Acknowledgments

Going against the grain of traditional leadership advice can be a lonely journey. I am incredibly grateful to the many people who risked collaborating with me by departing from the mainstream and instead followed the counterintuitive revelations of cutting-edge research on avoiding dangerous judgment errors. Thanks to their support, I can do my small part to address the deep suffering caused by disastrous decisions that ruin highly profitable companies, top-notch careers, and great business relationships.

First, both now and always, I'm truly fortunate to have a life partner who is also my business partner. I truly can't imagine my life without you, Agnes Vishnevkin. Your support, professional and personal, was the most important factor that enabled me to write this book.

My thanks to the people who gave feedback on early versions of this book: Alex Fleiss, Artie Isaac, Jeff Dubin, Mark Faust, Michael Tyler, Susan Lear, and Wayne Straight (who also contributed his graphic skills). Howard Ross not only gave feedback but also generously contributed his wisdom and experience in the foreword. The moral and professional support of fellow speakers in the Ohio chapter of the National Speaker's Association helped uplift my writing.

My gratitude to my literary agent, Linda Konner, who saw the potential in my manuscript and worked hard to find a worthwhile publisher. I greatly appreciate all the folks at Career Press, especially my editor Michael Pye, a staunch advocate and supporter for this contrarian and iconoclastic work.

I would never have been able to write this book without my clients. They taught me so much about what happens when the rubber of cutting-edge research meets the road of everyday business reality. Their stories represent the heart of this work, and for this, I bow to them with gratitude.

Finally, my thanks to you, the readers of this book. Without you reading it, my work has no meaning. I very much hope that your journey with this book will empower you to avoid the disasters that result from falling into dangerous judgment errors. I am eager to hear about your experience.

I take full responsibility for any mistakes: please bring them to my attention by emailing me at [email protected]. You can share other forms of feedback and your experience with the book by emailing me and/or visiting the book's website, www.DisasterAvoidanceExperts.com/NeverGut.com, where you can submit your thoughts for a public post.