The Halo Effect
by Phil Rosenzweig
Published by Free Press
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Cerri Ellis
Everywhere you look today, there are errors of logic, irrational thinking, and delusional perceptions. The business world is no different. In The Halo Effect...and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers, Phil Rosenzweig unmasks these fatal flaws in logic and judgment, and shines a light on them. The ten chapters cover everything from How Little We Know to Managing Without Coconut Headsets (or how to set aside our delusions as we attempt to implement what we've just learned.)
One of the more insidious and rampant delusions in the business world is The Halo Effect, whereby academics and business pundits attach a questionable "halo" around a company as their sales and profits climb, attributing the swift rise to corporate strategy, visionary leadership or any number of things. When the company's performance seems to slide, the halo is snatched away and the same people say that the leadership grew arrogant, the initial strategy backfired, or the company became complacent. The actual truth is often that little or nothing might have changed--except the company's achievements created a halo effect in our perceptions. Those mistaken assumptions then go on to color everything, so that when the same business pundits and academics now look at the company, they disregard the natural ebb and flow of commerce.
So much of what I read in this book could be applied to issues outside the corporate world. My favorite was the illusion of rigorous research and the hidden flaw.
Often I'll read a book where the author backs up their position or claims, on "exhaustive" research. The delusion is that every bit of information you read, be it in the media or on the Internet, is accurate. The assumption can have serious and detrimental impact.
The clear, concise and logical approach taken by the author is a breath of fresh air. The Halo Effect is a must have for anyone interested in cutting through the cluttered mentalities, the "mind-created" realities so pervasive in the corporate, academic, and even governmental sectors of our society.
Armchair Interviews says: Important business read, regardless if your halo is up or down right now.
Author's Web site: http://www.the-halo-effect.com