Praise for The Conclusion Trap

About the Author

Dan Markovitz helps organizations improve execution. He has worked with clients throughout the US and Europe. Past clients have included Microsoft, WL Gore, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Jabil, CamelBak, Clif Bar, Goodyear Tire, and dozens of smaller companies.

He is a faculty member at the Lean Enterprise Institute and teaches at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, the Stanford Continuing Studies Program, and the Ohio State University’s Fisher School of Business.

He’s a dynamic speaker who has keynoted conferences around the world, and the author of two books—A Factory of One and Building the Fit Organization—both of which were honored with Shingo Research Awards.

Markovitz lived in Japan for four years and is fluent in Japanese. He holds a BA from Wesleyan University and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Resources

See below for resources that will help you apply lessons from The Conclusion Trap, as well as links to a few other books that will help you make better decisions.

Books are great, but sometimes you're not sure where and how to start implementing the ideas. The Conclusion Trap Workbook is the perfect companion to help you implement the core ideas today. And it’s free!
You can download the book’s graphics here for easy reference. The infographic is a clean, visual reminder of the four steps, and the “hero’s journey” is a playful reminder of the traps to avoid while you’re working your way to a deep understanding of the problem.
The Rotman Management Journal excerpted part of the book for the Spring 2020 issue.
I’m not the only voice on the topic of problem solving. If you want to learn more about problem solving, check out these excellent books.
The Conclusion Trap Workbook
Download
Thinking Fast and Slow
Managing to Learn
Winning the Brain Game
Rotman Management, Behavioral Insights
Download
Hero’s journey

A playful reminder of the traps to avoid while you’re working your way to a deep understanding of the problem.

Download
Four-Step Infographic

A clean, visual reminder of the four steps.

Download

 

Media

The Conclusion Trap in the media: interviews with me, and reviews of the book.

This Working Life with Lisa Leong

Australia Broadcasting Company’s Lisa Leong interviews me about the book for her weekly radio show, This Working LifeIt’s cheaper than therapy and more fun than LinkedIn. Think of this episode as your digital water cooler.

Barry Moltz’s Small Business Radio

Interview with Barry Moltz, creator of the Small Business Radio showSkip to 36:15 to understand the distinction between facts and data.

Art Petty’s Leadership Caffeine

Podcast interview with Art Petty, author, speaker, executive coach, and expert in leadership development.

The Roth Effect with Carol Roth

Interview with Carol Roth, business advisor, investor, speaker and author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Entrepreneur Equation.

Impruver Podcast

Interview with Calvin Williams, who presents the latest in breakthrough thinking on Continuous Improvement topics.

Rever Frontline Excellence Summit

Panel discussion on the three key mistakes in framing a problem.

Lean Blog Podcast

Interview with international speaker and author Mark Graban.

The Globe and Mail

Harvey Schachter’s book review.

Consulting and Speaking Inquiries

Need some more help, education, or coaching? I speak at a variety of venues, from public sessions to private corporate engagements, tailoring both the content and the length to fit each client’s needs. Click here to see a list of my most popular topics.