Abhishek Chakraborty

What Disasters Can Teach Us About Good System Design

The Challenger disaster didn’t happen simply because of the O-ring seals failure. The second wave of the Coronavirus didn’t take over India simply due to lack of adequate healthcare in the country. These so called “root causes” are part of many reasons, and they are definitely not the main reason.

Psycho-Logic: Why too Much Logic Deters Magic

Human beings aren’t machines that follow a simple logic. The same thinking used for designing a car cannot be used for designing a society. We are a complex system where the rules change according to context. And we follow a much more evolved form of logic called psycho-logic.

Purposeful Listening: The Art of Listening More than What’s Said

All of us want to be heard, but nobody wants to listen. Really listen. That’s why spouses fight, friendships fall apart, and employees leave companies. But if you wish to be a good partner, a good friend, a good manager, learning how to listen with purpose is indispensable.

Relaxation: Why the Next Best Option is the Best Option

When somebody tells you to relax, it’s probably because you’re uptight and you make a bigger deal problems than you should. Here’s some counterintuitive advice: you don’t have to relax yourself. Relax your problems instead.

Persuasion Begins with “No”

When you go to your boss asking for a hike, the default answer is “No.” But this “No” doesn’t mean “Get the hell outta here.” It’s an invitation to make your case. If you go away after the first “No” you are leaving millions on the table.

Working Hypothesis: How to Avoid Fooling Yourself

Facts don’t change our minds. The mind is stubborn, and no matter how strong the facts are, we undervalue evidence that contradicts our beliefs and overvalue evidence that confirms them. Ironically, the same brain that empowers rational thinking also skews our judgments.

The Slow Hunch: Why All Eureka Moments Are Lies

Snap discoveries based on intuition—as dramatic as they sound—are rarities. All hunches that turn into important innovations unfold over much longer time frames.

The Perks of Being a Late Bloomer

Most of us aren’t very good at what we do because we settle too early. And once we settle, we don’t switch. That’s not really a smart way to make a career, or in better words, find your calling.