Strategic Intuition

The Creative Spark in Human Achievement

By: Bill Duggan

Narrated by: Dennis Holland

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

How "Aha!" really happens.....

When do you get your best ideas? You probably answer "At night" or "In the shower" or "Stuck in traffic". You get a flash of insight. Things come together in your mind. You connect the dots. You say to yourself, "Aha! I see what to do."

Brain science now reveals how these flashes of insight happen. It's a special form of intuition. We call it strategic intuition, because it gives you an idea for action - a strategy.

This new book by William Duggan is the first full treatment of strategic intuition. It's the missing piece of the strategy puzzle that makes essential reading for anyone interested in achieving more in any field of human endeavor.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2007 Columbia University Press (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A concise and entertaining treatise on human achievement." (William Easterly, Wall Street Journal)
"William Duggan's book is really on point. His work has enormous implications for the teaching of strategy." (Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School)

A strange mix with a good insight

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would leave out the Buddhist influence which was introduced in a forced and contorted manner. It failed to strengthen the basic premise of the book which was its chief reason for existence.

Do you think Strategic Intuition needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, it is a stand alone book that needs no defence, nor follow up.

Any additional comments?

The key concept, that great moves forward in human culture are very often, if not always, the intuitive use of concepts that are circulating in the contemporary culture, is a useful insight. The overemphasis of what will one day be known as a 'classical eduction' through school and university as well as the popular drive towards team work fails to recognise that the key to much progress and insight rests in the particular wiring of an individuals brain that brings together much knowledge and reshapes it into an insight of genius. This book is a refreshing acknowledgement of this concept.

Great Work

I loved this audiobook. I've ordered the book, too. Great insight into the way we make decisions - maybe.

Fresh and usefull point of view

One of my favorite books. Although not super practical - does provide a hint at a framework for thinking differently on how to improve strategic thinking and innovation.

Intuition and Bill Gates

I'm really enjoying this audiobook. It offers a new insight and perspective in to "intuition".
The narrator is also fairly good but comes across as an experienced news reader and you can tell they don't understand the actual content because his "gentle" style has the same pattern that doesn't vary much over the 7 hours.
I agree with the other comment that there is too much focus on Bill Gates and Intel - something that might not appeal to non-geeks.

It makes perfect sense, great insights

an expert makes tactical decisions based on shortcut methods that dont follow a series of sequencial steps to arrive to a conclusion which is not posible in trades that deal with critical situations. then it goes on to explain how with a twist you can now use the same methods to use strategic intution.

Strong on content, pace and delivery

While this author has strong academic credentials, and clearly ensures that academic criteria are met, he does not get bogged down in academia. Statements are credited and referenced, giving me as the reader the sense that he speaks with authority. Even when he's saying things that are contrary to popular belief, you don't get the sense that he's saying them for sensationalist reasons or that they are unsubstantiated in any way.

This balance between credence and storytelling is a tenuous one, and he seems to get it right. If he errs, it's slightly on the academic, but I'd prefer that.

The narrator seems to be well chosen. Easy on the ear, without being attention-grabbing. He doesn't seem to get in the way of the text. Just simply conveying it clearly.

While this works really well as an audio book, I realise in hindsight that my preference would have been an ebook so that I could highlight and bookmark certain sections to compensate for my short memory. He gives very good definitions and clarifications, for example, on the concepts of karma and dharma, and then goes on to cite a whole range of examples, but later on, after a gap of a few days in listening, I had forgotten the details of the distinction between the two, and thus the significance of the examples was lost on me.

All in all, a great book that I have recommended to many people.

Move from SWOT to Reality

William Duggan of the Columbia Business School has provided an insightful approach to strategic management in "Strategic Intuition." He bridges the gap separating the standard SWOT approach to long-term planning and the real world practice. His approach to the topic and issues involved are very refreshing and thought provoking. I hope that he will continue to develop this line of thinking (like Porter has relative to Value Chain analysis for example) to make his points more nuanced. I was not always able to apply his ideas and case studies or examples to my life and work.

The book is well written and well read. It will be helpful to those interested in the field of strategic management and informative to others with little background, but generally interested in improving decision making.

Very Insightful On The Subject Of Intuition...

Most people attribute success to goal setting and hard work. This book turns that on it's head providing real world examples. A must read ( or listen).

Everything is right if you lie to make it so...

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The only redeeming aspect of the book is when Bill cites true events and real knowledge he had nothing to do with. Where it goes wrong is his blatantly wrong interpretation of them to support his

If you’ve listened to books by Bill Duggan before, how does this one compare?

N/A

Have you listened to any of Dennis Holland’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

N/A

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Strategic Intuition?

I would suggest Bill go back and write something less insulting to the people he cites.

Any additional comments?

The reader need only to read the preface to catch the setup to what results into a recount of historical events, reinterpreted and often blatantly wrong or subjective exactly before Bill makes a bold claim and relation to his theories.

It's easy to be right when you redefine the elements challenging your ideas, BEFORE you explain those ideas. It's call framing in negotiations. Get the opposing party to agree with you on a broad and general direction appearing to be reasonable, but in actuality you preconceived using backward induction to control decisions and opinions.

Napoleon according to Bill is the greatest military strategist in history, what's worth discussion is not Napoleon's merits for that title, but rather Bill's selective use of Napoleon and butchering history to fit his points. Likewise with Buddha, he begins by saying the area he sites to support his theory can not be confirmed and is gathered from legend. Incredibly insulting to the reader if you use legend as fact as an appeal to authority when the writer's credibility is in question.

To say Microsoft and Google are 1st tier companies in the

Great Book

Great book for everyone