--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hardest part of continuous…" description: "\"“The hardest part of continuous improvement in organizations is changing the behavior of other people.”\" — Jurgen Appelo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg" --- # The hardest part of continuous improvement in… ![“The hardest part of continuous improvement in organizations is changing the behavior of other people.” quote by Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg) > ““The hardest part of continuous improvement in organizations is changing the behavior of other people.”” [Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing others’ behavior is the toughest obstacle to ongoing organizational improvement. **In simple terms:** Changing people is hardest part of improvement. Key Takeaway Focus on influencing behavior. Themes leadership change management continuous improvement Mood reflective strategic Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - performance reviews - training programs - coaching sessions Key Concepts behavioral economics organizational culture Questions to Reflect On - How can you model the behavior you want? - What incentives truly motivate change? A Different Perspective Resistance may persist despite incentives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-people-609553/) [Changing Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-behavior/) [Continuous improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuous-improvement/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Improvement Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement-organizations-4474191/) [Organizations Changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizations-changing-4474192/) ## Related quotes > [The central issue is never strategy, structure, culture, or systems. The core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/the-central-issue-is-never-strategy-structure-culture-or-systems-the/) [John P. 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Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-l-davis/) > [“The fact that bonuses were paid monthly also kept everyone focused on the present, while innovation is about making sacrifices today in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-fact-that-bonuses-were-paid-monthly-also-kept-everyone-focused-on/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [It is always easier - and usually far more effective - to focus on changing your behavior than on changing the behavior of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-nelson/it-is-always-easier-and-usually-far-more-effective-to-focus-on/) [Bob Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-nelson/) > [“Making amends is not only saying the words but also being willing to listen to how your behavior caused another’s pain, and then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/making-amends-is-not-only-saying-the-words-but-also-being-willing-to/) [David W. Earle LPC- Love is Not Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/) > [In the workplace, we're taught to worry about what happens if we don't have full, complete knowledge of every detail. But if you create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/in-the-workplace-we-re-taught-to-worry-about-what-happens-if-we-don-t/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [You don't become a new person by changing your behavior; you discover who you are in Christ and your behavior changes accordingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-cooke/you-don-t-become-a-new-person-by-changing-your-behavior-you-discover/) [Graham Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-cooke/) > [Discipline is not punishment. Discipline is changing someone’s behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/discipline-is-not-punishment-discipline-is-changing-someone-s-behavior/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [“Trusted Black Magic Specialist in Mississauga – Restore Peace and Harmony in Your Life" In today's fast-paced world, negative energies and unexplained problems can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psychic-ravi/trusted-black-magic-specialist-in-mississauga-restore-peace-and/) [Psychic Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psychic-ravi/) > [People will do something—including changing their behavior—only if it can be demonstrated that doing so is in their own best interests as defined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/people-will-do-something-including-changing-their-behavior-only-if-it/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [“Overall, your want to present yourself to your child as an ally, empathetic to his feelings, and responsive to his needs - even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-flower/overall-your-want-to-present-yourself-to-your-child-as-an-ally/) [Hilary Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-flower/) > [“The foundation of changing behavior is linking rewards to performance and making the linkages transparent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-foundation-of-changing-behavior-is-linking-rewards-to-performance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Years of research in psychology has shown that rewards and punishments can be very effective in changing behavior. But, at the same time, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/years-of-research-in-psychology-has-shown-that-rewards-and/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [“you cannot shame or belittle people into changing their behavior”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/you-cannot-shame-or-belittle-people-into-changing-their-behavior/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More by Jurgen Appelo > [“Your career is your own responsibility. Your employer is not your mother.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/your-career-is-your-own-responsibility-your-employer-is-not-your/) [Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) > [“Delegation is not a binary thing. There are shades of grey between a dictatorship and an anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/delegation-is-not-a-binary-thing-there-are-shades-of-grey-between-a/) [Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) > [“But theory rarely works in practice, and predictability has a devious sister named complexity. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/but-theory-rarely-works-in-practice-and-predictability-has-a-devious/) [Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) > [“Whenever there’s a problem B, we assume that event A caused it. The financial crisis is caused by bankers; the loss of jobs is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/whenever-there-s-a-problem-b-we-assume-that-event-a-caused-it-the/) [Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) > [“As a change agent it is important to value all discussions, the good ones and the bad ones. Because, when people criticize what you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/as-a-change-agent-it-is-important-to-value-all-discussions-the-good/) [Jurgen Appelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) [Explore all 6 Jurgen Appelo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/) ## More Continuous improvement quotes > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“So much has happened since the first publication of The Six Sigma Way, and it has been rewarding to find that much of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-pande/so-much-has-happened-since-the-first-publication-of-the-six-sigma-way/) [Peter S. Pande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-pande/) > [Continuous Improvement is taking control of how your company's money is being put to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/continuous-improvement-is-taking-control-of-how-your-company-s-money/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Used to the conditions of a capitalistic environment, the average American takes it for granted that every year business makes something new and better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/used-to-the-conditions-of-a-capitalistic-environment-the-average/) [Ludwig Von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [It's a great thing about being a musician; you don't stop until the day you die, you can improve. So it's a wonderful thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/it-s-a-great-thing-about-being-a-musician-you-don-t-stop-until-the/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [One shouldn't seek results from working out, but should strive for continuous improvement through physical fitness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-shouldn-t-seek-results-from-working-out-but-should-strive-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“More important than the actual improvements that individuals contribute, the true value of continuous improvement is in creating an atmosphere of continuous learning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-k-liker/more-important-than-the-actual-improvements-that-individuals/) [Jeffrey K. Liker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-k-liker/) > [Every relationship, every situation is part of a divinely created and highly specific curriculum for your soul growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/every-relationship-every-situation-is-part-of-a-divinely-created-and/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [It is important for the common good to foster individuality: for only the individual can produce the new ideas which the community needs for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-is-important-for-the-common-good-to-foster-individuality-for-only/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Making continuous improvement is the way how IT can improve itself, the business, the interrelation between IT and the business, to get digital ready.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/making-continuous-improvement-is-the-way-how-it-can-improve-itself/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [Persons who reach the higher rungs in business management, selling, engineering, religious work, writing, acting, and in every other pursuit get there by following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/persons-who-reach-the-higher-rungs-in-business-management-selling/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Pause and remember - Every single event in your life, especially the difficult lessons, have made you smarter, stronger, and wiser than you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-young/pause-and-remember-every-single-event-in-your-life-especially-the/) [Jennifer Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-young/) > [The characteristic feature of modern capitalism is mass production of goods destined for consumption by the masses. The result is a tendency towards a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-characteristic-feature-of-modern-capitalism-is-mass-production-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“A continuous improvement culture isn't built a day, it takes a strategy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/a-continuous-improvement-culture-isn-t-built-a-day-it-takes-a-strategy/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [Continuous improvement requires systematic evaluation. Continuous improvement requires unfiltered evaluation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/continuous-improvement-requires-systematic-evaluation-continuous/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 77 Continuous improvement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuous-improvement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The hardest part of continuous improvement in organizations is changing the behavior of other people.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jurgen Appelo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improvement-in-organizations-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Continuous improvement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improvement-in-organizations-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/jurgen-appelo-50623_continuous-improveme_the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improveme_1332323.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The hardest part of continuous improvement in organizations is changing the behavior of other people.” — Jurgen Appelo", "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": "Jurgen Appelo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-appelo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The hardest part of continuous improvement...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improvement-in-organizations-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-appelo/the-hardest-part-of-continuous-improvement-in-organizations-is/#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 } } ] } ```