Mixed Signals
We often find ourselves baffled when a well-intentioned plan, a new policy, or even a simple reward system goes completely off the rails. You set up a bonus for sales, and suddenly collaboration vanishes. You introduce a small late fee at daycare, and parents start picking up their children even later. These aren't failures of logic or goodwill; they're often the result of 'mixed signals' – the hidden messages our incentives inadvertently communicate. This book unpacks the subtle, often unconscious ways people interpret and respond to these signals, showing how a price isn't just a number, and a reward isn't just a motivator. It's a quiet, steady observation of how we try to shape the world, and how the world often pushes back in unexpected directions.