Why do even the most experienced people make mistakes? Perhaps because they are too confident in their knowledge and simply do not believe that they can make a mistake. It also happens that circumstances — a high position, authority among colleagues, friends, students — put pressure on us, forcing us to constantly demonstrate confidence and competence. According to business consultants Stephen D’Souza and Diana Renner, the financial crisis of 2008 happened because most managers and analysts did not want to notice the warning signs and believed that the situation was under control. The authors of the book defend the right of everyone to make mistakes, doubts and, ultimately, to ignorance. The working atmosphere can be productive only when we recognize the limits of our knowledge, are not afraid to experiment and improvise. The examples of the heroes of the book — entrepreneurs, writers, politicians, athletes — show that in a difficult situation, awareness of one’s own vulnerability can become a source of inspiration and new ideas.
Alpina Publisher, 348 p., 2015.