Evidence-Based Management

This episode was recorded live with three evidence-based management experts, Denise Rousseau, Rob Briner and Eric Barends, answering and discussing questions sent in by teachers and students of the subject. During the disucssion, we touched on many aspects of evidence-based management, including:Starting with basic principles rather than complex frameworks makes evidence-based management accessible to busy professionalsProblem identification is the most critical and often overlooked step in the evidence-based management processAI tools can support evidence-based decisions but require specific prompting and critical evaluation of outputsEvidence-based management works best as a team sport where colleagues help identify each other's blind spots - including biasesRather than trying to build a whole evidence-based culture, start with your sphere of influence and share evidence supportivelyBuilding evidence-based practices requires social networks of support within and outside organizationsIf you have questions about evidence-based management that you'd like addressed in future episodes, please send them to us. We're planning to make "Ask the experts" a regular feature of the podcast. Host:Karen PlumGuests:Eric Barends - Managing Director, Center of Evidence-Based ManagementDenise Rousseau, H J Heinz University Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, USARob Briner, Professor of Organisational Psychology, Queen Mary University of London; Associate Research Director at Corporate Research Forum Contact: Eric Barends, Managing Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Management 

Join Eric Barends, Denise Rousseau, Jonny Gifford, and Steven ten Have as they dive into the essence of building evidence-based management capacity. Barends outlines three critical levels of influence: individual, peer, and organizational. Rousseau emphasizes the importance of transparency and adequate metrics for continuous learning. Gifford discusses how CIPD enhances HR practices through research. Ten Have highlights the role of data in challenging assumptions, advocating for smarter decision-making in management.

In a thought-provoking discussion, Eric Barends, Managing Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Management, focuses on the importance of evaluating outcomes to enhance decision-making. Denise Rousseau, H. J. Heinz University Professor, highlights the value of problem definition before action. Stefanie Nickel, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Sandoz, shares insights from randomized trials, illustrating how simple interventions improved psychological safety. Together, they advocate for routine assessments to foster organizational learning and elevate decision quality.

Join Eric Barends, David Creelman, Stefanie Nickel, and Jonny Gifford as they dive into the complexities of incorporating evidence into decision-making. Eric discusses how to translate research findings into actionable steps, while David emphasizes the importance of early stakeholder buy-in to prevent implementation failures. Stefanie shares insights from Sandoz's trials to enhance psychological safety, demonstrating that simple prompts can make a big difference. Together, they explore the interplay between data and practical application, urging a focus on clarity and impactful interventions.

Discover how aggregating evidence can significantly reduce bias and uncertainty in decision-making. Explore the power of Bayesian thinking, where beliefs shift as new evidence emerges. Learn the importance of questioning the strength of gathered evidence and considering alternative explanations. Understand the human struggle with probabilities and how it can lead to biases. Dive into practical examples from real-world applications and see how framing beliefs as probabilities can enhance your decision-making process.

Eric Barends, Managing Director at the Center for Evidence-Based Management, discusses the importance of understanding both practitioner evidence and stakeholder emotions. Denise Rousseau from Carnegie Mellon emphasizes that stakeholder opinions reflect social realities. Steven ten Have analyzes effective stakeholder grouping for balanced decision-making, while Dr. Lisa J Griffiths shares successful partnership examples with Aboriginal leaders. The group underscores the ethical responsibility of engaging stakeholders early to uncover hidden harms and reshape project goals.

Eric Barends, an expert in evidence-based decision making, joins Denise Rousseau, a leading organizational behavior researcher, Dr. Lisa J Griffiths, CEO of OzChild, and Steven ten Have, a professor of strategy and change. They discuss the vital importance of engaging stakeholders to inform better decision-making processes. From identifying power dynamics among stakeholders to the risks of overlooking their input, they emphasize the need for respectful communication and building relationships ahead of changes. Stakeholders can either enrich or obstruct decisions, showing the necessity of listening to diverse viewpoints.

Join Martin Walker, a Banking & Finance Director, Eric Barends, Managing Director at the Center for Evidence-Based Management, Jeroen Stouten, a Professor of Organisational Psychology, and Ravishanker Jonnalagadda, a Data Science expert at Novartis. They delve into the pitfalls of over-relying on organisational data and the hype surrounding big data. The importance of distinguishing meaningful KPIs from misleading metrics is emphasized, alongside the necessity of using multiple evidence sources. Their insights highlight the critical need for transparency and ongoing validation in data analytics.

Eric Barends, Managing Director at the Center for Evidence-Based Management, and Martin Walker, Director for Banking & Finance at the same center, dive into evidence-based decision-making. They discuss the crucial differences between data, information, and evidence, and the pitfalls of overtrusting organizational data. Martin highlights how poor system design and siloed data can sabotage decisions. The duo emphasizes ethical concerns in data use and advises on measuring the right metrics rather than just the easy ones. Their insights encourage questioning and appraising evidence more critically.

Eric Barends, Managing Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Management, emphasizes the importance of a practical approach to evidence appraisal. Denise Rousseau from Carnegie Mellon University highlights the precision needed in academic language and the cognitive challenges of adopting new evidence-based practices. Rob Briner from Queen Mary University navigates the messy nature of scientific literature, advising listeners on effective search strategies. Together, they discuss the significance of matching research design to questions and the need for a balanced view of diverse evidence sources.