--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good work is always done in defiance of…" description: "\"Good work is always done in defiance of management.\" — Bob Woodward" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg" --- # Good work is always done in defiance of management. ![“Good work is always done in defiance of management.” quote by Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg) > “Good work is always done in defiance of management.” [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective work often thrives when it challenges authority and conventional expectations. **In simple terms:** Good work can defy management. Key Takeaway Don’t fear opposing norms. Themes creativity resistance leadership Mood determined critical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - project management - creative fields - activism Key Concepts organizational behavior innovation Questions to Reflect On - When is defiance productive? - How to balance respect and rebellion? A Different Perspective It can risk conflict or retaliation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defiance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defiance/) [Defiance Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defiance-management-4419956/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Software](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software/) [Software design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software-design/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Defiance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-defiance-4419955/) ## Related quotes > [Beauty is more important in computing than anywhere else in technology because software is so complicated. Beauty is the ultimate defense against complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gelernter/beauty-is-more-important-in-computing-than-anywhere-else-in/) [David Gelernter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gelernter/) > [The cheapest, fastest, and most reliable components are those that aren't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bell/the-cheapest-fastest-and-most-reliable-components-are-those-that-aren/) [Gordon Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bell/) > [The real tight interface is between the book and the reader-the world of the book is plugged right into your brain, never mind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-real-tight-interface-is-between-the-book-and-the-reader-the-world/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Nothing in progression can rest on its original plan. We may as well think of rocking a grown man in the cradle of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/nothing-in-progression-can-rest-on-its-original-plan-we-may-as-well/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [An organization that treats its programmers as morons will soon have programmers that are willing and able to act like morons only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/an-organization-that-treats-its-programmers-as-morons-will-soon-have/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [... the designer of a new system must not only be the implementor and the first large-scale user; the designer should also write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-designer-of-a-new-system-must-not-only-be-the-implementor-and-the/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [Some cynical people think that every activity must revolve around the mighty dollar, and that anyone saying otherwise is just attempting to delude the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carmack/some-cynical-people-think-that-every-activity-must-revolve-around-the/) [John Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carmack/) > [As for a picture, if it isn't worth a thousand words, the hell with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/as-for-a-picture-if-it-isn-t-worth-a-thousand-words-the-hell-with-it/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [Microsoft unleashed something called Bob, a program that's supposed to make Windows easier to use. Until a Bob helper is born, you can look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-quittner/microsoft-unleashed-something-called-bob-a-program-that-s-supposed-to/) [Josh Quittner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-quittner/) > [A Wired reader told me once, Get a life, which I read from the back of a yacht in the Aegean, while eating fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/a-wired-reader-told-me-once-get-a-life-which-i-read-from-the-back-of/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) > [If you want a language that tries to lock up all the sharp objects and fire-making implements, use Pascal or Ada: the Nerf languages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fahlman/if-you-want-a-language-that-tries-to-lock-up-all-the-sharp-objects/) [Scott Fahlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fahlman/) > [Should array indices start at 0 or 1? My compromise of 0.5 was rejected without, I thought, proper consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-kelly-bootle/should-array-indices-start-at-0-or-1-my-compromise-of-0-5-was/) [Stan Kelly-Bootle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-kelly-bootle/) > [When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/when-i-m-working-on-a-problem-i-never-think-about-beauty-i-think-only/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [ Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about \[the goto statement\]. I have the uncomfortable feeling that others… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-i-am-terribly/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty-a beauty cold and austere ... yet sublimely pure and capable of stern perfection such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/mathematics-rightly-viewed-possesses-not-only-truth-but-supreme/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More by Bob Woodward > [Certain political figures think when you call them and ask them for a comment; that you are somehow doing something that you shouldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/certain-political-figures-think-when-you-call-them-and-ask-them-for-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“Maybe that would be less crucial under Obama, Podesta thought, because Obama's approach was so intellectual. He compared Obama to Spock from Star Trek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/maybe-that-would-be-less-crucial-under-obama-podesta-thought-because/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/way-before-watergate-senior-administration-officials-hid-behind/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Not a season passes without new disclosures showing Nixon's numerous attempts at criminal use of his presidential powers and in fact the scorn he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/not-a-season-passes-without-new-disclosures-showing-nixon-s-numerous/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The cloud of doubt that surrounds political figures tends to remain and never dissipate or be clarified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-cloud-of-doubt-that-surrounds-political-figures-tends-to-remain/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Sometimes,doing nothing is the best reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/sometimes-doing-nothing-is-the-best-reaction/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Getting up in the morning and having work you love is what makes life different for people. If you get into a position where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/getting-up-in-the-morning-and-having-work-you-love-is-what-makes-life/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The number of illegal activities were so large that one was bound to come out and lead to the uncovering of the others. Nixon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-number-of-illegal-activities-were-so-large-that-one-was-bound-to/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The failure of the system to deal quickly was attributable to Nixon's lying, stonewalling and refusal to come clean. So it took 26 months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-failure-of-the-system-to-deal-quickly-was-attributable-to-nixon-s/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The biggest rap on me is that I don't find a Watergate every couple of years. Well, Watergate was unique. It's not something Carl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-biggest-rap-on-me-is-that-i-don-t-find-a-watergate-every-couple/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [There are people who take rumors and embellish them in a way that can be devastating. And this pollution has to be eradicated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/there-are-people-who-take-rumors-and-embellish-them-in-a-way-that-can/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“I'm done doing this!' Obama said, finally erupting. 'We've all agreed on a plan. And we're all going to stick to that plan. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-m-done-doing-this-obama-said-finally-erupting-we-ve-all-agreed-on-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“He never really voice pure, raw outrage to me about Watergate or what it represented. The crimes and abuses were background music. Nixon was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/he-never-really-voice-pure-raw-outrage-to-me-about-watergate-or-what/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [It was accountability that Nixon feared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/it-was-accountability-that-nixon-feared/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Lawyers didn't seriously get involved in the Watergate stories until quite late, when we realized we were on to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/lawyers-didn-t-seriously-get-involved-in-the-watergate-stories-until/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) [Explore all 100 Bob Woodward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## More Defiance quotes > [“Defiance, Catherine, is a gift of God, who is superior to nature. When nature comes to get you, honor God by treating it, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/defiance-catherine-is-a-gift-of-god-who-is-superior-to-nature-when/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-response-was-given-by-the-innkeeper-when-mary-and-joseph-wanted/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [If you tell me, I will leave you alone," I said. "And if you don't tell me, I am going to grab the nearest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/if-you-tell-me-i-will-leave-you-alone-i-said-and-if-you-don-t-tell-me/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-criminal-s/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [As one, they leap, laughing, and that is where we leave them - mouths open, arms spread wide, fingers splayed to take in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/as-one-they-leap-laughing-and-that-is-where-we-leave-them-mouths-open/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I want nevertheless to add that for me the world is a defiance of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-magritte/i-want-nevertheless-to-add-that-for-me-the-world-is-a-defiance-of/) [Rene Magritte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-magritte/) > [“Dare to dream, for in the daring there is defiance to live beyond your circumstances”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dare-to-dream-for-in-the-daring-there-is-defiance-to-live-beyond-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s probably my job to tell you life isn’t fair, but I figure you already know that. So instead, I’ll tell you that hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-redwine/it-s-probably-my-job-to-tell-you-life-isn-t-fair-but-i-figure-you/) [C.J. Redwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-redwine/) > [“When Dr. James Young Simpson sought to apply anesthesia to a woman in childbirth, the clergymen of his day foamed at the mouth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lewis/when-dr-james-young-simpson-sought-to-apply-anesthesia-to-a-woman-in/) [Joseph Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lewis/) > [Mutual defiance made them alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/mutual-defiance-made-them-alike/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Defiance rose up like vomit. I swung back and yelled, "Don't ever do that again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/defiance-rose-up-like-vomit-i-swung-back-and-yelled-don-t-ever-do/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [There came to him an image of man’s whole life upon the earth. It seemed to him that all man’s life was like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-wolfe/there-came-to-him-an-image-of-man-s-whole-life-upon-the-earth-it/) [Thomas Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-wolfe/) > [I suppose I'm saying that defiance is actually part of the lyric job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-heaney/i-suppose-i-m-saying-that-defiance-is-actually-part-of-the-lyric-job/) [Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-heaney/) > [ I loved working on that show \[Defiance\]. I mean, that show was brutal. We worked long, brutal hours in really brutal weather. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-loved-working-on-that-show-defiance-i-mean-that-show-was-brutal-we/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [“You need not treat me like a child, sir. I am perfectly capable of navigating this staircase on my own." He snorted. Her nostrils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-witemeyer/you-need-not-treat-me-like-a-child-sir-i-am-perfectly-capable-of/) [Karen Witemeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-witemeyer/) [Browse all 335 Defiance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defiance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good work is always done in defiance of management.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Woodward" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of-management/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defiance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of-management/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/bob-woodward-5424_defiance_good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of_524585.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good work is always done in defiance of management.” — Bob Woodward", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bob Woodward", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good work is always done in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of-management/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/good-work-is-always-done-in-defiance-of-management/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```