Episode 92 - Management seems to be the science of approximations

Episode 92 - Management seems to be the science of approximations

Author: Bart Vanderhaegen July 13, 2021 Duration: 8:36

What do I mean ?

  • In management, we tend to “replace” actual ideas with approximations too easily and too quickly
  • High level statements about goals, visions, attitudes
  • Numbers about everything (dashboards, …)

Why do we do this ?

  • Simplicity: it becomes measurable and spreadable
  • Assume that the approximation will do the job

Does it work

  • Ideas do something different than approximations

Alternative

  • Focus on ideas, specific ideas and how to improve them
  • Using transparenc, autonomy and cooperation as drivers in that process

Bart Vanderhaegen hosts Rapid Idea Improvement, a podcast that digs into a powerful and practical question: how do ideas actually get better? Instead of staying in the abstract, it applies the principles of knowledge growth-particularly those from thinkers like Karl Popper and David Deutsch-to the messy, real-world domains of business, management, and economics, while also reaching into fields like physics for broader insight. Each episode is an exploration of critical rationalism in action, examining how we can systematically criticize and refine our thinking to solve problems more effectively. You’ll hear discussions that treat business challenges not as puzzles with fixed answers, but as opportunities for evolutionary idea improvement, where bold conjectures and rigorous error-correction drive progress. This isn't about motivational tips or surface-level analysis; it's about building a deeper framework for understanding how knowledge expands, and then using that framework to make your own thinking more potent and adaptable. The conversations in this podcast are for anyone who suspects that the way we approach problems-in leadership, strategy, or innovation-can be fundamentally upgraded. By weaving together epistemology with practical application, the show aims to provide listeners with a genuinely useful toolkit for accelerating the development of their most important ideas.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Rapid Idea Improvement
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