Principle #11 – Every solution is first a hypothesis. Reality test.
Here’s a secret scientists know that many leaders forget: the first solution is almost always wrong. Or at least, incomplete.
We fall in love with our ideas because they feel elegant and clever—“This will fix everything!” But in reality? Every solution is just a hypothesis. A good guess. A starting point. Not the final truth.
The Scientific Way to Lead
Real scientists never say, “This is The Answer Forever.” They say, “Here’s our best current hypothesis… and now we’ll try to break it.” That’s how they discover what actually works.
Leadership works the same way:
- Treat every new policy, process, or reorg like an experiment.
- Collect data, not just opinions.
- Adjust fast when reality says, “Nope, try again.”
Why It Matters
Leaders who skip the “reality test” waste energy defending unproven solutions instead of improving them. They double down on wrong answers just to save face. And face-saving has never been an engine for innovation.
The Provocation
What if you treated every solution like a lab experiment instead of a permanent fix? You’d fail faster, learn quicker, and waste a lot less time polishing broken ideas.
Your Move
Take one initiative you assume is working. Reality test it. If it’s solid, you’ll know. If not, congratulations—you just saved yourself a slow-motion disaster.