For International Women’s Day 2025, with the theme Accelerating Action, it’s time to think like a scientist. May Samali from the Human Leadership Lab advises running small experiments – low-risk actions that can generate real-world feedback.
“Life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Great leaders and entrepreneurs don’t succeed by waiting for certainty—they test, iterate, and refine their way forward. Yet, in our own lives, we often hesitate. We get stuck in decision paralysis, overanalysing every option or following a script of what we think we “should” do instead of exploring what’s actually right for us.
The result is a cycle of inaction that keeps us from making progress.
For International Women’s Day 2025, with the theme Accelerating Action, it’s time to think like a scientist. Instead of seeking the perfect answer, run small experiments—low-risk actions that generate real-world feedback.
At Human Leadership Lab, we are huge fans of running experiments for the purposes of personal and professional growth. Experimentation is both a mindset and a skillset. It requires:
- Curiosity and adaptability—being open to testing new ideas rather than waiting for certainty.
- Structured learning—forming hypotheses, gathering data, and iterating based on insights.
The key to forward momentum is bold, strategic action.
The experimentation toolkit: A 5-step framework
In startups and business, we thrive on experimentation—A/B testing, iterating on products, and refining business models. We should apply the same approach to our lives and leadership.
The 5-Step Experimentation Framework
- Set a Goal: Identify an area of your life you want to improve or explore. Frame it as a question. Example: Amandine, COO of Paystack, asked, “What city will I be happiest living in?”
- Form a Hypothesis: Make an educated guess about what change or action might work. Example: Amandine predicted she’d be happiest living in Dubai, Nairobi, Cape Town, or Lisbon.
- Run an Experiment: Keep it low-risk and easy to test. Example: Amandine lived in each city for a few months to gather real-world data.
- Analyse the Results: Track quantitative and qualitative insights. Example: Nairobi checked the boxes—community, career opportunities, and cost of living.
- Adjust and Iterate: If your hypothesis was wrong, adjust the approach. There’s no such thing as failure—only data.
Now, let’s apply this experimental approach to three key areas of growth: career, managing others, and personal branding.
Career: Prototyping your next move
Too many of us stay in careers that don’t serve us because we are waiting for certainty before making a change. But clarity comes from action, not overthinking. Treat your career like a series of experiments to access the data you need to keep moving forward. This is the exact approach I applied when pivoting my career four times over the last 15 years. It’s inspired by the work of Bill Barnett and Dave Evans from the Stanford Life Design Lab.
Case Study: The Career Pivot Experiment
When Alex, a corporate lawyer, started feeling unfulfilled, he didn’t immediately quit his job. Instead, he tested his interest in policy and advocacy before making a leap. How?
- He attended industry events and spoke with five policy professionals.
- He took on a pro bono legal case related to public policy.
- He volunteered to draft a policy submission for a nonprofit.
Within six months, he had real data—not just assumptions—about whether shifting into policy was the right move. He transitioned into a government advisory role with confidence.
Your Career Experiment
- Considering a new field? Take an online course or shadow someone in the role.
- Want a leadership position? Start leading without the title—mentor a junior colleague or take on a cross-functional project.
- Feeling stuck? Track your energy levels daily for a month to identify what excites versus drains you.
Data tells you more than theorising your next steps ever could.
Managing others: Testing your leadership style
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about experimenting with what motivates your team. If your current leadership approach isn’t working, test different strategies.
Case Study: The Engagement Experiment
Paola, a startup executive, received low engagement scores from her team last year. Given the struggle to engage her team, she experimented with different leadership styles this past quarter:
- Switched from top-down updates to collaborative problem-solving.
- Tested weekly one-on-ones versus biweekly deep-dive check-ins.
- Shifted from formal feedback sessions to real-time coaching.
After three months, her team reported higher engagement and faster decision-making. Honing her approach was only possible because she was willing to put her ego aside and try new ways of leading.
Your Leadership Experiment
- Want to improve team engagement? Test different meeting styles—short stand-ups versus deep-dive discussions.
- Want to be more persuasive? Experiment with data-driven storytelling versus emotional appeals.
- Want to develop others? Try coaching instead of directing—ask more questions, give fewer answers.
Great leaders don’t assume. They test, iterate, and refine.
Personal Brand: Experimenting with Visibility and Influence
Your reputation and influence aren’t built overnight. They are shaped through consistent, intentional actions. But it’s not always easy to decide how to present your expertise and engage your audience. Building a strong personal brand is an area ripe for experimentation.
Case Study: The LinkedIn Content Experiment
When Annabelle, a marketing leader, wanted to grow her professional visibility and attract speaking opportunities, she treated LinkedIn like a marketing campaign.
- Tested content format: 100-word insights versus 60-second videos over two months. She felt energised drafting text posts but drained by filming videos. Videos got more shares, but text posts led to more inbound opportunities.
- Tested posting frequency: Daily for 30 days, then weekly for 30 days, tracking impressions, likes, and comments. Daily posting doubled her visibility, but weekly posts had higher engagement per post.
- Tested engagement strategies: Commented on 10 posts daily for a month, tracking profile views and connections. The result was a 40% increase in inbound connection requests.
Within four months, Annabelle doubled her engagement, gained 2,000+ followers, and landed two paid speaking gigs—all by treating content as an experiment.
Your Personal Brand Experiment
- Not sure how often to post? Test daily versus weekly and compare reach, engagement, and inbound messages.
- Want more visibility? Comment on five industry posts per day for 30 days and measure the results.
- Uncertain about content focus? Test personal career lessons versus industry trends and track which sparks more conversations and shares.
Your personal brand isn’t built by accident—it’s shaped through experimentation.
Final thought: Accelerate action through experimentation
James Clear puts it best:
“You can’t learn all the lessons beforehand. You learn a lot about what you want in a marriage after getting married. You discover what type of career you enjoy after doing a lot of work. And so it goes in nearly every area of life.
In many cases, what you wish you knew ahead of time can only be learned after the decision is made. So there is nothing left but to pay attention to what you like, continue to iterate, and commit to making the most of each opportunity.”
The best leaders don’t wait for the perfect plan. They test, learn, and refine their way forward.
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May Samali is the Founder and CEO of Human Leadership Lab, a global leadership development company. As a speaker, facilitator, coach, researcher, investor and board director, May wears multiple hats to unlock leadership potential in organisations, teams and individuals.
