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Civil war Quote by Charles Duhigg

“Most economists are accustomed to treating companies as idyllic places where everyone is devoted to a common goal: making as much money as possible. In the real world, that’s not how things work at all. Companies aren’t big happy families where everyone plays together nicely. Rather, most…” quote by Charles Duhigg
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““Most economists are accustomed to treating companies as idyllic places where everyone is devoted to a common goal: making as much money as possible. In the real world, that’s not how things work at all. Companies aren’t big happy families where everyone plays together nicely. Rather, most workplaces are made up of fiefdoms where executives compete for power and credit, often in hidden skirmishes that make their own performances appear superior and their rivals’ seem worse. Divisions compete for resources and sabotage each other to steal glory. Bosses pit their subordinates against one another so that no one can mount a coup. Companies aren’t families. They’re battlefields in a civil war. Yet despite this capacity for internecine warfare, most companies roll along relatively peacefully, year after year, because they have routines – habits – that create truces that allow everyone to set aside their rivalries long enough to get a day’s work done.””

Charles Duhigg

About This Quote

Source Book: *The Power of Habit* by Charles Duhigg, 2012

Organizations often function like competing factions, but shared routines act as temporary truces that enable cooperation.

In simple terms: Workplaces are competitive, yet habits keep them running.

Key Takeaway

Leverage shared routines to reduce conflict.

Themes

competition routines organizational behavior conflict management

Mood

pragmatic reflective

Type

analytical insightful

When to use this quote

  • team meetings
  • project planning
  • cross‑departmental initiatives
  • performance reviews

Key Concepts

power dynamics habit formation social contracts

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you design habits that promote genuine collaboration?
  • What hidden conflicts might your routines be covering?
A Different Perspective

Routines can mask underlying tensions, leading to unresolved issues later.

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