--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had always assumed that the right way…" description: "\"I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that they could close so they cou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/eric-schmidt-2408_deep-thought_i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way_4504.jpg" --- # I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to… ![“I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that they could close so they could think deep thoughts. This is a terrible idea.” quote by Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/eric-schmidt-2408_deep-thought_i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way_4504.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/eric-schmidt-2408_deep-thought_i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way_4504.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/eric-schmidt-2408_deep-thought_i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way_4504.jpg) > “I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that they could close so they could think deep thoughts. This is a terrible idea.” [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Schmidt critiques the stereotype that engineers need isolated, closed offices for deep work, suggesting that such environments can be counterproductive. **In simple terms:** Closed doors don’t guarantee deep thinking for engineers. Key Takeaway Collaboration and openness often enhance engineering creativity. Themes workplace engineering productivity culture collaboration Mood critical reflective Type leadership insight workplace observation When to use this quote - software development teams - research labs - startup office design Key Concepts psychology of focus team dynamics Practical Applications - design spaces that balance quiet zones with open interaction areas Questions to Reflect On - What conditions truly foster deep work? - How can openness be balanced with concentration? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Doors Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors-close-291683/) [Engineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineers/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terrible Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-idea-291681/) [Think Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-deep-291684/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thoughts Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-terrible-291682/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“Doors close so others can open, you know”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-benton-frank/doors-close-so-others-can-open-you-know/) [Dorothy Benton Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-benton-frank/) > [The irrevocable Hand That opes the year's fair gate, doth ope and shut The portals of our earthly destinies; We walk through blindfold, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/the-irrevocable-hand-that-opes-the-year-s-fair-gate-doth-ope-and-shut-3/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [“Maybe it’s not the doors that open in our lives, but the doors that close that define us. That guide us. Because they force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/maybe-it-s-not-the-doors-that-open-in-our-lives-but-the-doors-that/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [Once the doors close there can be no lie or deception and the lights will tell all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walel-watson/once-the-doors-close-there-can-be-no-lie-or-deception-and-the-lights/) [Walel Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walel-watson/) > [All the doors that I had to close. All the things I knew but I didn't know. Thank God for all I missed. 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For those who say the odds are too small ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/for-those-who-say-you-re-thinking-too-big-be-smart-enough-not-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [Find a way to say yes to things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/find-a-way-to-say-yes-to-things/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [I actually think most people don't want Google to answer their questions. They want Google to tell them what they should be doing next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-actually-think-most-people-don-t-want-google-to-answer-their/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [We run the company by questions, not by answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/we-run-the-company-by-questions-not-by-answers/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [We don't have a traditional strategy process, planning process like you'd find in traditional technical companies. It allows Google to innovate very, very quickly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/we-don-t-have-a-traditional-strategy-process-planning-process-like/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [“Over time I’ve learned, surprisingly, that it’s tremendously hard to get teams to be super ambitious. It turns out most people haven’t been educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/over-time-i-ve-learned-surprisingly-that-it-s-tremendously-hard-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) [Explore all 166 Eric Schmidt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) ## More Deep thought quotes > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [The amount you give isn't important. 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