Leadership advice from Einstein

By Cory Galbraith

He never attributed his accomplishments to his brilliant mind, but rather, to his character.

Albert Einstein said he wasn’t smarter than other people—he just stuck with things longer. Here are

some of Einstein’s words of wisdom that resonate in today’s workplace.

1.“People say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong. It’s character.”

Character is who you really are deep down—your internal compass. It includes qualities that don’t

necessarily depend on intellect, such as curiosity and confidence. Intelligence is of little value unless it is

guided by a strong character.

2. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

Einstein had his biggest breakthroughs not by conducting experiments in a laboratory, but rather, by

dreaming things up in his head. Start asking, “What if?”

3. “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

Einstein was curious his whole life, interested not just in mathematics or theory, but politics, people, and

places. Make time to research those things that interest you.

4. “I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.”

We spend our time worrying about the future, planning it—and some of us try to avoid it. The man who

developed the theory of relativity lived in the here and now.

5. “The only real valuable thing is intuition.”

Never underestimate your own hunches. You don’t need to be a genius, but you do need to trust yourself

more.

Albert Einstein had difficulty remembering names. He was slow as a child, and took little care in his

appearance. But he had what we can all have—an active imagination.

Exercise the Einstein in you.

Cory Galbraith is a freelance writer and owner of Webcast Canada.