--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way you want to respond is to ask a…" description: "\"The way you want to respond is to ask a question: Is this technology directly relevant to our hedgehog concept? If the answer is YES, then we want to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/james-collins-27029_answer_the-way-you-want-to-respond-is-to-ask-a_2716581.jpg" --- # The way you want to respond is to ask a question: Is this… ![“The way you want to respond is to ask a question: Is this technology directly relevant to our hedgehog concept? If the answer is YES, then we want to become pioneers, not in the technology, but in the application of that technology specifically linked to our hedgehog concept.” quote by James Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/james-collins-27029_answer_the-way-you-want-to-respond-is-to-ask-a_2716581.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/james-collins-27029_answer_the-way-you-want-to-respond-is-to-ask-a_2716581.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/james-collins-27029_answer_the-way-you-want-to-respond-is-to-ask-a_2716581.jpg) > “The way you want to respond is to ask a question: Is this technology directly relevant to our hedgehog concept? If the answer is YES, then we want to become pioneers, not in the technology, but in the application of that technology specifically linked to our hedgehog concept.” [James Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning relevance to a core concept ensures focus on pioneering applications rather than mere technology. **In simple terms:** Ask if tech fits core idea. Key Takeaway Align tech with core mission. Themes strategy focus innovation Mood analytical strategic Type business strategic When to use this quote - product development - R&D planning - strategic meetings Key Concepts hedgehog concept application relevance market positioning Questions to Reflect On - What metrics validate relevance? - How to prioritize applications over tech hype? A Different Perspective Technology alone isn’t sufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) [Application](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/application/) [Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask/) [Ask A Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-a-question/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept/) [Directly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directly/) [Hedgehog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hedgehog/) [Hedgehog Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hedgehog-concept-1774807/) [Linked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linked/) [Linked Hedgehog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linked-hedgehog-2850047/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Pioneers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pioneers/) [Pioneers Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pioneers-technology-2850046/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Relevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relevant/) [Relevant Hedgehog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relevant-hedgehog-2850044/) [Respond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond/) [Specifically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specifically/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Pioneers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-pioneers-2850045/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Yes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yes/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [So my answer is, YES, everyone can find a hedgehog concept. If these companies can do it, anyone can do it. And anybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-collins/so-my-answer-is-yes-everyone-can-find-a-hedgehog-concept-if-these/) [James Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-collins/) > ["Growth!" is not a Hedgehog Concept. Rather, if you have the right Hedgehog Concept and make decisions relentlessly consistent with it, you will create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/growth-is-not-a-hedgehog-concept-rather-if-you-have-the-right/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“to create great results requires a nearly fanatical dedication to the idea of consistency within the Hedgehog Concept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/to-create-great-results-requires-a-nearly-fanatical-dedication-to-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [It may seem odd to talk about something as soft and fuzzy as "passion" as an integral part of a strategic framework. But throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/it-may-seem-odd-to-talk-about-something-as-soft-and-fuzzy-as-passion/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Recognize that getting a Hedgehog Concept is an inherently iterative process, not an event.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/recognize-that-getting-a-hedgehog-concept-is-an-inherently-iterative/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [What's worse than a bull in a china shop? A hedgehog in a condom factory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-s-worse-than-a-bull-in-a-china-shop-a-hedgehog-in-a-condom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never sleep before 4 A.M. and usually play 'Sonic the Hedgehog' computer games before bed. I like Sonic - he reminds me of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-millar/i-never-sleep-before-4-a-m-and-usually-play-sonic-the-hedgehog/) [Martin Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-millar/) > [“I'm not a mouse or a tigress, she thought, I'm a hedgehog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-m-not-a-mouse-or-a-tigress-she-thought-i-m-a-hedgehog/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Madame Michel has the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside she is covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/madame-michel-has-the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-on-the-outside-she-is/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“The hedgehog was engaged in a fight with another hedgehog, which seemed to Alice an excellent opportunity for croqueting one of them with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-hedgehog-was-engaged-in-a-fight-with-another-hedgehog-which/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“I successfully chloroformed a hedgehog that was entangled in the tennis net and so managed to release it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-successfully-chloroformed-a-hedgehog-that-was-entangled-in-the/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“I want a hedgehog fund. They are so cute and I think I need one. But I would probably kill it by accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-want-a-hedgehog-fund-they-are-so-cute-and-i-think-i-need-one-but-i/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [When I was super young, I had an Atari and used to play 'Space Invaders.' Then I fell in love with 'Mario Bros.,' 'Sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/when-i-was-super-young-i-had-an-atari-and-used-to-play-space-invaders/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [“The fox knows many tricks; the hedgehog one good one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archilochus/the-fox-knows-many-tricks-the-hedgehog-one-good-one/) [Archilochus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archilochus/) > [“Better not to sit on a hedgehog if you are naked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulgakov-mikhail/better-not-to-sit-on-a-hedgehog-if-you-are-naked/) [Bulgakov Mikhail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulgakov-mikhail/) ## More by James Collins > [The point of that is, if you look at Walgreen's history, they've always been pioneers in the application of technology. They're the only drugstore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-collins/the-point-of-that-is-if-you-look-at-walgreen-s-history-they-ve-always/) [James Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-collins/) > [There's no reason for Gillette to be world class on the web, but there's every reason for Gillette to be world class in producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-collins/there-s-no-reason-for-gillette-to-be-world-class-on-the-web-but-there/) [James Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-collins/) > [“Well, then,' said Peter, 'I guess we'll just have to find a cab.' 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