--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is that at a lot of big…" description: "\"The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process becomes a substitute for thinking. You're encouraged to behave like a little gear in a complex m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg" --- # The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process… ![“The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process becomes a substitute for thinking. You're encouraged to behave like a little gear in a complex machine. Frankly, it allows you to keep people who aren't that smart, who aren't that creative.” quote by Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg) > “The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process becomes a substitute for thinking. You're encouraged to behave like a little gear in a complex machine. Frankly, it allows you to keep people who aren't that smart, who aren't that creative.” [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Large firms replace critical thinking with rigid processes, turning employees into interchangeable parts and limiting innovation. **In simple terms:** Companies often prioritize process over thinking, stifling creativity. Key Takeaway Encourage autonomy and critical thinking. Themes process creativity management automation talent hierarchy Mood frustrated critical determined Type advice analysis leadership When to use this quote - corporate strategy - team meetings - performance reviews - product development - leadership training Key Concepts systems thinking organizational behavior human capital innovation efficiency Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance structure with creative freedom? - What mechanisms ensure thinking is valued in a process-driven environment? A Different Perspective Process can improve consistency but may suppress individuality and adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-companies/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Big companies are often in the process of laying off workers. Small startup companies are the ones that are hiring. The statistics prove that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-moran/big-companies-are-often-in-the-process-of-laying-off-workers-small/) [Jerry Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-moran/) > [Typing is no substitute for thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/typing-is-no-substitute-for-thinking/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Information cannot serve as an effective substitute for thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/information-cannot-serve-as-an-effective-substitute-for-thinking/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [Using clichés is a substitute for thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/using-clich-s-is-a-substitute-for-thinking/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Well, my motivation behind Tesla is really to do as much good as possible for the environment and the electric-vehicle revolution. I think there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/well-my-motivation-behind-tesla-is-really-to-do-as-much-good-as/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [“Jocks usually aren't smart. Their muscles feast on their brains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/jocks-usually-aren-t-smart-their-muscles-feast-on-their-brains/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [Cynicism makes you feel smart, I know it, even when you aren't smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/cynicism-makes-you-feel-smart-i-know-it-even-when-you-aren-t-smart/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Just because you have a learning difficulty or difference doesn't mean you aren't smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/just-because-you-have-a-learning-difficulty-or-difference-doesn-t/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [Don't you Ever let them tell you You can't do it,you won't make it,you aren't good enough,you aren't pretty enough you aren't smart enough.You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-samuels/don-t-you-ever-let-them-tell-you-you-can-t-do-it-you-won-t-make-it/) Lydia Samuels > [Do people think women from Bollywood aren't smart?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twinkle-khanna/do-people-think-women-from-bollywood-aren-t-smart/) [Twinkle Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twinkle-khanna/) > [“People aren't smart when it comes to the dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/people-aren-t-smart-when-it-comes-to-the-dead/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [I try to understand people who aren't as smart as me and not be hateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-coleman/i-try-to-understand-people-who-aren-t-as-smart-as-me-and-not-be/) [Gary Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-coleman/) > [Some are nice and some aren't. Some are smart, and others are about as bright as a wet match in a dark cave. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/some-are-nice-and-some-aren-t-some-are-smart-and-others-are-about-as/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [A lot of musicians are really hard to deal with. They aren't as smart as me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-e-smith/a-lot-of-musicians-are-really-hard-to-deal-with-they-aren-t-as-smart/) [Mark E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-e-smith/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Elon Musk > [Nobody wants to buy a $60,000 electric Civic. But people will pay $90,000 for an electric sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/nobody-wants-to-buy-a-60-000-electric-civic-but-people-will-pay-90/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-think-we-should-be-very-careful-about-artificial-intelligence-if-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Most people can learn a lot more than they think they can. They sell themselves short without trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/most-people-can-learn-a-lot-more-than-they-think-they-can-they-sell/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Some companies out there quote a start of production that is substantially in advance of when customers get their cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/some-companies-out-there-quote-a-start-of-production-that-is/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [A company is a group organized to create a product or service, and it is only as good as its people and how excited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/a-company-is-a-group-organized-to-create-a-product-or-service-and-it/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I'm glad to see that BMW is bringing an electric car to market. That's cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-m-glad-to-see-that-bmw-is-bringing-an-electric-car-to-market-that-s/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [When we got Tesla going at the very beginning, if you asked me what I thought the odds of success were, I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-we-got-tesla-going-at-the-very-beginning-if-you-asked-me-what-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If we drive down the cost of transportation in space, we can do great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-we-drive-down-the-cost-of-transportation-in-space-we-can-do-great/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [In order for us to have a future that's exciting and inspiring, it has to be one where we're a space-bearing civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/in-order-for-us-to-have-a-future-that-s-exciting-and-inspiring-it-has/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The lessons of history would suggest that civilisations move in cycles. You can track that back quite far - the Babylonians, the Sumerians, followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-lessons-of-history-would-suggest-that-civilisations-move-in/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The value of beauty and inspiration is very much underrated, no question. But I want to be clear: I'm not trying to be anyone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-value-of-beauty-and-inspiration-is-very-much-underrated-no/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If something's important enough, you should try. Even if - the probable outcome is failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-something-s-important-enough-you-should-try-even-if-the-probable/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [You should be innovating so fast that you're invalidating your prior patents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/you-should-be-innovating-so-fast-that-you-re-invalidating-your-prior/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I could either watch it happen or be a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-could-either-watch-it-happen-or-be-a-part-of-it/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I'm anti-tax, but I'm pro-carbon tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-m-anti-tax-but-i-m-pro-carbon-tax/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) [Explore all 284 Elon Musk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) ## More Behave quotes > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You can behave as badly as you like in America. Nobody notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/you-can-behave-as-badly-as-you-like-in-america-nobody-notices/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [“Then Olympus it is. But do try to behave. I know it’s hard for you, but… (Delphine) I won’t piss on the floor. (Jericho)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/then-olympus-it-is-but-do-try-to-behave-i-know-it-s-hard-for-you-but/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [This is a time in my life where I'm gonna behave like an elegant human being. Or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/this-is-a-time-in-my-life-where-i-m-gonna-behave-like-an-elegant/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Most people, even in simple risky situations, don't behave the way the theory of utility would have them behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-raiffa/most-people-even-in-simple-risky-situations-don-t-behave-the-way-the/) [Howard Raiffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-raiffa/) > [As a club, we have an educational purpose: to give back to those people who love Arsenal so that they learn moral values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/as-a-club-we-have-an-educational-purpose-to-give-back-to-those-people/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) Morton Irving Seiden > [Do we behave out of fear of punishment, or out of the demands of our heart? For me, it is the latter, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-we-behave-out-of-fear-of-punishment-or-out-of-the-demands-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) Browse all 1,587 Behave quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process becomes a substitute for thinking. You're encouraged to behave like a little gear in a complex machine. Frankly, it allows you to keep people who aren't that smart, who aren't that creative.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elon Musk" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-companies-process-becomes-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-companies-process-becomes-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ba/elon-musk-1138_behave_the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-comp_2506986.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process becomes a substitute for thinking. You're encouraged…” — Elon Musk", "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": "Elon Musk", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The problem is that at a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-companies-process-becomes-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-problem-is-that-at-a-lot-of-big-companies-process-becomes-a/#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 } } ] } ```