Did Einstein Get Simplicity Wrong, or Did We Take Him Too Literally?
By Mitchell Schuckman, PCC | Founder, The Schuckman Group
There is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein that shows up often in leadership and business conversations: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” I’ve always loved this quote and I use it regularly. Clear thinking usually does lead to clearer explanations. But after years of watching how communication actually plays out in executive rooms, I’ve come to think we’ve taken it too literally because it stops short of what really matters in leadership settings.
When Understanding the Subject Isn’t the Issue
Most of the professionals I work with understand their subject deeply. They are tax specialists, engineers, attorneys, and technical leaders who have spent years building expertise and credibility. Their challenge is that they explain complex ideas the way they themselves think about them, in logical order, step by step, carefully covering assumptions and edge cases. Often they are anticipating questions that will never get asked, the kinds of challenges raised by a regulator or a courtroom, not by the stakeholders sitting in front of them. Their audience is not trying to master the subject. They are trying to make a decision. When that nuance is missed, the explanation can be technically flawless and still fail.
The Tax Team No One Was Calling
I saw this clearly while working with a tax director at a mid-sized private equity firm. His work was strong and his analysis was sound. Yet the deal teams were not calling him. Not because tax was unimportant, but because they did not fully understand what they were being told. When they didn’t understand, they lost confidence. When they lost confidence, they froze in front of investment committees and senior leadership. So they moved forward without tax advice. When we slowed the situation down, the issue became obvious. The tax director was explaining issues exactly as he would to another tax professional. The deal teams needed a short explanation, framed in business terms, with clear implications for the deal. The tax director understood tax extremely well, yet he had not translated that understanding to the level his audience could use.
This Is a Leadership Skill, Not a Teaching One
This is where Einstein’s quote starts to unravel. Explaining something simply is not just a test of understanding. It’s a test of judgment. It requires deciding what matters now, for this audience, in this moment. I see the same pattern with senior leaders who explain strategy in a way that makes sense to them, but not to their teams. Smart people answer questions so completely that no one remembers the answer. That is not a failure of intelligence. It’s a failure to lead the room.
Clarity Is About Altitude, Not Simplicity
Many high performers worry that simplifying will make them look less credible. They have spent their careers being rewarded for detail and thoroughness. But strong communicators start at a level the room can absorb, watch how it lands, and only go deeper if it’s needed. They are comfortable pausing, checking in, and adjusting rather than delivering everything they know.
I’ve noticed this same pattern in how I use ChatGPT. When a subject is unfamiliar, I ask for an explanation. If it’s still too complex, I’ll ask for it at a high school or grade school level and then work my way back up. The clarity comes from adjusting the level, not from changing the facts. In meetings, leaders have to do that work in real time. When it’s done well, it’s masterful, and it’s respectful to the audience.
So, Did We Take Einstein Too Literally?
Einstein was right about one thing. If you don’t understand the subject, you can’t explain it. But in leadership settings, the real test is whether the people listening can use what you say to make a decision and carry it forward. The leaders who command a room are not the ones who know the most. They are the ones who understand both the subject and the people sitting across from them. Einstein wasn’t wrong. We just stopped listening too soon.