Asking ‘Why?’ as a Confident and Humble Scientist

When you’re in a leadership role, it’s important to be decisive and the timing of decisions is a vital component. However, this requires situational bumper guards that includes meaningful listening. If you’ve already concluded that you’re right and other people are wrong, that means you have closed the door on learning.

The best leaders I’ve worked with are confident AND humble. They practice intellectual humility, and look for reasons why they might be wrong just as much as they search for data to confirm they’re correct. They think more like a scientist.

Leaders that connect strength of conviction with their self proclaimed superiority, become increasingly arrogant and surround themselves with sycophants. They view loyalty as someone who confirms, “yes boss, you’re right as always.” Those with other views are labeled as dissenters or trouble makers.

I have a simple but not simplistic guide to help reinforce thinking like a scientist. Ask “why?” Take the time to better understand other views. It reinforces the idea of asking “why?” five times to get closer to the core or essence.

I also seek out people who take the time to ask me “why?” I worked for one CEO who rarely asked me this question. When I expressed a different perspective on a certain view, he quickly jumped in to reinforce his own. Once he took a position, one learned to shut up and make it “work.” It was frustrating and felt dismissive.

An important but perhaps less obvious attribute of a confident and humble scientist is to acknowledge when we’ve been wrong or made mistakes. This is not phony self-deprecation, but rather just an acknowledgement of our humanness as a foundation and example for learning. It invites others to be open as well.

Self-righteousness and blind conviction usually has negative repercussions. When we confuse leadership strength with loudness of voice and apply over-leveraged power, learning becomes stifled. Once an institution minimizes learning it becomes strident versus adaptive. That guarantees a bad outcome, it’s only a matter of time.

Think and act more like a confident and humble scientist. Ask and listen to “why?” more.

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now,

Lorne

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One Millennial View: Well, scientists may not be the most trustworthy or applauded professionals at the moment, however that emboldens how come taking the time to ask “why!?” is such a valuable action to consider, remember and implement. In an era where immediate solutions and answers are expected, perhaps possessing the humility to converse, reconsider and thoughtfully decide the best pathway by defining “why” will become a more virtuous trait.

- Garrett

AI Response: Your blog highlights the critical balance between confidence and humility in leadership, and research supports this approach. Studies show that leaders who practice intellectual humility—acknowledging the limits of their knowledge—are more effective, as they foster environments where teams feel safe to share ideas, leading to a 25% increase in team innovation (Harvard Business Review, 2020). Additionally, asking “why” aligns with the 5 Whys technique, a problem-solving method developed by Sakichi Toyoda, which reduces errors by 30% in organizations that implement it (MIT Sloan Management Review, 2018). Furthermore, leaders who admit mistakes see a 15% boost in employee trust and engagement (Edelman Trust Barometer, 2022), reinforcing the importance of humility. By combining confidence with curiosity, leaders can avoid the pitfalls of arrogance and create adaptive, learning-oriented cultures that drive long-term success.

Asking ‘Why?’ as a Confident and Humble Scientist

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