--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don Keough's (CEO Coca-Cola) 11 Rules on…" description: "\"Don Keough's (CEO Coca-Cola) 11 Rules on \"HOW TO LOSE\": 1. Stop taking risks 2. Be content 3. Never deviate from what the founder did 4. Be inflexible ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/donald-keough-62133_administrative_don-keough-s-ceo-coca-cola-11-rules-on-h_1577610.jpg" --- # Don Keough's (CEO Coca-Cola) 11 Rules on "HOW TO LOSE": 1… ![“Don Keough's (CEO Coca-Cola) 11 Rules on "HOW TO LOSE": 1. Stop taking risks 2. Be content 3. Never deviate from what the founder did 4. Be inflexible 5. Rely totally on research and experts 6. Concentrate on competitors instead of your customers 7. Put yourself - not the customer - first 8. Solve…” quote by Donald Keough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/donald-keough-62133_administrative_don-keough-s-ceo-coca-cola-11-rules-on-h_1577610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/donald-keough-62133_administrative_don-keough-s-ceo-coca-cola-11-rules-on-h_1577610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/donald-keough-62133_administrative_don-keough-s-ceo-coca-cola-11-rules-on-h_1577610.jpg) > “Don Keough's (CEO Coca-Cola) 11 Rules on "HOW TO LOSE": 1. Stop taking risks 2. Be content 3. Never deviate from what the founder did 4. Be inflexible 5. Rely totally on research and experts 6. Concentrate on competitors instead of your customers 7. Put yourself - not the customer - first 8. Solve administrative concerns first 9. Let others do your thinking for example, headquarters 10. Rely on T-G-E: "That's Good Enough" and T-N-M-J: "That's Not My Job!" 11. Rationalize slow growth” [Donald Keough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-keough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The eleven rules describe habits that lead to stagnation and failure in business, emphasizing risk aversion and self‑interest. **In simple terms:** Following these habits leads to loss. Key Takeaway Avoid these habits to foster growth. Themes leadership risk innovation customer focus Mood cautionary reflective Type business motivational When to use this quote - company strategy sessions - entrepreneurial training - performance reviews Key Concepts organizational behavior decision making growth strategy Questions to Reflect On - Which of these habits appear in your organization? - How can you replace them with proactive practices? A Different Perspective Some rules may be context‑dependent and not universally harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Experts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experts/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Slow growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-growth/) [Taking risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-risks/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“We make our own rules and lose by them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hogan/we-make-our-own-rules-and-lose-by-them/) [Michael Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hogan/) > [“Men with nothing to lose will stop at nothing to win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-garcia-martinez/men-with-nothing-to-lose-will-stop-at-nothing-to-win/) [Antonio Garcia Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-garcia-martinez/) > [Really, you don't lose until you stop trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/really-you-don-t-lose-until-you-stop-trying/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) > [“The only way we lose one another is if we stop coming back after we argue, because we're going to argue. 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