Once upon a time there lived a man called Albert Einstein. We revered him then and we revere him today. But we sure as hell don’t heed him the way we should.

For example, he once said that “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Or words to that effect.

And yet, here we are, acting as if yesterday’s behavior will save us today. We have yet to learn that, to understand new things, we must remember to forget.

We have been taught that leadership often involves managing change to create the desired behavior. But sometimes, especially during times of stress and uncertainty, that just doesn’t work too well. Here’s why.

During times of stress and uncertainty, we look for comfort. And where do we find comfort? In what we already know and understand. In our past and in our history.

At work, this translates into doing the things that we’ve always done, the things we’re good at. It’s called our comfort zone for a reason. It’s where we zone out stress and uncertainty.

Leaders who know this don’t manage change. They manage history. They help us interpret the past in a way that triggers appropriate behavior today.

Remember, history’s purpose is to get you where you are now. But depending on how you see it, history can hold you where you were.

It’s time to manage your history or be ignored by the future.

Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.