8 Responses

1. Reagan economics: 50/50/50

   Reagan economics: 50/50/50

   50% of our national income must go on social welfare, 50% on defence spending and the third 50% on capital infrastructure.

   on a more serious note: 

   Pareto Analysis and the 80:20 rule.

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_analysis

    

    

    

    

    

2. My favourite misquoted statistic

   My favourite misquoted statistic is the belief that short-term memory is a fixed quality. The 1956 research paper by psychologist George Miller, called “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two,” established the rule that human short-term memory was limited to seven pieces of independent information (and gave The Bell Telephone Company cause to settle on seven-digit phone numbers). The limit was called channel capacity,

   During the 1970’s Ericsson showed that the existing model of short-term memory was wrong. Memory wasn’t like shoe size—it could be improved through training and practice to develop structures of memory.

    

   Excellence is a habit. —Aristotle

3. My favorite..although not drawn from a real study…sorry!

   86% of statistics are made up on the spot..

4. Statistical analysis

   A few more spurious ones…

   If you think you can or you think you cannot you are 100% correct, (Ford).

   I know that if I take no shots I will not score any goals, (Wayne Gretsky)

   50% of all marketing and advertising spend is useless – we just cannot tell which 50% it is…….. (anon)

    

5. My current favourite…

   is this little gem from the report below, that tells us 90% of managers surveyed say they coach their staff, and 40% of the staff say they are coached! A great debate for the training room…

   http://www.cipd.co.uk/pressoffice/press-releases/reality-gap-capability-uk-8million-managers-030512.aspx

6. Another non-attributable one

   Great thread Rus.

   One I quote (but do not have any reference – can't even remember where I heard it first) is about the complaints. 

   Apparently, 80% of the complaints any organisation receives boils down to poor communication – either internally or communication with the customer. 

   If anyone knows where that came from I would be delighted to find out!

   Jenny

7. Lies *** lies

   It's a statistical truth: Most people are below average. As a result, it takes less than you might think to move into the top group of performers.

   (Taken from inc.com Bill Murphy Jnr.)

8. Nice ones

   Thanks to all for your contributions.

   I've selected Jules as the "winner" of the prize and I've PMed Jules so I can send her the book.

   Jenny, I strongly suspect that the stat you quote is hidden in one of the TARP reports, but don't quote me on that.

   Once again thanks to all

   Rus

   http://www.coach-and-courses.com