Smarter Faster Better

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Honestly pretty good, lots of great lessons packed into this book about how to be more motivated and productive with TONS of case studies to provide examples and takeaways. I really appreciate how often he provides counter examples going into details of when these strategies don't work out and either how to overcome these issues or work around them so they don't become too big. I've read another of his books and he definitely is consistent. Overall would definitely recommend this book if this is a topic that interests you.

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader as part of a quick takes post to catch up–emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.
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My chief complaint about Duhigg's book, The Power of Habit, was that I expected something the reader could use for themselves. This isn't as easy to apply as you might want, but it's clearly written with an eye for the reader not just to understand the principles of efficiency and productivity, but to show some ways to bring the lessons home.

That said, it's not a how-to book, it's not self-improvement, it's largely about the science/study/understanding of productivity. I found it just as fascinating as the last book, and can see where it'd be a useful guidebook for people in some sort of position of authority in an organization.

Duhigg also shows us his process while illustrating his own application of the book's lessons—which I really enjoyed.

I'm absolutely on board for whatever book Duhigg puts out next, Chamberlain is a great narrator for his material, too.

This book is a very good Collection real world mechanics to be more productive alone or in a Team. The inspiration and examples are great.
The Frozen process was my favorite, really charming and inspirational.
The negative, is that I find very Hard to apply this in our normal lifestyle. I will try, but is quite a challenge.
Thanks!

I really liked this book at the end. Each chapter is something to learn by examples. At first I thought this book was just the same examples as always in Agile books. It turned out it went deeper in these examples and a good portion was examples that were new to me. The examples was more than just something to start with, it was the carrier of the bulk of the information. Charles made a great collection of examples to carry his point across.

I loved this book. The anecdotes are relatable, the narrative is clear, and there are actionable insights. This book takes us beyond habits to skills we can use to create additional meaningful change. It won't be easy or instantaneous, but we can slowly shape our future selves by changing our current toolset. Recommended!

While I loved Duhigg's earlier book, The Power of Habit, it took me two years to finish this one, because none of the studies and anecdotes felt relevant or compelling.

Interesting book, with a lot of research beyond it, as always with Charles Duhigg.

For me personally I would have liked norr concrete tips about how to implement the techniques in my own life.
The appendix does a decent job here, but it could have been detailed a bit more.

About the book: Smarter Better Faster combines personal stories and business research to show that being productive isn't just about managing your to-do list, but about making the right choices and maintaining the right mindset. These blinks offer advice on how to stay motivated, keep yourself on track and work in teams effectively to maximize your creativity, productivity and success.

About the author: Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times. His first book, The Power of Habit, stayed on the Times' bestseller list for over 60 weeks.

My highlights:
Stay motivated by letting yourself make choices and reminding yourself of long-term goals.
People feel more motivated when they have greater control over a situation.
A sense of control and responsibility can also help you recover from any setbacks during the process.
You also need to remind yourself how your choices contribute to the project and your overarching goals. Remembering the big picture is another important element in staying motivated. Even if a task doesn't feel rewarding on its own, you'll feel good when you know it plays a part in something more important.
Set an ambitious goal then break it down into smaller, easily achievable parts.
Start with stretch goals, or your biggest ambitions.
Stay focused on your goals by anticipating any potential distractions.
Mental models prepare you for upcoming projects or conversations. Let's say you have a stressful week ahead. Get yourself through it by imagining how you'll conquer, step by step, each challenge.
Think about possible distractions and how likely each is during a work day.
Enhance your team's performance by making sure each person feels safe and valued.
Even a team of average performers can accomplish great things if the team has the right dynamic. But what's the “right” dynamic? Well, the most important factor is whether team members feel psychologically safe. Team members feel safe when they know they won't be ridiculed for making mistakes or suggesting ideas.
Psychological safety enhances performance because it allows team members to admit mistakes, which means any issues can be quickly addressed. Team members also feel more comfortable sharing unconventional ideas, which makes the team as a whole more creative.“Safe” teams also thrive in an environment that is, in general, caring and respectful.
Fostering a commitment culture increases your company's overall success.
In a commitment culture, management focuses on building trust and attachment to the company. Commitment culture companies rely on trust, care and the emotional connections between the organization and its employees. Such companies don't necessarily aim to hire the smartest, highest achieving individuals. Instead, firms look for people who fit their larger team and company vision.

Final summary
The key message in this book:Staying productive, motivated and competitive is ultimately about making the right choices, both in your daily life and with your most ambitious goals. Set stretch goals for yourself, then narrow them down into achievable parts. Overcome distractions by staying prepared. Making the right choices isn't just good for you – it's better for your team and the company overall.

Excellent.

A somewhat scientific exposition of what makes people more productive. Very Malcom Gladwell-like.

Pěkný mix osobních zkušeností a studií, které dohromady dávají tipy, jak být více produktivní. Za velmi přínosné beru informace, jak zůstat stále motivovaný, i když se vám moc nedaří. A pro mnoho lídrů a šéfů reklamních agentur by mohl být “Projektu Aristotelés od Google zdrojem inspirace, jak sestavit kreativní tým (u nejvýkonnějších týmů nezáleží na jejich složení, ale typu interakcí, které v nich nastávají). Prostě klasická průměrná motivační knížka, ve které jsou informace, jenž se válí všude po internetu.

I really enjoyed Duhigg's The Power of Habit. I found this one less inspiring.