Conference Room:  Uncertainty Principle

In 1927, a German physicist, Werner Heisenberg, introduced what would become the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. In short, his theory maintained that two very distinctive properties when examining any particle, location and momentum, could not be accurately measured at the same time. The more one knows about one value, the less it knows about the other. So how does this relate to business? 

By multiplying the deltas of position and momentum we arrive at a value that is equal to Planck’s constant/2pi. Planks constant is relevant here as it’s essentially a measure of granularity in the world around us. And there is the magic word: Granularity. How often do our Strategy teams discuss granularity? It’s turned into one of those jargon words that seem to carry more form in conversation than any function in execution. But nonetheless, everyone in Strategy wants granularity.

The physical world around us is made up of particles. You, me, the buildings we work in, and the computer screen you’re looking at; all made up of particles. So, let’s be careful on the amount of granularity that we all aim to achieve in decision making processes. The often-quoted phenomenon of analysis paralysis lies in the Uncertainty Principle. The more you examine one aspect of any given part of the physical world, products and opportunities included, the less you know about another aspect. There’s no way around this.

To find the spin of a particle, or the angular momentum, light is often shined on that particle. But true to Heisenberg’s Principle, the energy from the light makes the particle spin faster, thus harder to measure. So next time you tell your team members to ‘get more granular’, remember Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. You may be far more effective by identifying an opportunity, and creating your own spin. Or taking an existing spin, and find your own location. Werner Heisenberg has well shown us that it’s not possible to strategically measure both. The more light you shine on something, the faster it spins. So be careful with how granular you get.

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