I know I’m on holiday but this is in my head and I thought I’d put it into a short blog and send it out. It’s not proof read, but so what, I’m on holiday! Did I mention I’m on holiday…
Anyway It’s about #evidence
The use of evidence and taking an evidence-based approach is a great way of making good decisions whilst using a systematic approach.
Evidence isn’t the be all and end all, it sometimes wont lead to a definitive answer about something and neither is it a silver bullet with which to ultimately disprove any one specific tool, but evidence based practice provides a solid process to help professionals go about their work in a more discerning, credible way.
I see and have heard remarks about evidence-based management from those who work in related fields who try to discredit, ridicule or patronise evidence-based practice. I’ve been described as a stuffy, ‘white coat’ wearing individual with analysis paralysis. But those remarks won’t ever affect my belief in ebp, it will however attract the spotlight on the individual making the remark.
My interpretation is that ebp can be seen as some kind of enemy of creativity, that it doesn’t recognise the art applied to leadership and i’ve also seen some professionals provide their justification for a disproven or potentially questionable tool on the basis that its ‘just a tool’ which might be helpful to somebody, and if that particular tool helps just one person then maybe thats not a bad thing and so forth.
Evidence-based practice is helpful. It’s theory has no personal agenda. If evidence-based management research poses doubts about a tool you sell, use or endorse then that’s unfortunate, but it’s progress, and absolutely not personal, and unless the research suggests so, sorry, but there aren’t any outliers.
Progress often means the end of something once revered, and that’s hard to take but it also enforces choice. A choice to keep following a tried and trusted path that might not be what you think it is, or a choice to evolve thinking and find something new, authentic and genuinely sustainable. The second choice takes guts.
Taking a new path and deviating from a once loved tool takes a huge amount of bravery and courage but is essential for a professional to remain relevant and credible. If we aren’t relevant, we’re redundant. If we aren’t credible, things need to change.
Now where’s that cocktail…
#evidence #evidencebased #HR #Leadership
