--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: should enhance and align with the ones…" description: "\"“should enhance and align with the ones above it. In other words, your priorities will sit in a hierarchy from the top down. Ultimately, if”\" — David A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/david-allen-2835_hierarchy_should-enhance-and-align-with-the-ones-a_2875028.png" --- # should enhance and align with the ones above it. In other… ![“should enhance and align with the ones above it. In other words, your priorities will sit in a hierarchy from the top down. Ultimately, if” quote by David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/david-allen-2835_hierarchy_should-enhance-and-align-with-the-ones-a_2875028.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/david-allen-2835_hierarchy_should-enhance-and-align-with-the-ones-a_2875028.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/david-allen-2835_hierarchy_should-enhance-and-align-with-the-ones-a_2875028.png) > ““should enhance and align with the ones above it. In other words, your priorities will sit in a hierarchy from the top down. Ultimately, if”” [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Priorities should be organized hierarchically, with higher‑level goals guiding lower‑level tasks. **In simple terms:** Set priorities in a hierarchy. Key Takeaway Structure tasks by importance. Themes productivity prioritization hierarchy Mood organized efficient Type practical analytical When to use this quote - project planning - daily workflow - strategic planning Key Concepts Time management goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance hierarchy and adaptability? - When should priorities shift? A Different Perspective Rigid hierarchies can limit flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Align Ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/align-ones-3953177/) [Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) [Hierarchy Ultimately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy-ultimately-3953175/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Priorities Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities-sit-2071407/) [Words Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-priorities-3953176/) ## Related quotes > [Anything that is excellent or praiseworthy stands moment by moment on the cutting edge and must be constantly fought for. Well placed priorities always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-perot/anything-that-is-excellent-or-praiseworthy-stands-moment-by-moment-on/) [Ross Perot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-perot/) > [Sure enough, as merger has followed merger, journalism has been driven further down the hierarchy of values in the huge conglomerates that dominate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/sure-enough-as-merger-has-followed-merger-journalism-has-been-driven/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [If you’re at zero backlog, it’s a whole lot easier to change priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-you-re-at-zero-backlog-it-s-a-whole-lot-easier-to-change-priorities/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [patriarchal academic hierarchies in science and technology are now overspecialized and abstract, perhaps because they have systematically excluded women, as well as minorities, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-henderson/patriarchal-academic-hierarchies-in-science-and-technology-are-now/) [Hazel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-henderson/) > [The flatter the corporate hierarchy, the more likely it is that employees will communicate bad news and act upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-flatter-the-corporate-hierarchy-the-more-likely-it-is-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I see anarchism as the theoretical ideal to which we are all gradually evolving to a point where everybody can tell the truth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-see-anarchism-as-the-theoretical-ideal-to-which-we-are-all/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [“Hierarchy was like breathing: the only time you thought about it was when something went wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/hierarchy-was-like-breathing-the-only-time-you-thought-about-it-was/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“One way or another, we spend our whole lives being conditioned into accepting some line or order, some position of domination or subjection. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-james/one-way-or-another-we-spend-our-whole-lives-being-conditioned-into/) [Cliff James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-james/) > [“The lowly have small ambitions, and are satisfied with small indulgences. They need not get fair treatment. They need only think that they do... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-lowly-have-small-ambitions-and-are-satisfied-with-small/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-to-protect-and-administer-it/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The entire hierarchy of angels can best be described as an endlessly vast sphere of beings, who surround an unknowable centre-point, which is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-godwin/the-entire-hierarchy-of-angels-can-best-be-described-as-an-endlessly/) [Malcolm Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-godwin/) > [In the hierarchy of the family, I'm just above the dog. But I like it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-voigt/in-the-hierarchy-of-the-family-i-m-just-above-the-dog-but-i-like-it/) [Jens Voigt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-voigt/) > [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) ## More by David Allen > [“Klara Sztucinski, and Elliott Kellman. The administrative”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/klara-sztucinski-and-elliott-kellman-the-administrative/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/your-ability-to-generate-power-is-directly-proportional-to-your/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“Too much information creates the same result as too little:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/too-much-information-creates-the-same-result-as-too-little/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [You don't actually do a project; you can only do action steps related to it. When enough of the right action steps have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/you-don-t-actually-do-a-project-you-can-only-do-action-steps-related/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [You won't see how to do it until you see yourself doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/you-won-t-see-how-to-do-it-until-you-see-yourself-doing-it/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“It’s the nature of human experience, which is always in some form of motion, to veer off course—sometimes in major, but consistently in minor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/it-s-the-nature-of-human-experience-which-is-always-in-some-form-of/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“The real challenge is to make good communication a handy and well-used tool. Then you are likely to pick it up and use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/the-real-challenge-is-to-make-good-communication-a-handy-and-well/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Everything you’ve told yourself you ought to do, your mind thinks you should do right now. Frankly, as soon add you have two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/everything-you-ve-told-yourself-you-ought-to-do-your-mind-thinks-you/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“We need ways to validate and support our thinking, no matter how informal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/we-need-ways-to-validate-and-support-our-thinking-no-matter-how/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“The value of goals is not in the future they describe, but the change in perception of reality they foster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/the-value-of-goals-is-not-in-the-future-they-describe-but-the-change/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“Taking the inventory of your current work at all levels will automatically produce greater focus, alignment, and sense of priorities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/taking-the-inventory-of-your-current-work-at-all-levels-will/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“have discovered that one of the major reasons many people haven’t had a lot of success with getting organized is simply that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/have-discovered-that-one-of-the-major-reasons-many-people-haven-t-had/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Without a gut-level sense that you are ultimately in control of what's happening to you, you won't even consider the option that you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/without-a-gut-level-sense-that-you-are-ultimately-in-control-of-what/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/your-mind-is-for-having-ideas-not-holding-them/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“you can decide what, specifically, something means to you and what you intend to do about it, if anything; if you can use a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/you-can-decide-what-specifically-something-means-to-you-and-what-you/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) [Explore all 147 David Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) ## More Hierarchy quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [In the hierarchy of the family, I'm just above the dog. But I like it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-voigt/in-the-hierarchy-of-the-family-i-m-just-above-the-dog-but-i-like-it/) [Jens Voigt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-voigt/) > [The entire hierarchy of angels can best be described as an endlessly vast sphere of beings, who surround an unknowable centre-point, which is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-godwin/the-entire-hierarchy-of-angels-can-best-be-described-as-an-endlessly/) [Malcolm Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-godwin/) > [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-to-protect-and-administer-it/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“The lowly have small ambitions, and are satisfied with small indulgences. They need not get fair treatment. They need only think that they do... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-lowly-have-small-ambitions-and-are-satisfied-with-small/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“One way or another, we spend our whole lives being conditioned into accepting some line or order, some position of domination or subjection. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-james/one-way-or-another-we-spend-our-whole-lives-being-conditioned-into/) [Cliff James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-james/) > [“Hierarchy was like breathing: the only time you thought about it was when something went wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/hierarchy-was-like-breathing-the-only-time-you-thought-about-it-was/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [I see anarchism as the theoretical ideal to which we are all gradually evolving to a point where everybody can tell the truth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-see-anarchism-as-the-theoretical-ideal-to-which-we-are-all/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [The flatter the corporate hierarchy, the more likely it is that employees will communicate bad news and act upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-flatter-the-corporate-hierarchy-the-more-likely-it-is-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [patriarchal academic hierarchies in science and technology are now overspecialized and abstract, perhaps because they have systematically excluded women, as well as minorities, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-henderson/patriarchal-academic-hierarchies-in-science-and-technology-are-now/) [Hazel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-henderson/) > [“Daimonology has no hierarchy, but only the spell of universal anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-william-brown/daimonology-has-no-hierarchy-but-only-the-spell-of-universal-anarchy/) [Carl William Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-william-brown/) > [I was telling somebody just the other day, there's technically such a hierarchy in this business. You have film, that's the ideal; then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hale/i-was-telling-somebody-just-the-other-day-there-s-technically-such-a/) [Tony Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hale/) > [Every education system on Earth has the same hierarchy of subjects: at the top are mathematics and languages, then the humanities, and the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/every-education-system-on-earth-has-the-same-hierarchy-of-subjects-at/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) [Browse all 508 Hierarchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“should enhance and align with the ones above it. In other words, your priorities will sit in a hierarchy from the top down. 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