--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An organization's success has more to do…" description: "\"An organization's success has more to do with clarity of shared purpose, common principles and strength of belief in them than to assets, expertise, op..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg" --- # An organization's success has more to do with clarity of… ![“An organization's success has more to do with clarity of shared purpose, common principles and strength of belief in them than to assets, expertise, operating ability or management competence, important as they may be.” quote by Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg) > “An organization's success has more to do with clarity of shared purpose, common principles and strength of belief in them than to assets, expertise, operating ability or management competence, important as they may be.” [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shared purpose, common principles, and belief outweigh material assets and expertise in organizational success. **In simple terms:** Purpose and belief drive success more than resources. Key Takeaway Cultivate shared purpose. Themes organization purpose belief Mood strategic insightful Type philosophical leadership When to use this quote - team building - mission workshops - leadership training Key Concepts strategic alignment culture building Questions to Reflect On - How can you strengthen shared purpose? - What role do assets play alongside belief? A Different Perspective Resources still matter for execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Assets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assets/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Competence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence/) [Competence Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence-important-403633/) [Expertise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expertise/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Management Competence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management-competence-2324958/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Organization Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization-success-2324956/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Principles Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles-strength-2324957/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Mothers seem to be in subtle competition with teachers. There is always an underlying fear that teachers will do a better job thanthey have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-lawrence-lightfoot/mothers-seem-to-be-in-subtle-competition-with-teachers-there-is/) [Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-lawrence-lightfoot/) > [Emotional intelligence, more than any other factor, more than I.Q. or expertise, accounts for 85% to 90% of success at work... I.Q. is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/emotional-intelligence-more-than-any-other-factor-more-than-i-q-or/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [In hospitals I feel palpable comfort. I feel the competence, the expertise, so much education and money, all of the supplies sterile, everything packaged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/in-hospitals-i-feel-palpable-comfort-i-feel-the-competence-the/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [It's easy to pretend expertise when there's no data to contradict you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-s-easy-to-pretend-expertise-when-there-s-no-data-to-contradict-you/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [As the president of Kosovo, I am more concerned about the current situation with the employment standing at around 70 % of the population,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-rugova/as-the-president-of-kosovo-i-am-more-concerned-about-the-current/) [Ibrahim Rugova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-rugova/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Japan is already a leader in energy efficiency, and it has a wealth of innovative technologies. We must put this expertise to use creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/japan-is-already-a-leader-in-energy-efficiency-and-it-has-a-wealth-of/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [3 people get stranded on a remote Island A Banker, a Daily Mail reader & an Asylum seeker All they have to eat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-brookmyre/3-people-get-stranded-on-a-remote-island-a-banker-a-daily-mail-reader/) [Christopher Brookmyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-brookmyre/) > [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [When you feel you have good although incomplete expertise, start trying things. If it's not working, try something else; maintain an experimental mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/when-you-feel-you-have-good-although-incomplete-expertise-start/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) [Michael Bugeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bugeja/) ## More by Dee Hock > [If you're in such a position of power and your ego is such that this is not possible, then its essential to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/if-you-re-in-such-a-position-of-power-and-your-ego-is-such-that-this/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [You learn nothing form your successes except to think too much of yourself. It is from failure that all growth comes, provided you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/you-learn-nothing-form-your-successes-except-to-think-too-much-of/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [To put it another way, I believe that purpose and principle, clearly understood and articulated, and commonly shared, are the genetic code of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/to-put-it-another-way-i-believe-that-purpose-and-principle-clearly/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Every mind is a room packed with archaic furniture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/every-mind-is-a-room-packed-with-archaic-furniture/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [It won't do away with hierarchy totally, but the principal leader will be the person who most exemplifies the kind of organization and behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/it-won-t-do-away-with-hierarchy-totally-but-the-principal-leader-will/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Simple, clear purpose and principles give rise to complex intelligent behavior. Complex rules and regulations give rise to simple stupid behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/simple-clear-purpose-and-principles-give-rise-to-complex-intelligent/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Lead yourself, lead your superiors, lead your peers, and free your people to do the same. All else is trivia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/lead-yourself-lead-your-superiors-lead-your-peers-and-free-your/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [The closest thing to a law of nature in business is that form has an affinity for expense, while substance has an affinity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/the-closest-thing-to-a-law-of-nature-in-business-is-that-form-has-an/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [It is not making better people of others that management is about. It's about making a better person of self. Income, power, and titles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/it-is-not-making-better-people-of-others-that-management-is-about-it/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Money motivates neither the best people, nor the best in people. It can move the body and influence the mind, but it cannot touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/money-motivates-neither-the-best-people-nor-the-best-in-people-it-can/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [We don't have to remain in this radically destructive mind-set and institutional-set. We can change, and the natural order of things could emerge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/we-don-t-have-to-remain-in-this-radically-destructive-mind-set-and/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [The essence of community, its heart and soul, is the non-monetary exchange of value; things we do and share because we care for others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/the-essence-of-community-its-heart-and-soul-is-the-non-monetary/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Life will never surrender its secrets to a yardstick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/life-will-never-surrender-its-secrets-to-a-yardstick/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Success follows those adept at preserving the substance of the past by clothing it in the forms of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/success-follows-those-adept-at-preserving-the-substance-of-the-past/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Substance is enduring, form is ephemeral. Failure to distinguish clearly between the two is ruinous. Success follows those adept at preserving the substance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/substance-is-enduring-form-is-ephemeral-failure-to-distinguish/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) [Explore all 62 Dee Hock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An organization's success has more to do with clarity of shared purpose, common principles and strength of belief in them than to assets, expertise, operating ability or management competence, important as they may be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dee Hock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do-with-clarity-of-shared/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do-with-clarity-of-shared/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/dee-hock-11001_ability_an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do_1027096.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An organization's success has more to do with clarity of shared purpose, common principles and strength of…” — Dee Hock", "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": "Dee Hock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An organization's success has more to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do-with-clarity-of-shared/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/an-organization-s-success-has-more-to-do-with-clarity-of-shared/#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 } } ] } ```