Transcript for accessibility purposes:
"We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them."
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicists of all time, has much to say about problem-solving. He dedicated his entire life to solving some of the most intriguing problems and mysteries of the universe, and even though he died before he could figure out the solution to some of them, his work is still the foundation of most of what we know about how the universe works.
Problem-solving demands a combination of elements, one of them being a particular mindset. As Einstein beautifully stated, we can't solve problems when operating under the same conditions that created them.
That's one of the reasons consulting firms charge very high fees and make so much money nowadays. Those firms have developed a simple yet very effective way to approach problems and they train their consultants very well, so they are able to apply that tested process to their client's businesses.
These firms also count on an important benefit that is on the root of what Einstein meant with today's quote: distance.
What I mean is that they were not around when the problem was created so they already have a different kind of thinking from the get-go. If you ever find yourself stuck with a problem, a set of fresh eyes can be a great help.