The main idea in this book is that the best decisions combine two very different elements, one that the author describes as left brain and right stuff.

Left brain involves a deliberate, analytical approach to problem solving. Using the left brain, Rosenzweig says, means knowing the difference between what we can control and what we cannot, the difference between absolute and relative performance, determining whether we are acting alone or as leaders in an organisational setting and recognising when models can help us make better decisions while being aware of their limits.

Right stuff, meanwhile, involves summoning high levels of confidence, to achieve superior performance, going beyond past performance to attain high goals and instilling in others a willingness to take appropriate risks. For many decisions, left and right elements are both essential.

While over-confidence is recognised as a flaw in decision-making, it is important to maintain a confident attitude. Drawing analogies with sport, adopting a positive attitude to the outcome, even one that is exaggerated, can often yield results, he says.