“Action is the real measure of intelligence.” — Napoleon Hill

Peter Drucker writes in The Effective Executive, “There seems to be little correlation between a man’s effectiveness and his intelligence….Brilliant men are often strikingly ineffectual; they fail to realize that brilliant insight is not by itself achievement.”

Albert Einstein put his genius in perspective when observing, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”  Winston Churchill also valued persistence over brilliance saying, “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence –is the key to unlocking our potential.”

The Bottom Line: Leaders value persistence over brilliance, realizing brilliance does not correlate with effectiveness and achievement.