Thread by @swardley

Too much in popular management theory seems to start with hypothesis and then finding observations to fit it. The characteristics of those that succeed (espoused as desirable values) are often identical to those that fail but people ignore the negative ...

... the problem with starting with hypothesis is that it seems to become all too easy to fall into confirmation bias. Start with observation instead. Just observe, record and have a systematic mechanism for learning. Leave the hypothesis to a bit later.

I commonly have the same issue with strategy. People ask, will this strategy work and do I have examples of others using this strategy?

My response is always ... let us map the landscape (i.e. observe) first and worry about any strategy (i.e. our hypothesis) later.

I'm noting the same issue with "culture" ... some of the field seems to be observation focused but other parts (in particular the management field) has that whiff of being hypothesis driven.

Confirmation bias is the devil in the detail ... i.e. if you don't look at the detail hard enough, especially in the negative, then this devil will grab you with both arms and you'll come to the wrong conclusion.