Max H. Bazerman

DECISION LEADERSHIP is a passionate argument that leaders are, above all, decision architects. They pursue truth over power. When they do, their decisions are more ethical, accounting for broad constituencies and diverse perspectives. Their approach to any task is clear and aims to be just, engendering trust. As a result, their impact is greater because it ripples out instead of relying heavily on the trope of heroic figure at the helm. The best behavioral science proves it, and we have plenty of examples that demonstrate the promise of this perspective. Leaders succeed as they create norms, structures, incentives, and systems that help others to think in new ways and make their best choices.

Every day, you make hundreds of decisions. They’re largely personal, but these choices have an ethical twinge as well; they value certain principles and ends over others. Max H. Bazerman argues that we can better balance both dimensions—and we needn’t seek perfection to make a real difference for ourselves and the world.

Better, Not Perfect provides a deeply researched, prescriptive roadmap on how to maximize our pleasure and minimize pain, Bazerman shares a framework to be smarter and more efficient, honest and aware—to attain your “maximum sustainable goodness.” In Part Two, he identifies four training grounds to practice these newfound skills for outsized impact: how you think about equality and your tribe(s); waste—from garbage to corporate excess; the way you spend time; and your approach to giving—whether your attention or your money. Ready to nudge yourself toward better, Part Three trains your eye on how to extend what you’ve learned and positively influence others.

Melding philosophy and psychology as never before, this down-to-earth guide will help clarify your goals, assist you in doing more good with your limited time on the planet, and see greater satisfaction in the process.

In this book, Michael Luca and Max Bazerman explain the importance of experiments for decision making in a data-driven world. Luca and Bazerman describe the central role experiments play in the tech sector, drawing lessons and best practices from the experiences of such companies as StubHub, Alibaba, and Uber. Successful experiments can save companies money—eBay, for example, discovered how to cut $50 million from its yearly advertising budget—or bring to light something previously ignored, as when Airbnb was forced to confront rampant discrimination by its hosts. Moving beyond tech, Luca and Bazerman consider experimenting for the social good—different ways that governments are using experiments to influence or “nudge” behavior ranging from voter apathy to school absenteeism. Experiments, they argue, are part of any leader’s toolkit. With this book, readers can become part of “the experimental revolution.”

Many prior books on negotiation, including books co-authored by Max Bazerman, have addressed how to create and claim value in negotiation. These ideas have proliferated in business schools, where negotiation is often the most popular course. Class participants generally value negotiation classes, but often ask/say “This was a fine course, but . . .”

• . . . it doesn’t account for the cultural norms of negotiating in my country.
• . . . it doesn’t deal with negotiating with the Chinese (or pick any other country).
• . . . you didn’t cover the supply crisis we are currently facing.
• . . . do your ideas apply when dealing with liars?
• . . . how to I handle an irrational opponent?
• . . . negotiating over Zoom is different than negotiating in person.
• . . . how does it apply to getting my patients to take their medicine?
• . . . how does the course apply when my negotiation opponent doesn’t have the power to commit to an agreement?
• . . . how does the course apply to negotiations with my father, who stills runs the family business (but should retire)?

While each comment seems unique, the critiques more broadly highlight the fact that the course was not focused on the participant’s particular context—the circumstances and conditions that surround a negotiation. While providing an overview of core concepts in negotiation, The Game Has Changed also addresses these and other questions and explains how to adapt systematic negotiating frameworks to your specific contexts.

Social science research affects all of us. When researchers learned organ donation rates are higher in countries where human organs are automatically available for donation unless you specifically “opt-out” of the system, as opposed to countries like the U.S., where you are required to “opt-in,” more governments started instituting ‘opt-out” donation policies. When scientists found that walking 10,000 steps a day significantly improved health, millions of people began tracking their steps. When organizations allegedly learned that signing before filling out a form, rather than signing at the bottom, created more honesty, they changed their forms. Because social science research often finds its way to the public and affects our behavior, it is critical that data be true, transparent, and trusted.

I have been connected to one of the most salient episodes of data fabrication in the history of social science – involving the signing first effect alluded to above. I am working on understanding all known social science frauds in this millennium. Social science also struggles with a broader problem, namely the fact that many studies fail to replicate due to faulty research practices that have become common in social science. Most replication failures can be traced back to the original researchers twisting their data to conform to their predictions, rather than from outright fraud. Trying to produce “significant” results, they may run a study multiple times, in a variety of ways, then selectively report the tests that worked and fail to report those that didn’t. The result is the publication of conclusions that do not hold up as accurate. Both problems – outright data fabrication and this reporting bias that shapes results – need to be tackled, so all of us in academia can publish results that are replicable and can help create value in society.

The last dozen years have witnessed multiple efforts to reform social science research to make it more credible, reproducible, and trusted. I am writing a book on reforming social science, which will provide an account of recent data fabrications, and highlight strategies to move forward to create more credible and impactful scientific research.