At first glance, the link between quantum physics and business strategy may seem unlikely. One explores the mysteries of the infinitely small, particles that move by defying our intuition. The other endeavors to pilot organizations, set goals and make decisions in an uncertain environment. And yet, the two universes meet.
In recent years, more and more leaders, strategy coaches and even management schools have drawn from the language and concepts of quantum physics to rethink the way of driving a business. Not to make each boss a physicist, but to draw inspiration from this science which accepts uncertainty, values the superposition of possibilities and recognizes that the observer influences reality.
Uncertainty as a starting data
In classic physics, inherited from Newton, everything is supposed to be measurable, predictable and controllable. If we know the state of a system, we can predict its evolution accurately. But quantum mechanics has upset this paradigm by affirming that, in the subatomic world, you can never know everything with certainty.
Heisenberg’s famous “principle of uncertainty” stipulates that it is impossible to simultaneously know certain quantities of a particle, such as its position and its speed. In other words, uncertainty is not a lack of measurement: it constitutes reality.
Let’s transpose this to management: for a long time, the leaders have sought to eliminate any uncertainty in their decisions, to build impeccable five -year plans and to lock each variable. But the globalized economy, health crises, the digital revolution and the climate remind us that uncertainty is now inevitable.
Rather than fear it, perhaps it must be, as in quantum physics, accept it as a starting given. The strategy is no longer the art of predicting perfectly, but that of navigating with lucidity in uncertain.
The superposition of choices: to explore several future
Another key concept of quantum physics is that of superposition. A particle can exist in several states simultaneously, until a measure “changes it” in one of them.
This idea can inspire a new way of conceiving decisions. Too often, managers feel constrained to decide quickly: choose an option, close the door to others. However, the superposition invites us to consider that it is possible – and sometimes desirable – to maintain several options open in parallel, to test different ways before converging.
This is what certain startups practice with the Lean Startup or agile methods: instead of betting all on a single strategy, they experience several tracks simultaneously, then observe which “materializes” the best depending on the market.
Strategic superposition is not a sign of indecision. It is a way of exploring several future at the same time, to expand the field of possibilities before committing.
The influence of the observer: strategy as a creative act
In quantum physics, the observer is never neutral. The simple fact of measuring a system influences its state. The reality observed depends on the gaze that we have on it.
Applied to management, this principle is rich in lessons. The way in which a manager looks at his market, defines his priorities or describes the situation directly influences the trajectory of the company. The same reality can be perceived as a crisis or as an opportunity, as a threat or as a lever for innovation.
In other words, strategy is not an objective reading of the world, it is a creative act. The story that the manager built, the metaphors he uses, the vision he shares shape the reality experienced by his employees and his customers.
Accepting this is to give back all its importance to narrative leadership, to the ability to formulate a clear and mobilizing CAP.
The “quantum jumps” of innovation
Quantum physics also speaks of sudden transitions, where a particle brutally passes from one state to another, without an intermediate stage. These “quantum jumps” can inspire the way in which we think innovation.
In many sectors, the evolution is not linear. Companies are experiencing periods of relative stability, then a sudden tilting linked to new technology, regulatory change or social upheaval. These breaks, often feared, can however be major opportunities for those who know how to anticipate or cause them.
A “quantum” strategy therefore supposes to be attentive to the weak signals, to prepare for the unexpected and to accept that growth can sometimes be played in a jump rather than in a continuous progression.
Think in ecosystems rather than silos
Quantum physics is also based on the idea of entanglement: two particles can remain linked, even at a distance, and their condition depends on each other. This interdependence, mysterious for our classic logic, finds an echo striking in the current economy.
No company is isolated. It depends on its partners, customers, suppliers, but also regulations, natural resources and social dynamics. The strategy can therefore no longer think of a vacuum. It must integrate this logic of interconnection, ecosystems. Here again, the quantum metaphor invites us to go beyond a linear and partitioned vision to adopt a relational and systemic thought.
From science to managerial philosophy
Of course, it is not a question of transforming each leader into a theorist physicist. The objective is rather to borrow from quantum concepts a way of approaching complexity. Quantum physics teaches us that it is possible to think differently: to accept uncertainty, to value multiplicity, to recognize the influence of our gaze, to anticipate ruptures and integrate interdependence. In management, this can result in more flexible organizations, more exploratory strategies, more narrative leadership and a more attentive culture to weak signals.
Testimonials and inspiring cases
Many companies are starting to be inspired, explicitly or not, from this approach. Biotech startups often work in “overlapping” of projects: they explore several therapeutic tracks in parallel, knowing that all will not succeed. Large digital groups, they practice enticing on a large scale, by building ecosystems of partners and developers who multiply their innovation force.
Some management schools even offer “quantum thinking” modules for leaders, in order to teach them to welcome uncertainty and reason in terms of probabilities rather than certainties.
