Management Quotations

"One of the lessons in life I have learned is that a bit more time spent in thinking and planning will immeasurably increase effectiveness of one's output."
John Harvey-Jones, ex-chairman ICI

"True leadership must be for the benefit of followers, not the enrichment of the leaders. In combat, officers eat last. A real leader delegates as many important matters as he can because that creates a climate in which people grow."
Robert Townsend, Chairman of Avis

Sequence of Management:
a) Gather and anlayse information
b) Define objectives and standards
c) Consider possible options for action
d) Decide on the best option
e) Plan the action, organise the resouces
f) Implement the action, - communicate, motivate, co-ordinate, delegate, control, coach.
g) Monitor results.

Mistakes are caused by the compulsion to start at f.

People need to feel part of an overall strategy and feel they have some responsibility and involvement in decisions which affect them.
Michael Edwards

Admit your own mistakes openly, maybe even joyfuly, encourage your associates to do likewise by commiserating with them, never castigate. Babies learn to walk by falling down. If you beat a baby every time he falls down, he'll never care much for walking.
Robert Townsend

Since everything has to be achieved by people, the first thing we have to remember is the sort of environment in which people give their best. Secondly, we have to have a far greater tolerance and respect for differences of view.

Don't say haven't got time to do it if you have got time to correct it.

Five stages of a project
1) Enthusiasm for goals
2) Disillusionment with the project
3) Search for the guilty
4) Persecution of the innocent
5) Praise for the non-participants

Rudyard Kipling's six servants (from "The Elephant's Child")
I keep six honest serving-men:
(They taught me all I knew)
Their names are What and Where and When
And How and Why and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five.
For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
For they are hungry men:
But different folk have different views:
I know a person small--
She keeps ten million serving-men,
Who get no rest at all!
She sends 'em abroad on her own affairs,
From the second she opens her eyes--
One million Hows, two million Wheres,
And seven million Whys!

John: 11:35 Jesus wept.

Other Quotations

To the world you may just be someone.....to someone you may just be the world.

"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." - Douglas Adams

A stupid question is better than a stupid mistake

Is soap self cleaning?

Save early, save often.

When the end is lawful, the means are lawful (Jesuits)

When using soap just think about the last thing I wash and the first thing you wash. (Friends: Twinky in the city & Joey moves out)

There's no one more unhappy than an unsuccessful American

If you're not scared, you don't understand

"It is morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money" W. C. Fields (1880-1946)

Lerman's Law of Technology:

Any technical problem can be overcome given enough time and money.
Corollary: You are never given enough time or money.

First published: 2002
Last Edited: 04 August 2005 10:59:37