Taking Einstein’s Exam Twice | RQ:RA | Changing Questions & Answers
In 1942, Albert Einstein was teaching at Princeton University and had just finished administering a year-end exam to his Ph.D. physics students. As he walked through the campus with his teaching assistant, the following exchange took place:
TA: “Dr. Einstein, I think we made a huge mistake! We gave the same exam to the same group of Ph.D. students last year! Look, question for question, the two are exactly the same.”
Einstein: “Yes, yes, it’s exactly the same exam. Don’t worry about it. It’s all relative.”
TA: “What?! How do you mean it’s all relative? I guess they’ll all get perfect scores this year.”
Einstein: “Perfect scores? I think not. It’s quite simple if you read the exam closely. The questions are the same but the answers have all changed.”
That’s right, the answers have changed.
We are living in an era where not only are the answers changing, but the questions we need to ask in the first place have also changed. Startups, Fortune 500 Companies, governments, and solopreneurs are operating in environments that are moving faster than any other time in recorded history, which means more questions, more answers, and more changes.
Companies and the teams that drive them should start using different tools and methodologies to provide a consistent flow of quality questions and answers. Be able to quickly prototype new frameworks to view their risks, problems, and opportunities while measurably improving the quality of the outcomes. But most importantly, teams have to understand when they are asking the wrong questions and when the answers have changed.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve developed a system of RQ:RA (Right Question:Right Answer) that has been used to create numerous companies, including most recently The Data Oath (launched September 2021.) Increasingly, we’ve been using RQ:RA to help clients uncover opportunities, find extreme clarity in what they are doing, and gain significant savings in time while improving their business in clear metrics:
Drastically improved fundraising success for a VC Fund
Higher-paying clients with higher close rates for NYC Management Consulting Firm
Rethink and grow their business offer in the Aerospace & Defense industry.
Nothing is more expensive for a career or a company than fiercely working on the wrong questions and gaining the wrong answers. But the most dangerous event that befalls individuals and companies alike is when they receive a question that they answered correctly in the past, and they assume the answers are the same.
If you’re interested in finding out what answers might be outdated and questions your company and team could be working on to drive extraordinary results, we’d love to speak with you.
To learn more about RQ:RA you can read a very short write-up and request an introductory call.
Christopher Sanchez & Co. is your business performance partner. We help clients start companies, reframe problems, and uncover asymmetrical advantages by applying our frameworks and methods to three critical areas: crafting the best questions, isolating the most valuable answers, and constructing narratives that break through the noise.
