Quotes About Flexibility

Organizations become bureaucratic as soon as people define their job around a specific rule, or feature, rather than a goal.

For example, if you tell me my job is to cook the french fries, I will resist anything that threatens the existence of french fries, since when they go away, so does my job. But if you tell me my job is to make side dishes for customers, I'll be open to changing from fries to onion rings or other side dishes, even ones we've yet to invent, since my identity isn't tied to a particular side dish but instead to the role side dishes play.

After years of leading projects, the best thing I've learned is that I have to periodically shift between thinking small (bazaar) and thinking long term (cathedral).

All projects are a dance between two forces, expanding to consider more ideas and shrinking to narrow things down enough to finish.

killing rats wasn't in my job description.

was all about adapting to the new technology on the market.

To rely on a single model is hubris.

Man's noblest endowment is his capacity to change.

Focus isn't about hammering one nail all our lives. It's about hammering lots of nails, one way, all our lives.

Oh gods, Jean. Take a false name wherever we end up. Tavrin Callas is good. Let the bastard pop up all over the place.

Well, cheer up. At least you've got more mobility than a fucking tadpole on dry land.

You think I'm inclined to walk in on a day like today and deliberately twist his breeches? If your father says 'bark like a dog,' I say 'What breed, Your Honor?' 

If we know exactly where we're going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what we'll see along the way, we won't learn anything.

Don't become so attached to your ideas that you lose objectivity.

On that show, I did country and some rock, too, whatever record I had out at the time, I'd sing that.

We're not good at propping up old carcasses. We want to be on top of what's vital at any particular time, and not just hold onto something because it has a name.

The best gift you can give yourself is an open mind.

Companies that change best over time know first and foremost what should not change.

Adaptability is being able to adjust to any situation at any given time.

We all want to play great music all the time, but if that is not possible, you have to hit as many right notes as you can.

I think we're living in a time when size is not a strategic advantage, necessarily.

No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're early, so naturally you're not ready.

In 30 years time, as technology moves forward even further, people are going to look back and wonder why offices ever existed.

Part of keeping space open is not to try to choose a form - to spend more time thinking about content, and let form take care of itself.