How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and telling the truth. The first part can be assumed; the second cannot.
Margaret HeffernanRead
Most executives I know are so action-oriented, or action-addicted, that time for reflection is the first casualty of their success.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Executives often prioritize action over reflection, which can hinder their long-term success.
In this quote, Margaret Heffernan highlights the common tendency among executives to focus excessively on taking action, sometimes to the detriment of their ability to reflect and strategize. She suggests that in their pursuit of success, many leaders overlook the importance of pausing to think critically about their decisions and actions, leading to missed opportunities for growth and improvement.
Themes
ReflectionSuccessLeadershipExecutivesAction
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a leadership seminar to emphasize the need for balance between action and reflection.
More from Margaret Heffernan
All quotes βOnce you have power, you are inevitably surrounded by people who have their own agendas and will tell you whatever advances them.
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If the company depends entirely on you - your creativity, ingenuity, inspiration, salesmanship or charisma - nobody will want to buy it. The risk and the dependency are too great.
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Those in powerless positions aren't about to complain about bullying bosses, abusive supervisors or corrupt co-workers. There is no safe way to do so and no process that promises redress.
Margaret HeffernanRead
Bosses and leaders everywhere should cherish the people who bring them bad news, disappointing data or hard problems.
Margaret HeffernanRead
[For constructive conflict,] we have to resist the neurobiological drive which means that we really prefer people mostly like ourselves.
Margaret HeffernanRead
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