![Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do by [Syed, Matthew]](https://web.archive.org./web/20190403123334im_/https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41kebWi355L._SY346_.jpg)
![[KEY SUMMARY] Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do (Top Rated 30-min Series)](https://web.archive.org./web/20190403123334im_/https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71vL6yxejAL.__BG0,0,0,0_FMpng_AC_UL160_SR100,160_.jpg)
A colleague of mine sent me a link to a BBC article regarding this book several weeks ago. As an patented inventor and product designer I was very intrigued by the title. This is the first book I have read by this author. As I read through its pages, I found Matthew Syed's writing style to be captivating enough to keep my attention while describing events and facts which could otherwise be very dry. For that reason, I am compelled to read his other works, but merely based on the content, I have already recommended this book to dozens of people. The concept of learning from mistakes is as old as recorded history. However, if you think that is what this book is about, think again. There are many nuances to the subject matter disclosed which can be very thought provoking and enlightening. On several occasions I actually put the book down, feeling compelled to rethink dozens of situations in my own life where I have made mistakes, not learned from them and ended up repeating them, stuck in closed loop logic.
My key takeaway from reading this book is that Mr. Syed identifies a well-known flaw in humanity to which some critics at first blush might yawn and say “so what, nothing new here” Failure analysis has been around for centuries. Not exactly… this book covers a lot of ground. The Black Box failure analysis model has only been in use for a very limited amount of time in human history, yielding incredible results in aviation safety used for the benefit of all humanity. Yes, individuals throughout history have used versions of failure analysis to solve issues, either for themselves or for small scale issues. But this recent model transcends others in that it truly eliminates the need or benefit of lying, omitting information or tampering with evidence. By doing so, you only perpetuate a problem which could eventually end up costing you your life or the life of your loved ones. I spoke my friend who is a pilot and Lt. Col in the US Air Force about claims in this book and he confirmed the legitimacy and efficacy of the program, stating that US Military standards are slightly different than commercial aviation, but no doubt that you are immune to prosecution and encouraged to fully disclose information, which is solely used to improve safety for not only for the military, but for the greater good of all mankind. In my mind, that is what makes it unique.
If you were to tell a pilot in 1935 that in 2015, more pilgrims would die traveling on foot to Mecca (or being politically correct, Hajj 2015), then 3 billion passengers on commercial airplanes, travelling at 575 mph, taking off and landing in everything from thunderstorms and dense fog to snow, ice and gale force winds, sometimes even banking between skyscrapers on approach, they would have looked at you as though you were insane and told you to seek immediate psychological help. But those are the facts, made possible by human beings working together using this system and for the greater good of all.
Review
Praise for Black Box Thinking
"Mathew Syed has issued a stirring call to redefine failure. Failure shouldn’t be shameful and stigmatizing, he explains. Instead, he shows that failure can be exciting and enlightening — an essential ingredient in any recipe for success. Full of well-crafted stories and keenly deployed scientific insights, Black Box Thinking will forever change the way you think about screwing up."
—DANIEL PINK, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human
Praise for Bounce
"Insightful and entertaining"
—DAN ARIELY, author of Predictably Irrational
"The most important book I’ve read over the past six months."
—PETER ORSZAG, economist, in The New York Times
"A fascinating subject and Syed is a dazzling writer."
—OWEN SLOT, The Times London
"Everything Mathew Syed Writes is worth reading."
—LYNN TRUSS, bestselling author of Eat, Shoots & Leaves
"Mathew Syed has issued a stirring call to redefine failure. Failure shouldn’t be shameful and stigmatizing, he explains. Instead, he shows that failure can be exciting and enlightening — an essential ingredient in any recipe for success. Full of well-crafted stories and keenly deployed scientific insights, Black Box Thinking will forever change the way you think about screwing up."
—DANIEL PINK, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human
Praise for Bounce
"Insightful and entertaining"
—DAN ARIELY, author of Predictably Irrational
"The most important book I’ve read over the past six months."
—PETER ORSZAG, economist, in The New York Times
"A fascinating subject and Syed is a dazzling writer."
—OWEN SLOT, The Times London
"Everything Mathew Syed Writes is worth reading."
—LYNN TRUSS, bestselling author of Eat, Shoots & Leaves
About the Author
Matthew Syed is a leading columnist and feature writer forThe Times. He makes authored features for the BBC current affairs programmeNewsnightand regularly appears on CNN International and World Service TV. He also gives business talks to major international corporate clients including Goldman Sachs, BP, Rolls-Royce, McKinsey, Manchester United, Oxford University and Vodafone. Before becoming a writer Matthew was the England table tennis number one for almost a decade, three times Commonwealth Champion, and he twice represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games.
Matthew Syed's first book,Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice, was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and became a UK best-seller.
Matthew Syed's first book,Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice, was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and became a UK best-seller.
![[KEY SUMMARY] Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do (Top Rated 30-min Series)](https://web.archive.org./web/20190403123334im_/https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71vL6yxejAL._AC_UL70_SR70,70_.jpg)
