Confidence Classic: The “Yes, And” Mindset To Unlock Better Decision Making, Leadership and Relationships with Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis

When faced with tough decisions, most of us choose the least bad option from whatever alternatives we’re given—then wonder why we’re still unsatisfied. But what if you could create better choices rather than simply picking between the existing ones? In Creating Great Choices, business professors Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin reveal a systematic approach called integrative thinking that transforms how you handle difficult decisions by using the tension between opposing ideas as fuel for breakthrough solutions.

Instead of accepting painful trade-offs or lukewarm compromises, you’ll learn a four-stage process for generating genuinely superior alternatives—whether you’re navigating career decisions, resolving workplace conflicts, or tackling complex organizational challenges. We’ll also explore how integrative thinking connects to everything from quantum physics to Zen Buddhism, examine why workplace power dynamics often undermine the collaborative process, and reveal how cultural differences shape the decision-making capabilities Riel and Martin consider universal.

What is it about successful leaders that lets them solve problems other people find intractable? In The Opposable Mind, Roger L. Martin says the key is integrative thinking—the ability to consider opposing ideas and create a solution from the best parts of both. While other business experts focus on leaders’ ability to execute plans, Martin argues that understanding how successful leaders think is more valuable than simply copying what they do.

In this guide, we’ll examine the beliefs common to top leaders, the way they come up with ideas, and their ability to toggle between creative thinking and falling back on their experience. We’ll show how to apply these skills while also exploring other experts’ ideas about how people think and make decisions. We’ll describe various routes to stronger mental habits that may overlap with Martin’s ideas and some common mental barriers that can make applying Martin’s advice challenging.

Many enterprises come and go, but visionary companies endure for generations. These companies are the gold standard in their respective industries, remaining prosperous throughout many decades and at the hands of many different leaders. Beyond attaining financial success, they’ve also become household names, ingraining themselves into our collective psyche—it’s hard to imagine a world without them or their products, from Band-Aids to Post-it Notes to Mickey Mouse.

But what is the key to these companies’ longevity and tremendous success? Bestselling author Jim Collins and Stanford professor Jerry I. Porras embarked on a six-year research project to answer this question. In this book, you’ll find the fruits of their research, learn the important concepts behind enduring success, and get practical advice for building a company that lasts.

In Winning, business executive and former General Electric CEO Jack Welch shares advice on how to win in the business world, whether you’re running your own company or trying to climb the corporate ladder. Welch, who was chair and CEO of GE from 1981-2001, transformed the company into the most valuable in the world, and he became one of the best-known corporate leaders in the US.

In our guide, we’ll first look at some of Welch’s general business principles, such as the controversial practice of differentiation and the importance of candor in the workplace. Then, we’ll review his advice on more specific business practices, like how to hire effectively and how to adapt your company. We’ll finish with his tips on advancing your career, which include finding the right job and handling work-life balance. We’ll also take a deeper look at Welch’s advice, comparing and contrasting it with that of other notable business leaders.

In The One Thing, real estate entrepreneur Gary Keller argues that the key to extraordinary success is focusing daily on the “One Thing” that’s most important for achieving your goal, rather than scattering yourself in many directions. Keller and co-author Jay Papasan explain how to determine your goal or life purpose, then focus intensely on getting there, while avoiding pitfalls such as multitasking, relying on an unprioritized to-do list, thinking too small, misunderstanding willpower and discipline, and neglecting your personal life. When you know and focus exclusively on the most important thing every day, everything else falls into place. Extraordinary focus on One Thing brings extraordinary success.

Most people chase financial success believing it will bring happiness, yet even millionaires think they need two to three times their current wealth to feel truly secure. In The 5 Types of Wealth, entrepreneur and investor Sahil Bloom reveals why this approach fails and offers an alternative: Instead of focusing on financial wealth, you should build five areas of wealth simultaneously: financial resources, time wealth, meaningful relationships, mental well-being, and physical health.

This guide explores practical strategies for each wealth type, from breaking free of the “financial treadmill” to creating time abundance and cultivating relationships that last. You’ll learn how progress in one area amplifies the others and discover how to align your daily choices with lasting fulfillment rather than society’s narrow definitions of success. Throughout the guide, we’ll examine Bloom’s framework through behavioral science and well-being research, exploring how his ideas align with—or diverge from—established findings on habit formation, sleep, exercise, and relationships. We’ll also investigate how structural factors beyond individual control shape access to different types of wealth.

When faced with tough decisions, most of us choose the least bad option from whatever alternatives we’re given—then wonder why we’re still unsatisfied. But what if you could create better choices rather than simply picking between the existing ones? In Creating Great Choices, business professors Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin reveal a systematic approach called integrative thinking that transforms how you handle difficult decisions by using the tension between opposing ideas as fuel for breakthrough solutions.

Instead of accepting painful trade-offs or lukewarm compromises, you’ll learn a four-stage process for generating genuinely superior alternatives—whether you’re navigating career decisions, resolving workplace conflicts, or tackling complex organizational challenges. We’ll also explore how integrative thinking connects to everything from quantum physics to Zen Buddhism, examine why workplace power dynamics often undermine the collaborative process, and reveal how cultural differences shape the decision-making capabilities Riel and Martin consider universal.

What is it about successful leaders that lets them solve problems other people find intractable? In The Opposable Mind, Roger L. Martin says the key is integrative thinking—the ability to consider opposing ideas and create a solution from the best parts of both. While other business experts focus on leaders’ ability to execute plans, Martin argues that understanding how successful leaders think is more valuable than simply copying what they do.

In this guide, we’ll examine the beliefs common to top leaders, the way they come up with ideas, and their ability to toggle between creative thinking and falling back on their experience. We’ll show how to apply these skills while also exploring other experts’ ideas about how people think and make decisions. We’ll describe various routes to stronger mental habits that may overlap with Martin’s ideas and some common mental barriers that can make applying Martin’s advice challenging.

What is it about successful leaders that lets them solve problems other people find intractable? In The Opposable Mind, Roger L. Martin says the key is integrative thinking—the ability to consider opposing ideas and create a solution from the best parts of both. While other business experts focus on leaders’ ability to execute plans, Martin argues that understanding how successful leaders think is more valuable than simply copying what they do.

In this guide, we’ll examine the beliefs common to top leaders, the way they come up with ideas, and their ability to toggle between creative thinking and falling back on their experience. We’ll show how to apply these skills while also exploring other experts’ ideas about how people think and make decisions. We’ll describe various routes to stronger mental habits that may overlap with Martin’s ideas and some common mental barriers that can make applying Martin’s advice challenging.

When faced with tough decisions, most of us choose the least bad option from whatever alternatives we’re given—then wonder why we’re still unsatisfied. But what if you could create better choices rather than simply picking between the existing ones? In Creating Great Choices, business professors Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin reveal a systematic approach called integrative thinking that transforms how you handle difficult decisions by using the tension between opposing ideas as fuel for breakthrough solutions.

Instead of accepting painful trade-offs or lukewarm compromises, you’ll learn a four-stage process for generating genuinely superior alternatives—whether you’re navigating career decisions, resolving workplace conflicts, or tackling complex organizational challenges. We’ll also explore how integrative thinking connects to everything from quantum physics to Zen Buddhism, examine why workplace power dynamics often undermine the collaborative process, and reveal how cultural differences shape the decision-making capabilities Riel and Martin consider universal.

Many enterprises come and go, but visionary companies endure for generations. These companies are the gold standard in their respective industries, remaining prosperous throughout many decades and at the hands of many different leaders. Beyond attaining financial success, they’ve also become household names, ingraining themselves into our collective psyche—it’s hard to imagine a world without them or their products, from Band-Aids to Post-it Notes to Mickey Mouse.

But what is the key to these companies’ longevity and tremendous success? Bestselling author Jim Collins and Stanford professor Jerry I. Porras embarked on a six-year research project to answer this question. In this book, you’ll find the fruits of their research, learn the important concepts behind enduring success, and get practical advice for building a company that lasts.