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The Impulse Factor: Why Some of Us Play It Safe and Others Risk It All | 
 enlarge | Author: Nick Tasler
Creator: Travis Bradberry
Publisher: Fireside
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $9.98
You Save: $14.97 (60%)
New (47) Used (14) from $9.78
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 14433
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 272
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 1416562346
Dewey Decimal Number: 153.83
EAN: 9781416562344
ASIN: 1416562346
Publication Date: October 7, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In his work as research and development director at cutting-edge think tank TalentSmart, where he helps businesses work better and employees think smarter, Nick Tasler realized that the recent discovery by scientists of a potential-seeking gene could have a remarkable impact on how we understand decision making. Those who have this gene -- about one quarter of the population -- are endowed with impulsive tendencies that can lead to fast and decisive action or to foolish choices. The cautious majority that Tasler calls risk managers can make carefully considered decisions or become hopelessly lost in the fog of details. Now The Impulse Factor offers readers a unique online opportunity to analyze their own decision-making style and harness it to improve their everyday lives. Each book comes with access to a proprietary assessment developed specifically to evaluate impulsivity. With examples from business, psychology, and Tasler's own research at TalentSmart, the book also vividly illustrates how susceptible we are to the events around us and how our reactions often run contrary to our best interests.By combining his research with real-world examples of extreme decision making, Tasler teaches readers how to thrive when faced with difficult choices. More than just a book, The Impulse Factor provides a clear understanding of why you make the choices you do -- and the tools to make those decisions change your business and your life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 Do you like taking risks for the chance of higher payout? This book tells you why you make those decisions. November 20, 2008
Anjana Nigam (Atlanta, GA)
Which one are you? Are you among the 75% who are "Risk Managers" or among the other 25% who are "Potential Seekers"? Why do some people opt for a 50% chance to win $10,000 rather than a 100% guarantee of getting $5000?
The answer lies partly in genetics according to the author. Some of us have the "novelty seeking genes" that make some of us seek thrills in every day life to get to the same happy state that others may get to by just pottering about in their garden or reading books. Impulsiveness, argues the author can be a factor of genetics.
Ultimately, this is book that delves into the decision making process and gives us insights to manage risk without running from opportunity. It also asks the impulse followers to Think, Analyze and then React. The aim is to strike a balance in our decision making process.
This book is interesting and Nick Tasler has a good style. However, the book got too long in parts. We are so used to getting our information in bite sized nuggets now that any chapter that takes too long to get to the point gets boring. I thought Tasler used great examples to illustrate his points in the book, but he gave so much build up in some that the nugget of information which came at the end was almost anti-climactic.
If you're interested enough to read this review, I recommend reading this book. For me it wasn't earth shattering but it provided insight into the question, why do some of us jump into entrepreneurship propelled by a new idea while the rest of us keep working at our jobs still mulling over the pros and cons of taking that step. If you've been intrigued by the same question, I recommend reading this book.
 Really good book especially during these volatile times in the stock markets November 20, 2008
Anonymous (United States)
This book does a great job of dissecting the mechanics of impulse behavior, especially the comparisons between recognized athletes and corporate CEO's and the nuances that distinguish the champion athletes and CEO's from their less successful peers.
If you read this and the Black Swan The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, it would be comprehensive explanation of successful behavior and how unpredictable events coincide.
Fantastic! A must have! November 17, 2008
D. D'Eugenio (Palm Beach, United States)
My read was well timed. I was reading the manuscript for review during the 2008 election cycle and waited to published this review until I was able to see if the concepts in chapter three were valid. A favorite line in the book, "But when it comes right down to it, voters are far less concerned with eating than they are being eaten, and that makes them much more attentive to danger than the dinner bell." Needless to say, Tasler's "THE IMPULSE FACTOR" was right on.
Although politics isn't the core of this great book, it does help you understand all the political ads we distain! As I read through the book, I found more and more examples with well written explanations why people tend to do what they do. We all have some risk taking in us, some more than others. What's interesting is the WHY some do what they do and others don't. You'll see yourself in many examples and those examples will clearly help you understand yourself and others.
This book is not only an enjoyable read for any reader interested in behavior, but for those that want to better understand people in general. It will help you identify the `instincts' you have about someone into understandable theory. Although packed with great information and sourced examples, the book is not a complicated read.
THE IMPULSE FACTOR joins the great company of the works of Dr. Robert Cialdini, Dr. William Bridges and Dr. Victor Vroom and Dr. Daniel Goldman.I yellow pened this book so much I bought a second copy and the audio CD for myself and another copy for my family to read. The Impulse Factor is that good a book. A top five book for 2008.
Insights For Improved Decision Making November 16, 2008
P. Heath (Hurst, TX United States)
The Impulse Factor is a research based book from Nick Tasler of TalentSmart. At its core, it offers a quantifiable measure of decision making tendencies based on one's personal tendencies toward impulsiveness. It is a very logically structured book. It starts out with five chapters that provide the motivation based on research and observation of both man and animal throughout history. The final four chapters deal with the "Impulse Factor" test and how it applies to everyday life. Each chapter begins with a real world example that sets the stage for the particular topic, and the remainder of the chapter provides the technical details in light of the example. In addition, each copy of the book comes with a unique code on the inside cover of the dust jacket that gives access to take the online version of the Impulse Factor assessment. Afterward, you have unlimited access to your results as well as tools to help you improve your own decision making based on your results.
I liked the book overall. Tasler has a good writing style, and I never felt that the book bogged down even when he was dealing with genetics or psychology. As a result, I found that it was a fairly quick read in spite of the fact that it is fairly technical in these areas. One area for readers to be cognizant of is that Tasler bases a lot of his ideas on the theory of evolution. The data and current observation and research that he presents stand on their own, but you may find that you draw conclusions about their origins differently based on your own worldview. However, I found that the insights and online tools were worth the effort, and most people will find The Impulse Factor useful regardless of their worldview. Given the importance of decision making in the business world, people in leadership positions stand to gain the most from reading this book. That's not to say that other decisions are less important, but they do tend to be less frequent.
Great Read November 9, 2008
K. Rowley (Austin, Texas United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Warning - it's very easy to start to read for a few minutes and then discover that you've read through your lunch. I particularly liked the real world and historical anecdotes used to illustrate the different ideas - such as the story of Henry Dunant or why tulips once hurt the Dutch economy. I would recommend this as a good week-end read or maybe one to take and read while traveling.
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