--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was research head of General…" description: "\"When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: \"Leave slide rules here..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/141/charles-kettering-5294_achievement_when-i-was-research-head-of-general-moto_3084442.png" --- # When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a… ![“When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: "Leave slide rules here." If I didn't do that, I'd find someone reaching for his slide rule. Then he'd be on his feet saying, "Boss, you can't do it."” quote by Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/141/charles-kettering-5294_achievement_when-i-was-research-head-of-general-moto_3084442.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/141/charles-kettering-5294_achievement_when-i-was-research-head-of-general-moto_3084442.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/141/charles-kettering-5294_achievement_when-i-was-research-head-of-general-moto_3084442.png) > “When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: "Leave slide rules here." If I didn't do that, I'd find someone reaching for his slide rule. Then he'd be on his feet saying, "Boss, you can't do it."” [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders can expose hidden resistance by removing tools that enable avoidance, forcing honest engagement with challenges. **In simple terms:** Removing tools reveals true obstacles. Key Takeaway Identify and eliminate shortcuts that hide problems. Themes leadership problem solving communication Mood reflective strategic Type anecdotal leadership When to use this quote - team meetings - project planning - process improvement Key Concepts organizational behavior psychology Questions to Reflect On - What tools in your work hide real issues? - How can you encourage openness without blame? A Different Perspective Some may feel threatened and become defensive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [I always say when you see that old black-and-white footage of the rocket on the launch pad and it falls over and explodes, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/i-always-say-when-you-see-that-old-black-and-white-footage-of-the/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [There is nothing in the world more perfect than a slide rule. 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You go back to the seventies and eighties with the General Motor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-power-of-branding-particularly-when-it-comes-to-automobiles-is/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I don't hurt the industry. The industry hurts itself, by making so many lousy movies - as if General Motors deliberately put out a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/i-don-t-hurt-the-industry-the-industry-hurts-itself-by-making-so-many/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [Well, as you know, General Motors does not make hybrids. Ford only made 4,000 hybrids last year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-markey/well-as-you-know-general-motors-does-not-make-hybrids-ford-only-made/) [Ed Markey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-markey/) ## More by Charles Kettering > [Research is an organized method of trying to find out what you are going to do after you cannot do what you are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/research-is-an-organized-method-of-trying-to-find-out-what-you-are/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [The sure ways to create new ventures of discovery are to keep an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/the-sure-ways-to-create-new-ventures-of-discovery-are-to-keep-an-open/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [If a fellow wants to be nobody in the business world, let him neglect sending the mailman to somebody on his behalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/if-a-fellow-wants-to-be-nobody-in-the-business-world-let-him-neglect/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas and progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/every-time-you-tear-a-leaf-off-a-calendar-you-present-a-new-place-for/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [Great steps in human progress are made by things that don't work the way philosophy thought they should. 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