--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never assume that people in positions of…" description: "\"Never assume that people in positions of responsibility are behaving responsibly.\" — David McCullough" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png" --- # Never assume that people in positions of responsibility… ![“Never assume that people in positions of responsibility are behaving responsibly.” quote by David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png) > “Never assume that people in positions of responsibility are behaving responsibly.” [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Responsibility does not guarantee responsible behavior; vigilance is essential. **In simple terms:** Responsibility ≠ responsible actions. Key Takeaway Monitor leaders closely. Themes leadership ethics accountability Mood cautious thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - corporate governance - political office Key Concepts organizational oversight public policy Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure accountability? - How to balance trust and scrutiny? A Different Perspective Over‑monitoring can stifle initiative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Never assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-assume/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/never-assume-that-you-can-make-it-alone-you-need-the-help-of-the-lord/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Never assume that you have attained truth. Don't make any claim to knowledge. Form no conclusion or evaluation concerning truth. The minute you do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/never-assume-that-you-have-attained-truth-don-t-make-any-claim-to/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [Never assume the other fellow will not do something you wouldn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/never-assume-the-other-fellow-will-not-do-something-you-wouldn-t-do/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I'd never assume an audience was anything but totally receptive and perfect. Seriously, it seems to me that's the only circumstance you can work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/i-d-never-assume-an-audience-was-anything-but-totally-receptive-and/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/never-forget-what-jesus-did-for-you-never-take-lightly-what-it-cost/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [You should never assume anything coming from a critical standpoint. You should go into everything assuming you're going to get crushed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/you-should-never-assume-anything-coming-from-a-critical-standpoint/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [Of course, there are many, many musicians whose music gives me pleasure, but until I make contact with them, musically or personally, I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hopper/of-course-there-are-many-many-musicians-whose-music-gives-me-pleasure/) [Hugh Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hopper/) > [There are so many tender and holy emotions flying about in our inward world, which, like angels, can never assume the body of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/there-are-so-many-tender-and-holy-emotions-flying-about-in-our-inward/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [Never assume you understand. Ask the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/never-assume-you-understand-ask-the-questions/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [People around you, constantly under the pull of their emotions, change their ideas by the day or by the hour, depending on their mood.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/people-around-you-constantly-under-the-pull-of-their-emotions-change/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Never assume that simply having a gun makes you a marksman. You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/never-assume-that-simply-having-a-gun-makes-you-a-marksman-you-are-no/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It is very curious that the United States and Canada both assume that diversity means only race and ethnicity. They never assume it might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/it-is-very-curious-that-the-united-states-and-canada-both-assume-that/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [Never assume greatness is for someone else. Imagine every day that you too can do great things. Have the courage to take the challenge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-chastain/never-assume-greatness-is-for-someone-else-imagine-every-day-that-you/) [Brandi Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-chastain/) > [I never assumed I would have that commercial success, so it was a total surprise. And honestly, I never assumed that it would ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-never-assumed-i-would-have-that-commercial-success-so-it-was-a/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [Frankly speaking, I could never even imagine that such information would be of interest to the American public or that the campaign headquarters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/frankly-speaking-i-could-never-even-imagine-that-such-information/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More by David McCullough > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Steamboats by this time were becoming a familiar presence on the rivers and coastal waters of America, but not until 1838 did steam-powered ships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/steamboats-by-this-time-were-becoming-a-familiar-presence-on-the/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [I feel that history is in many ways the most important of all subjects because it is about everything and because it's about who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-feel-that-history-is-in-many-ways-the-most-important-of-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Even mighty states and kingdoms are not exempted. If we look into history, we shall find some nations rising from contemptible beginnings and spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/even-mighty-states-and-kingdoms-are-not-exempted-if-we-look-into/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [History isn't just what happened, but what happened to whom and why and what would have been different if the cast of characters had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/history-isn-t-just-what-happened-but-what-happened-to-whom-and-why/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Nobody ever lived in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nobody-ever-lived-in-the-past/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Only TR openly declared his love for the job. “Nobody ever enjoyed the presidency as I did,” he boasted, and by all evidence that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/only-tr-openly-declared-his-love-for-the-job-nobody-ever-enjoyed-the/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“s ships Phoenix and Rose, in the company of three tenders, cast off their moorings at Staten Island and started up the harbor under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/s-ships-phoenix-and-rose-in-the-company-of-three-tenders-cast-off/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“a people may let a King fall, yet still remain a people, but if a King let his people slip from him, he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/a-people-may-let-a-king-fall-yet-still-remain-a-people-but-if-a-king/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Why limit yourself to the experience of your own relatively brief time on earth, according to your biological clock, when the whole realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/why-limit-yourself-to-the-experience-of-your-own-relatively-brief/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“He worked at a plain, tall desk at which he wrote standing up or perched on a high stool,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/he-worked-at-a-plain-tall-desk-at-which-he-wrote-standing-up-or/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Nothing happens in isolation. Everything that happens has consequences. We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nothing-happens-in-isolation-everything-that-happens-has-consequences/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [America faces an enemy who believes in enforced ignorance. And all that we stand for is the open mind, the generous spirit, the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/america-faces-an-enemy-who-believes-in-enforced-ignorance-and-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [My shorthand answer is that I try to write the kind of book that I would like to read. If I can make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/my-shorthand-answer-is-that-i-try-to-write-the-kind-of-book-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Seen under the microscope, Stegomyia is a creature of striking beauty. Its general color is dark gray, but the thorax is marked with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/seen-under-the-microscope-stegomyia-is-a-creature-of-striking-beauty/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) [Explore all 291 David McCullough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never assume that people in positions of responsibility are behaving responsibly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David McCullough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of-responsibility-are-behaving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of-responsibility-are-behaving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/david-mccullough-1091_assuming_never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of_1407475.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never assume that people in positions of responsibility are behaving responsibly.” — David McCullough", "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": "David McCullough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never assume that people in positions...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of-responsibility-are-behaving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/never-assume-that-people-in-positions-of-responsibility-are-behaving/#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 } } ] } ```