Lexicon: Élan Vital

The Etymology

French for "Vital Momentum" or "Vital Force." Coined by Henri Bergson in his masterpiece Creative Evolution (1907). It describes the explosive, creative current of life that drives evolution from a single cell into the infinite variety of species we see today.

The Definition

Before Bergson, scientists thought evolution was purely mechanical, like a clock unwinding or a machine reacting to inputs. Bergson argued that life is not a machine; it is a Project.

• Mechanism (The Machine): Is determined by the past. It pushes from behind. (Cause -> Effect).
• Élan Vital (The Spark): Is drawn toward the future. It is an unpredictable, creative force that constantly invents new forms to overcome obstacles.

The Corporate Application

In the age of AI and Data, we have become obsessed with Mechanism. We believe that if we analyze enough past data, the future will reveal itself. Bergson warns us: "The intellect is characterized by a natural inability to comprehend life."

The Innovation Trap:

• Optimization: You can use data to optimize an existing product (Mechanism).
• Innovation: You cannot use data to invent the iPhone or the Airplane. These require Élan Vital. True innovation is not an extrapolation of the past; it is a "leap" into the new. It requires a leader to trust the creative impulse over the spreadsheet.

The Lesson: Do not try to "manage" the Élan Vital of your team with strict KPIs. You can measure the ash of the fire (output), but you cannot measure the flame (creativity). If you suffocate the flame with process, you are left with cold, dead matter.