What if Thomas Alva Edison had given up after 500 attempts?

A few days ago, I took the elevator in my building down from the ninth floor to the lobby. As I started going down, it suddenly came to an abrupt stop. The lights went out, and for a few seconds, I was trapped in a box suspended in air, a rather unpleasant feeling. Fortunately, just a few seconds later, the lights returned, and the elevator started working again. However, it didn’t take me to my destination; instead, it took me back up to the higher floors, leaving me once again on the ninth. My instinct told me to take the stairs this time. After the elevator mishap, it seemed like the safest way to go. As I descended, step by step, I became aware of my body and began to question: Why do we always choose the easy path, even for the shortest tasks? In my case, I live on one of the higher floors, so I never consider going up or down on foot, but I noticed that this behavior replicates itself and I believe many of us do this even when going up or down just one level. Dare I say that elevators have become essential for those of us who live in or frequent tall buildings, as we can’t imagine a building without an elevator.

On January 27th, 1880, more than 100 years ago, Thomas Alva Edison patented his "Electric Lamp." Much like the elevator, it's an invention we can´t see ourselves living without. Imagine having to light candles all over the house? If we lived on the outskirts of the city, we’d probably have to make them ourselves, and we know that, in today’s world, this is simply not an option. As the story goes, Edison tested over 6,000 different types of filaments before finding the right one to create a proper electric light bulb.

This well-known story reinforces the importance of persistence when it comes to innovation, reason behind Edison´s famous quote, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent persistence.” I am sure of one thing, and that is that: you don’t reach ninety-nine percent persistence without applying a fundamental element to the equation: a hundred percent passion for what you do.

In our time, there may be fewer Thomas Alva Edisons. Many innovations come with corporate backing. It is precisely this element that enables companies to survive today because innovation has stopped being just a value-added element and has become a necessary component for surviving in an ever-changing world. Innovation is a complex process that requires integrating various elements: methodologies, training, multifaceted and diverse teams, and, even more importantly, an environment and culture conducive to innovation. Inventors need passion because of their inevitable failure; this is the driving force that keeps them going even in the face of adversity.

A leader needs to be able to cultivate that passion and inspire, fostering the right environment in which creative work can flourish, strengthening purpose, and building the trust necessary to bring out the best version of every team member and achieve successful innovations. An inspirational leader is a catalyst for innovation, the precursor to a culture that fosters persistent individuals who find new solutions to everyday problems and thus deliver outstanding results.

I´ve witnessed situations where significant investments have been made to foster innovation, whether it be through training, systematically, or through technological tools. Unfortunately, however, the results fall short due to a lack of proper leadership. Only through this leadership will we reach the final destination: accumulative innovation or, even better, disruptive innovation that changes the course of the company.

Edison held truth by saying that innovation requires more work than inspiration. But for that work to be successful, the leader must inspire through trust, purpose, and passion, creating an environment where ideas can thrive in a respectful, and creative manner allowing for discussions to take place. Always ensure that you can exercise that inspirational leadership that is vital in today’s world. Become the leader you always wanted to have along in your journey.