'Punchy... it could transform millions of meetings, doing away with all those mushy , consensus-driven hours wasted by people too scared of disagreement.' - Wall Street Journal

'Beautifully written and important.' - Adam Alter, bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink

We've decided by consensus that consensus is good. In this essential book, psychologist Charlan Nemeth argues that this principle is completely wrong: left unchallenged, the majority opinion is often biased, unoriginal, or false. It leads planes and markets to crash, causes juries to convict innocent people, and can quite literally make people think blue is green. We can make better decisions by embracing dissent: it forces us to question the status quo, consider more information, and engage in creative decision-making. From Twelve Angry Men to Edward Snowden, lone objectors who make people question their assumptions bring groups far closer to truth. By studying these examples and bringing a little trouble-maker spirit to our own lives, we can radically change the way we think, listen, and make decisions.

'A timely tome on the perils of silence and the value of voice.' - Adam Grant, bestselling author of Originals

About the Author
Charlan Jeanne Nemeth is a professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2005-2009 she was Visiting Professor of Organizational Behaviour at London Business School. Professor Nemeth's work has been featured in Wired, the New Yorker, Fast Company and various other media outlets. She advises numerous important institutions on effective decision-making.

Reviews
Punchy... it could transform millions of meetings, doing away with all those mushy , consensus-driven hours wasted by people too scared of disagreement or power to speak truth to gibberish... all managers interested in the quality and integrity of their decision-making would do well to heed [this book]. * Wall Street Journal *
Beautifully written and important. Charlan Nemeth shows how, when, and why listening to the majority is dangerous, and why disagreement is often an engine of innovation, persuasion, and error correction. * Adam Alter - bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink *
Insightful, easy to read and full of examples... In this illuminating book, Charlan Nemeth demonstrates how dissent improves decision-making. This is a book every manager and board member should read. * Professor Saadi Lahlou, Chair in Social Psychology, London School of Economics *
A timely tome on the perils of silence and the value of voice. Charlan Nemeth is one of the world's leading experts on making decisions and influencing others, and she presents a career's worth of evidence on why the views you don't want to consider are often the ones you need to hear most. * Adam Grant, bestselling author of Originals *

There is no person on the planet better scientifically qualified to write a book on the dynamics of dissent. She has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to apply the scientific literature to engaging real world problems.

* Philip Tetlock - University Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, and author of Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction *
[A] tour-de-force of research ... To really understand what makes for effective dissent, you can do no better than reading what Charlan Nemeth has to say here. * Dr. Randall S. Peterson, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, London Business School *
A lucid, practical guide to fostering smarter teams, companies, and societies. Charlan Nemeth demonstrates the power of nonconformists in raising the quality of our group decisions. * William Poundstone - bestselling author of Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? *



Book Information
ISBN 9781786490261
Author Charlan Nemeth
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Atlantic Books
Publisher Atlantic Books
Weight(grams) 255g
Dimensions(mm) 200mm * 130mm * 20mm