Meltdown audiobook cover - Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It

Meltdown

Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It

Chris Clearfield & András Tilcsik

4.4 / 5(78 ratings)

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Key Takeaways from Meltdown

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Meltdown

Mind Map

Meltdown
The Danger Zone
System Characteristics
Complexity
Tight Coupling
Perrow's Formula
System Design Solutions
Increase Transparency
Troubleshoot Early
Increase Buffers
Decision-Making Tools
SPIES Method
Predetermined Criteria
Warning Signals
Near-Misses
Anomalizing
Organizational Culture
Encouraging Dissent
Leveraging Diversity
Coping Strategies
Reflection
Iteration
Pre-mortems

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What two inherent features of modern systems combine to create what Charles Perrow calls the 'Danger Zone' for meltdowns?

Meltdown — Full Chapter Overview

Meltdown Summary & Overview

Meltdown (2018) unpacks the weaknesses shared by local and global systems. With diverse and astonishing examples, it provides empowering solutions to avoid failure. The Financial Times named it one of their best books of 2018, and the book’s message is ultimately hopeful – that the answers are easily within reach if we look for them. 

Who Should Listen to Meltdown?

  • Curious individuals seeking a new perspective on how the world works
  • Leaders and staff who want to build stronger teams and better handle or prevent crises
  • Whistleblowers, dissenters and diversity champions

About the Author: Chris Clearfield & András Tilcsik

Co-authors Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik are world leaders in crisis prevention and bring an unusual combination of specialist skills, prestige and academic credentials to their work. Clearfield is a licensed commercial pilot who once dealt in financial forecasting as a derivatives trader, while Tilcsik has been recognized as one of the world’s top 40 business professors under 40 in his role at the University of Toronto. Between them, they’ve had articles published in respected publications like the Guardian, Forbes and Harvard Kennedy School Review and have even been approved by the United Nations for leading the best course on disaster risk management at any business school.

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