--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you find that your organization can't…" description: "\"If you find that your organization can't make the hard decisions that Scrum demands, then high-risk, uncertain projects have very little probability of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg" --- # If you find that your organization can't make the hard… ![“If you find that your organization can't make the hard decisions that Scrum demands, then high-risk, uncertain projects have very little probability of success in your organization.” quote by Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg) > “If you find that your organization can't make the hard decisions that Scrum demands, then high-risk, uncertain projects have very little probability of success in your organization.” [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Organizations that avoid tough Scrum decisions risk project failure, especially under uncertainty and high risk. **In simple terms:** Avoiding hard decisions harms project success. Key Takeaway Embrace difficult choices to improve project outcomes. Themes agile decision‑making risk project management Mood practical strategic Type professional instructional When to use this quote - software development - product launches - strategic planning - change initiatives Key Concepts scrum uncertainty leadership organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can teams empower decisive action? - What structures support hard decision‑making in agile? A Different Perspective Rigid hierarchies can impede agile decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Hard decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-decision/) [Hard decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-decisions/) [High risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-risk/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Probability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probability/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Scrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrum/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [Any Scrum without working product at the end of a sprint is a failed Scrum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sutherland/any-scrum-without-working-product-at-the-end-of-a-sprint-is-a-failed/) [Jeff Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sutherland/) > [“Getting feasible actions out of a retrospective and getting them done helps teams to learn and improve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/getting-feasible-actions-out-of-a-retrospective-and-getting-them-done/) [Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/) > [“The goal of retrospectives is help teams to continuously improve their way of working.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/the-goal-of-retrospectives-is-help-teams-to-continuously-improve/) [Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/) > [“Scrum’s rich history can be traced back to a 1986 Harvard Business Review article, “The New New Product Development Game” (Takeuchi and Nonaka 1986).…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-s-rubin/scrum-s-rich-history-can-be-traced-back-to-a-1986-harvard-business/) [Kenneth S. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-s-rubin/) > [“Scrum no se orienta a los desarrolladores, sino a los clientes y otros interesados. Esto”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sutherland/scrum-no-se-orienta-a-los-desarrolladores-sino-a-los-clientes-y-otros/) [Jeff Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sutherland/) > [“We need to uncover better ways to improve and retrospectives can provide the solution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/we-need-to-uncover-better-ways-to-improve-and-retrospectives-can/) [Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/) > [When you're a player and you win the World Cup and other titles you don't get the chance to enjoy the moment because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-kempes/when-you-re-a-player-and-you-win-the-world-cup-and-other-titles-you/) [Mario Kempes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-kempes/) > [“Scrum makes visible the dysfunctions and waste that prevent organizations from reaching their true potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-s-rubin/scrum-makes-visible-the-dysfunctions-and-waste-that-prevent/) [Kenneth S. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-s-rubin/) > [I totally accept that it's a legitimate criticism that when you are involved in the day-to-day scrum of government... that what can get lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-totally-accept-that-it-s-a-legitimate-criticism-that-when-you-are/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [. . . a jostling scrum of office buildings so mediocre that the only way you ever remember them is by the frustration they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-charles/a-jostling-scrum-of-office-buildings-so-mediocre-that-the-only-way/) [Prince Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-charles/) > [Growing up at school I played a lot of fly-half and a lot of scrum-half, I thought I had a good boot but never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faf-de-klerk/growing-up-at-school-i-played-a-lot-of-fly-half-and-a-lot-of-scrum/) [Faf de Klerk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faf-de-klerk/) > [“With agile retrospectives the team drives their own actions!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/with-agile-retrospectives-the-team-drives-their-own-actions/) [Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/) > [“many software companies now deploy the Scrum project management methodology, which replaces a lot of this ad hoc messaging with regular, highly structured, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/many-software-companies-now-deploy-the-scrum-project-management/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“While a team’s deliverable is the product, a scrum master’s deliverable is a high-performing, self-organizing team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sims/while-a-team-s-deliverable-is-the-product-a-scrum-master-s/) [Chris Sims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sims/) > [“Before starting a retrospective, you need to think about which exercises would be most suitable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/before-starting-a-retrospective-you-need-to-think-about-which/) [Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/) ## More by Jim Highsmith > [Documentation is not understanding, process is not discipline, formality is not skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/documentation-is-not-understanding-process-is-not-discipline/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Process is not a substitute for skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/process-is-not-a-substitute-for-skill/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [The best way to get a project done faster is to start sooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/the-best-way-to-get-a-project-done-faster-is-to-start-sooner/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [A methodology's weight is a product of its size and ceremony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-its-size-and-ceremony/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [If you have unskilled people who work poorly together, no amount of process will save your projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-have-unskilled-people-who-work-poorly-together-no-amount-of/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Agility is the ability to adapt and respond to change … agile organizations view change as an opportunity, not a threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/agility-is-the-ability-to-adapt-and-respond-to-change-agile/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Simple rules guide innovative, intelligent responses. Comprehensive rules guide rote, routine responses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/simple-rules-guide-innovative-intelligent-responses-comprehensive/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [The greatest risk we face in software development is that of overestimating our own knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/the-greatest-risk-we-face-in-software-development-is-that-of/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Peel back the facade of rigorous methodology projects and ask why the project was successful, and the answer is people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/peel-back-the-facade-of-rigorous-methodology-projects-and-ask-why-the/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) [Explore all 10 Jim Highsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you find that your organization can't make the hard decisions that Scrum demands, then high-risk, uncertain projects have very little probability of success in your organization.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Highsmith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t-make-the-hard-decisions-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decision" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t-make-the-hard-decisions-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/jim-highsmith-41645_decision_if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t_1788861.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you find that your organization can't make the hard decisions that Scrum demands, then high-risk…” — Jim Highsmith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jim Highsmith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you find that your organization...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t-make-the-hard-decisions-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t-make-the-hard-decisions-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```