What Leaders Can Learn from Einstein’s Innovative Thinking
In memory of Marc S.
We’re the team and executive development partner for organizational impact.
Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge. This quote is somewhat surprising for someone with a scientific and technical mind. Yet, in writings about his life, Einstein did say that he used his imagination to conceptualize the Theory of Relativity.
Only Einstein can explain a complex scientific theory by using a simple down to earth metaphor in this manner, “When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity.”
Can businesses and organizations benefit from Einstein's mindset? Definitely. The great German scientist represents innovation and a culture of evolving systems. CEOs, company presidents and start-ups could learn Einstein's forward-thinking and by being ahead of our time.
“We cannot solve our problems,” said Einstein, “with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
As Leaders, we need to remain hungry, humble, and disciplined, continuously studying, gaining experience, researching and striving for continuous development. We must become bigger than our organizational problems and business challenges.
We must play our biggest game. Fleas cannot solve the problem of giants.
A few lessons that leaders can learn from Albert Einstein’s innovative mindset:
Use experience to innovate. Einstein said that we acquire knowledge through experience. Every failure and success leaves something behind. It tells us what works and doesn’t work in our business. It validates our systems and processes.
Values precede everything. Einstein said to “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." Business leaders often find themselves in dilemmas between profit and morality. What is good for our business this quarter might harm the environment that supports us or may harm a particular sector in society.
Stay in the difficult questions. Einstein said that “the important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its reason for existing." Start-ups are born from the questioning minds of founders. What can I do to solve this problem? How can I improve my system? Why am I doing this endeavor?