Wait: The useful art of procrastination - Softcover

Partnoy, Frank

Softcover

ISBN 10: 184668594X ISBN 13: 9781846685941

Publisher: Profile Books, 2012

Synopsis

Warren Buffett compares stock trading to great athletes: they excel, not because of fast neurological responses, but because of their ability to delay as long as possible before reacting. Successful CEOs, fire fighters, and military officers all know how to manage delay to gather as much information as possible to get the results they need.

In Wait, Frank Partnoy argues that decisions of all kinds, whether 'snap' or long-term, benefit from being made at the last possible moment. The art of knowing how long you can afford to delay before committing is at the heart of many a great decision, whether in a corporate takeover or a marriage proposal. Apologies are better received if they are not rushed; audiences listen more attentively if speakers pause first, people who can defer gratification are happier and more successful than those who must have everything now. Exploring decisions that must be made in a millisecond to those that take months and years, Partnoy demonstrates that the ability to wait is crucial to getting the right answer and that gut instincts are often wrong.

About this title

Review:

Frank Partnoy turns conventional wisdom on its head with this counterintuitive approach to decision-making. Rather than telling us how to make decisions faster and faster, he mines and refines a rich lode of information from experts in a surprising variety of fields to demonstrate the power of delay, whether measured in milliseconds, days, or decades. Wait is a great read, chock full of fascinating insights. (Daniel H. Pink, author of 'Drive' and 'A Whole New Mind')

Having mined the best of American research in fields as wide-ranging as finance, behavioral economics and law, Partnoy has written a beguilingly readable treatise that boils down to a single, easily digestible conclusion: in our busy modern lives, most of us react too quickly. I whole-heartedly recommend this book. (Roger Lowenstein, author of 'The End of Wall Street' and 'When Genius Failed')

A seductive case for measured action (Time Out)

The perfect read for any self-proclaimed procrastinators (Irish Tatler)

Fascinating (FT)

Book Description:

Don't blink, it's better to delay. Take your time, perhaps even procrastinate. In short, wait.

About this edition

• Publisher: Profile Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 184668594X
• ISBN 13: 9781846685941
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304