How to Think Like a Scientist?!
This post builds on applying the Scientific Method to strategic planning in business by exploring principles to shape and apply this approach.
Strategic planning can be nerve racking at early stage startups or rather boring at large corporations. At each end of the spectrum, companies strive to leverage internal and market data to map their core competencies in specific areas to gain competitive advantage and market share. The first question is “how to select the best strategy to achieve this goal”? As highlighted in “How to Pick Winning Strategies”, applying the scientific method to strategic planning leverages data to reduce bias and identifies evidence-based strategies. The next question is, “what does it take to successfully apply the scientific method?”
I would argue, You Must Think Like a Scientist!
Typically, scientists are not praised for their business acumen yet their approach to data-driven experimentation and analysis can be incorporated into business frameworks to identify and vet opportunities with highest return on investment. You might ask why? Well, scientists are trained to look at a hypothesis without attachment to being “right”. The goal is to experiment and prove/disprove the hypothesis based on evidence that is statistically relevant. While scientists are human and would like to be right, the scientific method corrects for potential bias through data. The scientific community further filters through good and bad hypotheses and methods of analysis by engaging in peer-review. The painstaking process of critical thinking and questioning aims to catch and correct for misinterpretation, miscalculation, and error.
I further argue that in business, all employees must be afforded the opportunity and encouraged by their leadership to challenge ideas and ask questions. This cannot be possible unless the entire organization thinks like scientists who are trained and encouraged to ask and challenge a hypothesis, within reason and following a process that enables them to contribute yet not break or overwhelm the system.
Here is a series of principles that will assist in executing these objectives but first, the leaders must build the foundation to create the environment to enable their teams to think like scientists.
First, Create a Culture of Thoughtful Questioning
It starts with trust and collaboration at every level of the organization. I imagine you’ve heard this many times before; however, what’s not highlighted enough is possessing the tolerance to actually doing it. As humans, we all need and want order and many of us also want to be the ones who dictate it. In leadership, you must balance this need and want with what will drive your desired strategic outcomes. With this goal in mind, you become far more tolerant of hearing and implementing the alternative perspective, especially from the unlikeliest of places. This tolerance requires flexibility, a consistent and limitless open mindedness, and a fierce pursuit of THE TRUTH - not your truth. How to do this will require courage to begin, willingness to trial and error, and consistency in practice just like everything else that becomes a habit over time. As leaders prove this to be a reality their teams can trust, the environment will further foster and grow teams that think like scientists.
Now, How to Think Like a Scientist?
The principles below can be a good starting point, which can serve as a foundation to explore and build on with your own experience.
Edelman, a premier global communication firm, published its 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, highlighting the public’s distrust of institutional leaders while ranking scientists as most trusted among more local/familiar groups such as neighbors and coworkers. While several reasons may contribute to this level of trust, the scientific community’s long standing reputation of evidence-based thought and action and discipline to pursue the truth may help push scientists into the top category.
Whether you are a true scientist or playing one of TV, thinking like a scientist can drive your strategic planning or general thinking toward data-driven decision making.
As always, would love to hear from you. Feel free to email me at mida@stema-cg.com, connect with me on LinkedIn, and/or leave a comment here.
-Mida