--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: …most of the ways in which we know how to…" description: "\"“…most of the ways in which we know how to engineer change…are not effective. Given a…logical problem to solve, we are superb… But…the fundamental prem..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe5/harrison-owen-48082_change_most-of-the-ways-in-which-we-know-how-to_2449233.png" --- # …most of the ways in which we know how to engineer… ![“…most of the ways in which we know how to engineer change…are not effective. Given a…logical problem to solve, we are superb… But…the fundamental premises are different, which means that our logic is without power.” quote by Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe5/harrison-owen-48082_change_most-of-the-ways-in-which-we-know-how-to_2449233.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe5/harrison-owen-48082_change_most-of-the-ways-in-which-we-know-how-to_2449233.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe5/harrison-owen-48082_change_most-of-the-ways-in-which-we-know-how-to_2449233.png) > ““…most of the ways in which we know how to engineer change…are not effective. Given a…logical problem to solve, we are superb… But…the fundamental premises are different, which means that our logic is without power.”” [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Logical methods often fail to address complex change because underlying assumptions differ. **In simple terms:** Logic alone can’t solve change. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before applying logic. Themes change logic assumptions Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - business strategy - policy reform - social movements Key Concepts systems thinking critical analysis Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions underlie your approach? - How can you integrate non‑logical insights? A Different Perspective Logical solutions may ignore emotional or cultural factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-management/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) ## Related quotes > [I'm incredibly boring and logical, so if I have a problem I will try and fix that problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-linley/i-m-incredibly-boring-and-logical-so-if-i-have-a-problem-i-will-try/) [David Linley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-linley/) > [You can't win. Logic has no power over her when her territory has been invaded by heathens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/you-can-t-win-logic-has-no-power-over-her-when-her-territory-has-been/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [You can engineer change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/you-can-engineer-change/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [The incremental approach to change is effective when what you want is more of what you've already got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/the-incremental-approach-to-change-is-effective-when-what-you-want-is/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [“We know that giving someone ideas as to what they ‘should’ do and how they should ‘change’ to be more effective, often has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-boyatzis/we-know-that-giving-someone-ideas-as-to-what-they-should-do-and-how/) Richard Boyatzis > [“As people think and work together, a fabric of shared meaning comes into being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/as-people-think-and-work-together-a-fabric-of-shared-meaning-comes/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [“Open some space, and Spirit will certainly show up. Allow the magic of self-organization to work for you, and the complex adaptive system that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/open-some-space-and-spirit-will-certainly-show-up-allow-the-magic-of/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [“Up until now, some of us actually thought that we created and organized the systems in which we work. But should it turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/up-until-now-some-of-us-actually-thought-that-we-created-and/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [Be the compromise you want to see in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/be-the-compromise-you-want-to-see-in-the-world/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Build what you want to see in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/build-what-you-want-to-see-in-the-world/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [“Strategy has no value if your culture and leadership mindset are wrong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dovale/strategy-has-no-value-if-your-culture-and-leadership-mindset-are-wrong/) [Tony Dovale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dovale/) > [I am often asked about the difference between 'change management' and 'change leadership,' and whether it's just a matter of semantics. These terms are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/i-am-often-asked-about-the-difference-between-change-management-and/) [John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/) > [It's important not to try to convince others of your own reasons for change. Finding the reason why they should want to support your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/it-s-important-not-to-try-to-convince-others-of-your-own-reasons-for/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [“Knowing your feelings won't change the facts, but knowing the facts can change your feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-chism/knowing-your-feelings-won-t-change-the-facts-but-knowing-the-facts/) Marlene Chism > [“Change Management Success is not accidental, it requires a plan and strategy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/change-management-success-is-not-accidental-it-requires-a-plan-and/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) ## More by Harrison Owen > [Change is a journey and the journey is always about change. And if there is no change, why bother with the journey? And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/change-is-a-journey-and-the-journey-is-always-about-change-and-if/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [“Up until now, some of us actually thought that we created and organized the systems in which we work. But should it turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/up-until-now-some-of-us-actually-thought-that-we-created-and/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [“Open some space, and Spirit will certainly show up. Allow the magic of self-organization to work for you, and the complex adaptive system that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/open-some-space-and-spirit-will-certainly-show-up-allow-the-magic-of/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [Peace of the sort that brings wholeness, harmony, and health to our lives only happens when chaos, confusion, and conflict are included and transcended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/peace-of-the-sort-that-brings-wholeness-harmony-and-health-to-our/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [When the spirit of people is strong focused and vibrant, wonderful things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/when-the-spirit-of-people-is-strong-focused-and-vibrant-wonderful/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [The circle is the fundamental geometry of open human communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/the-circle-is-the-fundamental-geometry-of-open-human-communication/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) > [“As people think and work together, a fabric of shared meaning comes into being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-owen/as-people-think-and-work-together-a-fabric-of-shared-meaning-comes/) [Harrison Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) [Explore all 8 Harrison Owen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-owen/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“…most of the ways in which we know how to engineer change…are not effective. 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