You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.
Charles KetteringRead
When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: "Leave slide rules here." If I didn't do that, I'd find someone reaching for his slide rule. Then he'd be on his feet saying, "Boss, you can't do it."
Interpretation
What this quote means
Encouraging creative problem-solving by removing conventional tools that promote limiting beliefs.
This quote by Charles Kettering highlights the importance of avoiding conventional thinking when tackling problems. By placing a sign that asks people to leave their slide rules outside, Kettering aimed to prevent employees from relying on traditional methods and the associated limitations, encouraging them to think freely and innovatively about solutions without preconceived notions of what is possible.
Themes
Problem SolvingInnovationCreativityLeadershipThinkingChange
In practice
Example use cases
During a team brainstorming session, I shared this quote to emphasize the value of unconventional ideas.
More from Charles Kettering
All quotes →It is the 'follow through' that makes the great difference between ultimate success and failure, because it is so easy to stop.
Charles KetteringRead
A research problem is not solved by apparatus; it is solved in a man's head.
Charles KetteringRead
My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.
Charles KetteringRead
I often say that research is a way of finding out what you are going to do when you can't keep on doing what you are doing now.
Charles KetteringRead
People think of the inventor as a screwball, but no one ever asks the inventor what he thinks of other people.
Charles KetteringRead
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