Tag: Daniel Kahneman

  • A System 3 path to brand building

    I wouldn’t claim that Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow is an easy read, but if you persist, you can get a lot of insights on cognitive and behavioural biases, the heuristics we pick up and use, and the experiencing and remembering selves. I definitely started “watching” myself a lot more! But the main theme of the book is the difference between our two modes of thinking – Systems 1 and 2. System 1 is fast, automatic, and always in use, mostly unconsciously. System 2 is slow, methodical, logical and conscious. This also means that System 1 links new inputs to existing patterns to make sense of it rather than create a new understanding.

    I have tried to apply this in my line of work – marketing, specifically communication. The application is fairly simple in say, ecommerce because the messaging/design can (and is) tweaked to play to the heuristics and biases the human mind has. Investments are a totally different beast altogether given there is rarely any instant gratification and definitely no gimmicks and giveaways. It also doesn’t help that our attention span as users is decreasing fast! Nudges ain’t easy. In that context, I have wondered if the two systems are too binary, and whether there is a middle path.

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  • DOODALL (Dhoni, OODA Loop & Life)

    I don’t watch cricket anymore, but did catch the video of Dhoni’s very colourful exchange with Manish Pandey in the 2nd T20 vs South Africa earlier this year. Interesting as it was, what really caught my attention was how Dhoni calmly hit a six in the very next ball! Think about it – you’re annoyed about something but able to quickly not just get over it, but do a spectacular job in the next few seconds! This not a one off incident, because this is essentially how the man earned the “Captain Cool” moniker.

    I related it to this fantastic long read at Farnam Street about how fighter pilots technique quick and accurate decisions. It’s called the OODA loop and the letters stand for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast & Slow is one of the most insightful books I have read, but I wished there would be an application guide on how to practice it in daily life. I think the OODA loop is the best practitioner’s guide I have seen. (more…)