Consider the theoretical physicist. She works intently, often for decades, on models and equations she hopes will better describe our universe. Yet the results from another scientist’s experiments can, if they don’t corroborate her predictions, nullify all her efforts. A crushing blow? Perhaps, a bit. But all dedicated scientists know that unexpected results are actually great news: more clues and a chance to understand things even better in the long run.
As leaders, we can borrow a page from the physicist’s playbook. We can succeed in the long run by modeling how we think our businesses work best, testing our assumptions in the real world, learning, and repeating the process with our new insights.
Contrast this with the “do or die,” full-speed-ahead, top-down, I-know-or-at-least-hope-this-is-right approach many organizations stumble into.
Yup. The physicist’s way is probably better.
In your corner,
Mike