Adults Quote by Jeffrey Pfeffer
“I completely reject the idea that working adults need to be treated like infants or worse and not told the realities, harsh or not, about the world of work. Keeping people in the dark and filling them with stories that are either mostly fabricated, unusually rare, or both, doesn't do anyone any good. It is one of the reasons that workplaces and careers remain in such dire straits.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Power: Why Some People Have It—and Others Don’t, Jeffrey Pfeffer, 2010
Adults need honest, realistic information about work; shielding them with myths harms careers and organizations.
In simple terms: Tell the truth about work.
Key Takeaway
Provide candid workplace realities.
Themes
honesty
leadership
career development
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
advisory
critical
When to use this quote
- employee onboarding
- career counseling
- leadership training
- performance reviews
Key Concepts
organizational behavior
information asymmetry
Questions to Reflect On
- How does transparency affect employee trust?
- What truths are most often omitted in workplace training?
A Different Perspective
Over‑protectiveness can demotivate and stunt growth.
![“He [an earnest young reporter] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be art, the object of children's books is to whip the little rascals into shape.” quote by Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cf/katherine-paterson-2365_adults_he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-s_6101.jpg)
