‘I haven't the slightest idea how to do it': The power of admitting your ignorance
In 1938, some of the most powerful figures in the automobile industry gathered for lunch at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Seated among the titans of industry, executives and leading suppliers, attendees eagerly awaited the keynote speaker – a man who had revolutionised the world of cars, engineering and beyond.
His name was Charles F. Kettering, a prolific inventor whose work had shaped modern life in ways few could rival. By this time, Kettering had racked up over 300 patents, including lead gasoline, the electrical starter motor for cars, and advances in refrigeration and air-conditioning. He was a legend in his field and a true figure of influence.
So when Kettering took the stage, the room fell silent. What came next, however, stunned the audience.
Instead of delivering a speech filled with certainties and predictions about the future of the automobile industry, Kettering said something almost unthinkable for a leader of his stature: 'If we could get this idea that we know very much about anything out of our minds,' he said, 'we have a wonderful future ahead of us – in any line of business – if we will just lift the lid and say we know so little about anything.'
This was blindspotting in its most powerful form – acknowledging what you don't know. It's the key to embracing intellectual honesty and allowing curiosity to guide you into uncharted territory. At a time when gasoline powered every vehicle on the road, Kettering challenged the automotive industry's brightest minds to consider a radical new idea: cars powered by the sun. 'I haven't the slightest idea how to do it,' Kettering admitted to a room filled with executives and industrialists.
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But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was willing to entertain the possibility. And that, he believed, was the key to unlocking innovation.
Kettering's message was clear – real progress would come not from clinging to what you already know, but from opening your mind to what you don't.
Fewer than 20 years later, General Motors (GM) – the very company where Kettering was once the long-time vice president of research – unveiled the world's first solar-powered vehicle. It was called the Sunmobile, a tiny 15-inch model Corvette fitted with eight solar cells on the hood. Invented by GM engineer William G. Cobb, the Sunmobile made its debut at a car convention in Chicago in 1955.
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In 1938, some of the most powerful figures in the automobile industry gathered for lunch at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Seated among the titans of industry, executives and leading suppliers, attendees eagerly awaited the keynote speaker – a man who had revolutionised the world of cars, engineering and beyond. His name was Charles F. Kettering, a prolific inventor whose work had shaped modern life in ways few could rival. By this time, Kettering had racked up over 300 patents, including lead gasoline, the electrical starter motor for cars, and advances in refrigeration and air-conditioning. He was a legend in his field and a true figure of influence. So when Kettering took the stage, the room fell silent. What came next, however, stunned the audience. Instead of delivering a speech filled with certainties and predictions about the future of the automobile industry, Kettering said something almost unthinkable for a leader of his stature: 'If we could get this idea that we know very much about anything out of our minds,' he said, 'we have a wonderful future ahead of us – in any line of business – if we will just lift the lid and say we know so little about anything.' This was blindspotting in its most powerful form – acknowledging what you don't know. It's the key to embracing intellectual honesty and allowing curiosity to guide you into uncharted territory. At a time when gasoline powered every vehicle on the road, Kettering challenged the automotive industry's brightest minds to consider a radical new idea: cars powered by the sun. 'I haven't the slightest idea how to do it,' Kettering admitted to a room filled with executives and industrialists. Loading But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was willing to entertain the possibility. And that, he believed, was the key to unlocking innovation. Kettering's message was clear – real progress would come not from clinging to what you already know, but from opening your mind to what you don't. Fewer than 20 years later, General Motors (GM) – the very company where Kettering was once the long-time vice president of research – unveiled the world's first solar-powered vehicle. It was called the Sunmobile, a tiny 15-inch model Corvette fitted with eight solar cells on the hood. Invented by GM engineer William G. Cobb, the Sunmobile made its debut at a car convention in Chicago in 1955.
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