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Act Like a Scientist: Great Leaders Challenge Assumptions, Run Experiments, and Follow the Evidence

By: Stefan Thomke and Gary W. Loveman
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Abstract

Though they’ve been warned for decades about the dangers of overrelying on gut instinct and personal experience, managers keep failing to critically examine—much less challenge—the ideas their decisions are based on. To correct this problem they need to think and act like scientists. That requires doing five things: (1) being a knowledgeable skeptic and relentlessly questioning assumptions; (2) investigating anomalies—things that are unexpected or don’t look right; (3) devising testable hypotheses that can be quantifiably confirmed or disproved; (4) running experiments that produce hard evidence; and (5) probing cause and effect.
Drawing on the experiences of Harrah’s Entertainment, Sony, Bank of America, and Lego, Thomke and Loveman show how scientific methods can help companies discard ineffective practices, increase marketing and operational efficiency, boost customer satisfaction and sales, find new sources of growth, and even turn around struggling businesses.

Keywords

Innovation and Management; Decision Making; Science; Leadership Style

Citation

Thomke, Stefan, and Gary W. Loveman. "Act Like a Scientist: Great Leaders Challenge Assumptions, Run Experiments, and Follow the Evidence." Harvard Business Review 100, no. 3 (May–June 2022): 120–129.
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About The Author

Stefan H. Thomke

Technology and Operations Management
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