Simple Thinking: Tackling Problems With Simplicity

Research in a range of fields, from organizational behaviour to psychology and management to medicine, tells us that common sense and simple tools often outperform complicated routines. Simplicity does not mean the absence of sophistication. It is about finding clarity amid chaos.

Our brains have 10,000 times as many neurons as an ant. Yet, ants organize themselves to build complex structures and provide food for entire colonies. Just as we farm cows for milk, ants rear aphids for their honeydew. They survive floods by making a living raft that remains afloat with the help of air trapped between their bodies.

Sherlock Holmes once told his assistant Dr Watson that the world is full of obvious things that we fail to observe.
Read about these, and many more anecdotes, in Simple Thinking.

Why this book is different

Instead of giving advice, this book will tell you unforgettable stories. You’ll discover:

• Why the FBI changed tactics while negotiating with terrorists
• How Novak Djokovic transformed his career by changing how he thought about food
• What ants can teach us about organizing themselves
• Why Netflix has a ‘no rules rules’ policy
• How comedians become resilient after failure
• Why Mumbai’s dabbawalas achieve near-perfect accuracy

Each story ends with one simple principle you can immediately apply.

What you’ll learn

Answers to questions like:

• Why do simple rules outperform complex systems?
• Why do we crave sugar?
• How do hostage negotiators build trust?
• How can failure be an advantage?
• How can you make your people thrive at work?
• How do world-class teams stay productive?
• How can you be creative and generate new ideas?

Mukesh Sud, a former faculty at IIM Ahmedabad, was previously an entrepreneur. A visiting fellow at the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, he is a visiting faculty at IIMA, ISB and at Ashoka University. His co-authored books, Leapfrog: Six Practices to Thrive and LeanSpark: Frugal by Design, Global in Impact are national bestsellers and have been translated into many languages.