--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are given a public responsibility…" description: "\"If you are given a public responsibility, you have to listen, weigh up all the issues, but ultimately you have to form a view of what you genuinely thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/graeme-samuel-83071_business_if-you-are-given-a-public-responsibility_2587565.jpg" --- # If you are given a public responsibility, you have to… ![“If you are given a public responsibility, you have to listen, weigh up all the issues, but ultimately you have to form a view of what you genuinely think is in the public interest... put the public interest above the vested interest.” quote by Graeme Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/graeme-samuel-83071_business_if-you-are-given-a-public-responsibility_2587565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/graeme-samuel-83071_business_if-you-are-given-a-public-responsibility_2587565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/graeme-samuel-83071_business_if-you-are-given-a-public-responsibility_2587565.jpg) > “If you are given a public responsibility, you have to listen, weigh up all the issues, but ultimately you have to form a view of what you genuinely think is in the public interest... put the public interest above the vested interest.” [Graeme Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-samuel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public duty requires listening, balanced judgment, and prioritizing the common good over personal gain. **In simple terms:** Serve the public interest first. Key Takeaway Prioritize common good. Themes ethics leadership public service Mood thoughtful principled Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - policy formulation - community projects - corporate governance Key Concepts governance conflict of interest Questions to Reflect On - How do you resolve conflicts of interest? - What mechanisms ensure public interest? A Different Perspective Balancing interests can be politically fraught. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Public interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-interest/) [Public Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-responsibility-1582064/) [Public Vested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-vested-1833119/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-listen-1833118/) [Think Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-public/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vested interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vested-interest/) [Vested interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vested-interests/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [The papers, you know, they're always gonna just make stuff up. 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Accept criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-responsibility-listen-and-love-don-t-hate-embrace-change-feel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Reports to the Surgeon General represent the final word upon the efficient and devoted sense of responsibility of our people in this obligation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/reports-to-the-surgeon-general-represent-the-final-word-upon-the/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [There must not be favoured treatment for those occupying a position of public responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-felipe-vi/there-must-not-be-favoured-treatment-for-those-occupying-a-position/) [King Felipe VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-felipe-vi/) > [I think the American public can accept the fact if you tell them that every time you pick up the phone it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/i-think-the-american-public-can-accept-the-fact-if-you-tell-them-that/) [Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/) > [I think public sector banks need to have greater private participation of people who have skin in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/i-think-public-sector-banks-need-to-have-greater-private/) [Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/) > [And fourthly there is a major shift in public opinion and attitude to accommodate to the post-9/11 mentality and the Bush administration's penchant for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/and-fourthly-there-is-a-major-shift-in-public-opinion-and-attitude-to/) [Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/) > [I think being in the public eye can only help me launch into the world of fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-think-being-in-the-public-eye-can-only-help-me-launch-into-the/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I think, whenever you're in the public eye, you're never going to be loved by everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-jackson/i-think-whenever-you-re-in-the-public-eye-you-re-never-going-to-be/) [Amy Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-jackson/) > [I think the public doesn't understand that one of the reasons I haven't stood up for myself is because in order to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-the-public-doesn-t-understand-that-one-of-the-reasons-i-haven/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) ## More by Graeme Samuel > [Each step in life has been another step in an area that was a challenge, that is highly satisfying and that gives you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-samuel/each-step-in-life-has-been-another-step-in-an-area-that-was-a/) [Graeme Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-samuel/) > [You can't feel the need to be liked in public life, because if you do you will compromise the principles that are so important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-samuel/you-can-t-feel-the-need-to-be-liked-in-public-life-because-if-you-do/) [Graeme Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-samuel/) [Explore all 3 Graeme Samuel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-samuel/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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