Shortcut

Analogies are communication shortcuts.

They act as compressed stories that we use to effectively persuade, innovate and make decisions.

• Better analogies win arguments and persuade juries and judges in courts.
• Right analogies can spark countless innovations as Edison believed.
• More analogies make decision-making easier and more effective.

(read my notes in the booksense app, available on app store)

Effective analogies essentially meet 5 criteria:

1. Use the familiar to explain something less familiar.
2. Highlight similarities and obscure differences.
3. Identify useful abstractions.
4. Tell a coherent story.
5. Resonate emotionally.

“Business is war” is of the most common analogies that almost unconsciously we use, and understand and it is deeply ingrained in the way we think of business.

When we accept “business is war”, consequently we then accept there must be allies and enemies, strategies and tactics, attacks and defends, loosing and winning in business as well!

even though some of these concepts may not make sense at all in the context of the business.

but we don’t care, because we find this analogy useful; because it helps us better understand and do business.

I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot about the great powers of analogy in our lives.

Happy reading! 📙