The Myth of Objectivity & Strategy

Data feels objective because the numbers are clean, but every step that produces those numbers - sampling, question wording, timing - is a series of subjective decisions. When leaders ignore that fact and present the results as indisputable truth, they build strategy on a shaky foundation.

The article walks through a simple market-research survey where 70% of respondents chose speed over customization. The split is mathematically objective, yet the choice of who was surveyed, why the question was placed ninth, and how "speed" was defined are all loaded with bias. Using that thin island of objectivity to justify large investments in speed ignores the surrounding sea of subjectivity.

A second illustration revisits a 2007 editorial battle with Bill Gates, where he cited a decline in U.S. computer-science enrollments to warn about Canada's competitiveness. The data point was factual, but the selection of the base year, the cross-country inference, and the timing during the dot-com bubble turned it into a persuasive myth. The piece shows how such framing fuels polarization, with each side convinced the other is either ignorant or malicious.

For technical leaders, the takeaway is practical: never let a single metric drive a strategic decision. Pair quantitative signals with qualitative judgment, surface the assumptions behind the numbers, and encourage open dialogue that acknowledges uncertainty. By treating data as a guide, not a verdict, you avoid the false certainty that stifles strategy and polarizes teams.