Bookworm: Think Again

We must think like scientists in order to excel in the modern workplace, argues Adam Grant.

Who wrote this book?

Adam Grant is professor of Organisational Psychology at Wharton University. He is, rather ironically, revered as one of this era’s most brilliant writers, researchers and speakers. Reverence isn’t his bag, though, as you’ll see…

Intriguing! What is Think Again about?

In Think Again, Grant explores the ways in which our beliefs can have a detrimental effect on our ability to think clearly, make decisions, debate and strategise. As an antidote, he presents a compelling case for thinking like a scientist.

And how does a scientist think?

Put simply, a scientist starts with questions and has an open mind about the answers. They plot their course based on evidence, not intuition.

And how does this scientific thinking relate to business?

Typically, a scientist will start with a theory, and come up with ways to test it. The information learnt through this process of testing can then be used to develop and hone the theory, until it is proven.

A study on start-ups in Italy found that when this approach was taken to a business strategy, where it was tested and adapted before it was implemented,  more opportunities arose for the team to rethink and pivot, and the business was more profitable as a result.

Can you give a real example?

A great example Grant offers is that of Blackberry. The ubiquitous devices with tiny little keys were the phone of choice for Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey.

The CEO of Blackberry, Mike Lazaridis, having had his belief that Blackberries were the pinnacle of mobile technology confirmed by these high-profile users, could not conceive of how anyone could want more from a phone than calls, emails and texts. But, when the Apple iPhone arrived, Blackberry’s market share dropped from 50% to 1% in just five years.

So, where did Mike Lazaridis go wrong?

Historically, business has rewarded entrepreneurs with conviction. Those who stick to their guns and commit to their goals. But the world is different now. The rate of change is faster than ever before, and having a fixed idea one day will likely make you wrong the next.

Instead of deciding that Blackberries were the best, Lazaridis might have looked at what the market was telling him, and redesigned his product to meet emerging demands.

How can businesses function with constantly moving targets?

Grant helpfully explains that while our goal can be fixed, it’s our methods that need to stay flexible.

What does Grant mean by methods?

Grant covers six main areas where ‘rethinking’ can improve our methods.

1. Rethink your skills

Grant delights in explaining how our biggest blind spots are often things that we think we are good at, but are actually terrible at. For example, people who claim to be very emotionally intelligent are likely to be pretty emotionally dim-witted.

Got some real-life example springing to mind? If we think we are good at something, we’ll get defensive when challenged, and be less likely to want to improve it. So, get real with yourself and your team and find out what you’re rubbish at.

2. Rethink your relationships

Grant explains that rethinking requires humility and safety. Humble people who don’t mind making mistakes will get along with each other and work together to find solutions. The reverse is also true. People with fixed ideas who are afraid of failure will butt heads, and projects go down the pan. 

3. Rethink how you negotiate

In a negotiation, or an outright argument, our usual tack might be to present as many logical reasons for why we are right as we can muster. But this never works. Instead, Grant suggests these new tactics:

• Find common ground. People are more likely to shift their mindset when they feel as though they agree on some things.

• Stick to one reason. A study showed that people given one reason to donate to a charity gave twice as much as those given two reasons. Too much information dilutes the message.

• Ask questions. Inviting the other person to consider your proposal from their perspective makes them more likely to end up agreeing. For example, you can ask, “do you see any truth in my proposal?”, and watch as they convince themselves of your correctness.

• Leave space for choice. People who feel railroaded are likely to double down on their existing beliefs. Listen to their objections, let them know we are all capable of change but leave the decision to them.

4. Rethink your beliefs

Even the strongest-held beliefs can be changed. Grant offers an example of black musician Daryl Davis, who successfully helped numerous members of the Ku Klux Klan rethink their racism and leave the group.

His method centred on helping members see that their beliefs were rooted not in truth, but rather in family tradition, and that if they’d been born into another family, they would likely not feel as they did.

5. Rethink your message

Black and white arguments create division and an ‘us and them’ culture. More productive is to show the complexity and nuance of a situation, as this way the conversation stays on the matter in hand, rather than on the emotional business of picking sides.

6. Rethink your culture

Cultures centred on performance are more likely to fail than those centred on learning. Take Nasa’s disastrous Columbia mission. Bits of the shuttle literally broke off during take-off but the ground team, focused only on success, decided not to worry about it. Bits had dropped off previous shuttles with no repercussions.

Had they properly assessed the implications of this specific situation, they might have rethought the mission and brought the seven astronauts safely home. Sadly, there was a huge human cost to this decision. 

What am I most likely to say after reading this book?

“Trust the science!”

What am I least likely to say after reading this book?

“Have a little faith!”