Attributes Quote by Christopher Vokes
“I looked for certain attributes in a soldier. I know the modern method is to put the attributes into a computer and see what comes out. But as far as I am concerned, the computer is the worst damn instrument devised by man to screw up man-management.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on military leadership, 1970s
The speaker distrusts relying on computers for evaluating people, believing it harms effective management of soldiers.
In simple terms: Computers are poor tools for assessing human qualities.
Key Takeaway
Avoid over‑reliance on data‑driven personnel decisions.
Themes
leadership
technology
human resources
Mood
skeptical
critical
reflective
Type
advice
cautionary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- military recruitment
- performance reviews
- team building
- HR policy
- leadership training
Key Concepts
management theory
human judgment
algorithmic bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance data with personal insight?
- What risks arise from delegating judgments to algorithms?
A Different Perspective
Human factors and morale can be overlooked by purely quantitative methods.
