Is the Wisdom of the Crowd Always Wise?
You may be familiar with the experiment where you ask a large group of people to (individually) guess how many colored balls there are in a jar. Almost no one will get it right. But if you take the average of all the guesses, then you come pretty close. That is the wisdom of the crowd - guessing the number of colored balls in a jar.
Do you like chocolate?
I am writing this post in a café in the village close to where I live. It’s a bakery. Five minutes ago a man came in and asked the sales person which of their cakes was the most popular. She pointed to a brown cake and said, “This chocolate cake outsells all the other cakes we offer.†The gentleman wasn’t fond of chocolate and bought another cake instead. Why did he start out by asking what other people preferred?
Most of the customers in the café section of the bakery were senior women. Maybe that explains the affection for chocolate? I don’t know, but I would guess that all the other cakes together sold more than the chocolate cake. If that is the case, then how does it help you to know which cake is the most popular? The wisdom of the crowd may not be helpful in guiding you to the cake that best matches your taste.
Picking books to read - the wisdom of the crowd?
I released my new book last Friday. During these last weeks, I have been busy informing my network about the book and urging them to order it at the reduced pre-order price. I’ve sent out thousands of messages, and one of them came back with the following response:
“I will read the reviews to decide if it is worth reading.â€
The fact is that book sales are highly dependent on the number and the kind of reviews a book gets and vice versa. People, in general, prefer to read bestsellers rather than making independent judgments. Is this the wisdom of the crowd? Are you directed to the best books by choosing from the best seller list or the books with the most reviews?
Are you a leader or a follower?
The supply of books is enormous and picking a book that is not worth reading is painful - irrespective of the relatively small price. So seeking guidance in what other people say and do seems to make sense.
Unless you are not average.
What if it is important for you to read a book before the crowd? Maybe there are ideas and inspiration in the book that you can implement before everyone else.
What about being the person of authority that is among the first to read a book and bring your review to the attention of others? What about you being the person that guides others instead of being the one guided by others?
What about being a leader instead of being a follower?
-----------
These are some of the reviews 5,460 Miles from Silicon Valley have received:
★★★★ Entrepreneurs can learn From Damgaard Data - JyllandsPosten
★★★★★ “This book should be part of the curriculum at any business school. It provides a great insight into how a business is created and all the big and small challenges you will come across.†- Hans Christian, reader
★★★★★ “If you are interested in the details of a success story with bumps on the road and at the same time getting an overview of the development in the IT-industry for the past 35 years, then this is a book for you.†- Birgitte B, reader
★★★★★ “A great book about two companies that continue to serve as role models for many entrepreneurs.†- Peter Warn?e, Venture Capitalist
★★★★★ “5,460 Miles from Silicon Valley is a textbook for everyone who deals with entrepreneurship and business in general.†- Ole M?ller-Jensen, Regional – President, Danfoss.
★★★★★ “This is a true, detailed and honest story. Should be mandatory reading for any entrepreneur“ - Toke Kruse, Investor & Entrepreneur.
★★★★★ “A very unusual book with valuable lessons for both young and experienced. A must read business case for MBA and other leadership development programs. AND for all practitioners.†- Freddie B. J?rgensen, Management Consultant
★★★★★ “Hopefully, this book can prevent others from making the same mistakes as we did.†- Preben Damgaard, Investor.
----------------
?
Owner CBPS, a planning and business process design firm; Author 'Killer Business Plan'; Speaker; Entrepreneurial Visualization and Planning Authority; Organization Change Expert
7 å¹´There is money in crowds. There are possibilities in crowds. But I don't think that there is wisdom in crowds. Most people don't have enough sense of self to make decisions without the influence of others. Cults of personality and many movements would be impossible if crowds had wisdom.
VP of Sales at MindCentric/XenTegra ONE
7 å¹´Not wisdom - human nature. Check out some history on how this can be manipulated (Edward Bernays and the rise of Public Relations).
Owner at Carolina Home Improvements of Charleston I Transforming Spaces & Enhancing Lives through Quality Renovations
7 å¹´Your work is excellent, "building successful partner channels" is a staple for my team. How do I obtain a copy of the new book?- Jonathan
I will THRIVE to 150+ years of age. I'm excited to share my journey with you. If you or your team are interested in longevity and healthspan, I can help by speaking to your group, or consulting with you.
7 å¹´Hans, You are extraordinarily talented and insightful. Thanks for your emails...they are great. I fear you are playing on too small of a stage. Metaphorically, perhaps you need to get out of your "village." Perhaps some sort of collaboration with other clear voices. Please feel free to reach out. Mark
Strategic Lead | Channel Sales Leadership | UK-US Operations
7 å¹´Think your work is fantastic. Pc