part 1: The Invisible Logic of Political Language 2 The War of Words - Part 2: The Tyranny of the Narrating Self 3 The War of Words - Part 3: The STEPPS of Automated Influence ← Series Home The Calculating Machine’s Fatal Flaw The enduring Western ideal of the political actor is framed by the dispassionate mind, a figure often celebrated by philosophers and economists who weighs evidence objectively before making a reasoned decision. This conception gives rise to the belief that citizens should respond primarily to detailed policy arguments, cost-benefit analyses, and factual lists. Yet, decades of scientific inquiry reveal that this vision is fundamentally inconsistent with how the human mind and brain actually function; in reality, decisions are rarely dispassionate, particularly when they involve deeply held political commitments. The profound disconnect between this idealized rationality and the actual workings of human cognition means that political messaging built solely on logic is perpetually vulnerable to defeat by appeals rooted in emotion and narrative coherence. ...

Human Factory Settings: The Psychology of Conviction and Influence 1 Human Factory Settings - Part 1: The Chemistry of Conviction: Why We Are Wired to Be Swindled 2 Human Factory Settings - Part 2: Your Mind's Blind Spots: The Illusion of Rational Choice 3 Human Factory Settings - Part 3: The Charisma Algorithm: The Six Pillars of Influence ← Series Home The Illusion of Omniscient Choice The traditional economic view posits the ideal decision-maker—Homo economicus (Econ)—as a dispassionate, objective actor who makes faultless forecasts and rational choices, unfailingly optimizing outcomes by diligently weighing all evidence. This model, which often shapes policy prescriptions, assumes that if citizens are simply given the widest possible range of choices, they will naturally select the best possible outcome for themselves. Yet, decades of evidence demonstrate that this vision is a profound fiction. Humans are routinely fooled by visual illusions and predictable cognitive biases, confirming that our subjective reality diverges sharply and systematically from flawless calculation. ...

The Endurance Paradox: Leadership Lessons from Shackleton Successful Failure 1 The Endurance Paradox – Part 1: Why Crisis Becomes History's Greatest Leadership Lesson 2 The Endurance Paradox – Part 2: Forging Loyalty from a Diverse, Fractured Crew 3 The Endurance Paradox – Part 3: Servant Leadership Under the Ice Grip 4 The Endurance Paradox – Part 4: The Sinking Truth and Transformational Resolve 5 The Endurance Paradox – Part 5: Neutralizing Dissent by Keeping the Malcontents Close 6 The Endurance Paradox – Part 6: The Quiet Power of Emotional Intelligence in Extremis 7 The Endurance Paradox – Part 7: The Great Jettison—Prioritizing Survival over Scrim 8 The Endurance Paradox – Part 8: Miraculous Navigation and the Fate of the James Caird 9 The Endurance Paradox – Part 9: The Burden of the Bridge and Leadership's Loneliest Moment 10 The Endurance Paradox – Part 10: Echoes of Resilience—Why Shackleton Remains the Gold Standard ← Series Home Talent Is Secondary to Team Spirit Shackleton’s selection and management strategy prioritized group loyalty and deep camaraderie, asserting that a team’s collective character was more critical than its individual competence. He understood that the success of the expedition rested on transforming a disparate group—the “A.B.s and the B.A.s”—into a family that trusted its leader implicitly. This people-centered approach became the foundation of his leadership style, ultimately enabling him to keep his entire crew alive. ...

The Empathy Engine: Re-engineering Product Management for the Human Age 1 The Empathy Engine – Part 1: From Feature Wars to the Soul of the Product 2 The Empathy Engine – Part 2: Mastering Product-Market Fit through Market Signals and Community 3 The Empathy Engine – Part 3: Extracting Innovation Gold from Behavioral Research 4 The Empathy Engine – Part 4: Crafting Product Stance and the Emotional Value Proposition 5 The Empathy Engine – Part 5: Design Doing and the New Product Manager's Artifacts ← Series Home Achieving commercial success requires aligning a product with the nebulous concept of “the market,” a complex space encompassing competitors, laws, suppliers, and trends. In a world obsessed with speed, innovators are often urged to run loose and think lean, yet true success demands a methodical understanding of this external ecosystem. When tackling product-market fit (PMF), the design-led process emphasizes gathering subtle signals to carve out a viable opportunity space. ...

The Logic of Successful Systems Decisions 1 The Logic of Successful Systems Decisions - Part 1: Defining Decision Quality and the Systems Imperative 2 The Logic of Successful Systems Decisions - Part 2: Problem Definition: Solving the Right Challenge 3 The Logic of Successful Systems Decisions - Part 3: Solution Design: Engineering Creativity and Feasibility 4 The Logic of Successful Systems Decisions - Part 4: Decision Making: Quantifying Value, Risk, and Tradeoffs 5 The Logic of Successful Systems Decisions - Part 5: Solution Implementation: Delivering the Promised Value ← Series Home 4 Phases Of the Systems Decision Process: Problem Definition, Solution Design, Decision Making, Implementation ...

The Bounded Mind ← Series Home The Foundational Vulnerability The wreckage of failed business ventures often points to glaring operational errors, misjudged market timing, or simple lack of capital. Yet, critical analysis reveals a deeper, more insidious cause: the pervasive influence of the unstated premise. Projects frequently fail not because managers cannot assess whether their beliefs are false, but because they do not even realize they are making them. This critical blind spot stems from the fact that incorrect assumptions are hidden, passing unnoticed beneath the surface of detailed business plans. ...

The Architecture of Choice ← Series Home The Efficiency of the Nudge: Profit and Self-Interest Most policy discussions surrounding nudges focus on how the government can leverage behavioral science to steer us toward positive outcomes, but this often overlooks a fundamental truth: markets have always been the original architects of choice. Long before academics codified cognitive failures, private firms—including retailers, advertisers, and marketers—relied on intuitive behavioral insights to sell their products and maximize profit. The modern application of behavioral nudges in consumer products, especially technology, is now an explosive growth area, offering specialized products and services to help individuals manage their financial life and health. ...

The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer 1 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 1: How Cognitive Biases Undermine Rational Choice 2 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 2: Persuasion as a Science: Navigating the Elaboration Likelihood Model 3 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 3: Anchors, Decoys, and Dissonance: The Psychology of Price and Loyalty 4 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 4: Beyond Utility: Status, Identity, and the Allure of Luxury Goods 5 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 5: Digital Identity and Social Proof: Building Trust in the Online Ecosystem 6 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 6: Ideological Consumption: When Political Values Dictate Brand Preference 7 The Strategic Mind of the Modern Consumer – Part 7: Tomorrow's Terrain: Forecasting Crises, Sustainability, and Technological Shifts ← Series Home The Dual Nature of Persuasion in a Crowded Market In the current fast-paced business environment, the seamless integration of advertising strategy and consumer behavior principles is essential for success. The goal of a marketer extends beyond simple transactions to creating memorable experiences and fostering brand loyalty. To achieve this, advertising campaigns must resonate deeply with the target audience, transforming communication from a mere exchange of information into an engaging encounter. ...

When Disaster Strikes 1 Part 1: Disasters Don't Create Inequality-They Reveal It 2 Part 2: Why Some Cities Burn (And Others Don't) 3 Part 3: The Sacrifice Calculus 4 Part 4: Elite Disaster Strategies 5 Part 5: Famine and Political Power 6 Part 6: Earthquakes and Governance 7 Part 7: Pandemic Politics 8 Part 8: Why We Forget ← Series Home Key Takeaways Cities choose to burn: Fire-resistant construction exists in every era. Whether it's mandated is a political choice. Codes follow catastrophe: Building codes are typically written after major fires, not before—and they're only enforced where political power demands it. The pattern of destruction: Poor neighborhoods burn more frequently because fire prevention requires investment that requires political voice. Reconstruction as opportunity: After great fires, some cities transform; most rebuild the same vulnerabilities that made them burn. The Fire That Rebuilt London On September 2, 1666, a fire started in Thomas Farriner’s bakery on Pudding Lane. By the time it burned out four days later, the Great Fire of London had destroyed 13,200 houses, 87 churches, and most of the buildings of the City of London. Miraculously, only six deaths were officially recorded—though the actual toll was certainly higher. ...

Cognitive Architecture 1 The Tyranny of the Fovea 2 Maps of the Invisible 3 The Syntax of Choice 4 Designing the Better Human ← Series Home The Ant’s Dilemma in a Digital Desert Consider the large Tunisian ant scouting for food in a featureless desert. It meanders far from its nest, but when it finds a syrup source, it attempts to make a “beeline” back home. If a scientist moves the ant 12 meters east while it is eating, the ant still travels in the direction where the nest should have been. ...