When the Internet publicity began, I remember being struck by how much the world was not the way we thought it was, that there was infinite variation in how people viewed the world.
Eric SchmidtRead
We run the company by questions, not by answers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of inquiry over certainty in leadership and management decisions.
Eric Schmidt's quote suggests that effective leadership relies on asking the right questions to drive innovation and improvement, rather than simply providing answers. This approach fosters a culture of curiosity and collaboration, encouraging team members to think critically and engage in problem-solving rather than relying solely on established solutions.
Themes
LeadershipQuestionsCuriosityInnovationManagement
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a team meeting to encourage brainstorming and open dialogue.
More from Eric Schmidt
All quotes βFor those who say you're thinking too big... be smart enough not to listen. For those who say the odds are too small ... be dumb enough to give it a shot. And for those who ask, how can you do that?... look them in the eyes and say, I'll figure it out.
Eric SchmidtRead
The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had.
Eric SchmidtRead
We used to think that the enterprise was the hardest customer to satisfy, but we were wrong. It turns out, consumers are harder than the enterprise because the consumer will not give you a second chance.
Eric SchmidtRead
The characteristic of great innovators and great companies is they see a space that others do not. They don't just listen to what people tell them; they actually invent something new, something that you didn't know you needed, but the moment you see it, you say, 'I must have it.'
Eric SchmidtRead
People who bet against the Internet, who think that somehow this change is just a generational shift, miss that it is a fundamental reorganizing of the power of the end user. The Internet brings tremendous tools to the end user, and that end user is going to use them.
Eric SchmidtRead
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