--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want your people to be…" description: "\"If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive to their needs.\" — Ken Blanchard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png" --- # If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive… ![“If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive to their needs.” quote by Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png) > “If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive to their needs.” [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders must meet their team's needs to inspire responsibility. **In simple terms:** Responsive leadership fosters responsibility. Key Takeaway Listen and act on team needs. Themes leadership responsibility empathy Mood motivational pragmatic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - volunteer groups - family units Key Concepts servant leadership organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What needs are unmet in your team? - How can you improve responsiveness? A Different Perspective Resource constraints may limit responsiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [The Government's enthusiasm for 24 hour drinking puzzles me... We want people to be responsible, yet we urge them to drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dobson/the-government-s-enthusiasm-for-24-hour-drinking-puzzles-me-we-want/) [Frank Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dobson/) > [I often say that shareholders should feel very responsible for how responsive corporations are to the public trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-often-say-that-shareholders-should-feel-very-responsible-for-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As far as I'm concerned, the more power we push back to the patient, the individual, the American citizen, the more responsive the system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cassidy/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-more-power-we-push-back-to-the-patient/) [Bill Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cassidy/) > [“Relationship is about being responsive to the needs of the other, but if there is too much expected, as would be the case if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-o-brien/relationship-is-about-being-responsive-to-the-needs-of-the-other-but/) Jane O'Brien > [My own interest is the responsibility of people to be responsible for their own lives and, with their neighbors, for their public space and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/my-own-interest-is-the-responsibility-of-people-to-be-responsible-for/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [It's a big gift to be recognizable as part of something that matters to people, but that's not the same as being responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/it-s-a-big-gift-to-be-recognizable-as-part-of-something-that-matters/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Don't depend on other people to be responsible for you. Don't make yourself stressed out over nonsensical things like material things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/don-t-depend-on-other-people-to-be-responsible-for-you-don-t-make/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [It is important to me to give all the people responsible for helping me the credit they are due.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/it-is-important-to-me-to-give-all-the-people-responsible-for-helping/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [Irony: While we increasingly hold people more responsible if they drink and drive, we hold women less responsible if they drink and have sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/irony-while-we-increasingly-hold-people-more-responsible-if-they/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If we want people on the front lines of companies to be responsible for making good business decisions, they must have the same information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/if-we-want-people-on-the-front-lines-of-companies-to-be-responsible/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [I don't really think in terms of the future of literature. I think literature will be around "forever" - but in a relatively niche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-really-think-in-terms-of-the-future-of-literature-i-think/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [Taxpayers would likely be responsible for treating addicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/taxpayers-would-likely-be-responsible-for-treating-addicts/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [I tried to just do things like make some money, be responsible, help out other artists who I see have had a similar path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-tried-to-just-do-things-like-make-some-money-be-responsible-help/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [We can only be responsible for what we ourselves do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-peterfreund/we-can-only-be-responsible-for-what-we-ourselves-do/) [Diana Peterfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-peterfreund/) ## More by Ken Blanchard > [Good thoughts not delivered mean squat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/good-thoughts-not-delivered-mean-squat/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [People who produce good results feel good about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/people-who-produce-good-results-feel-good-about-themselves/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Start your day with good intentions and set yourself up for a good attitude. It's not what happens to you that matters but how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/start-your-day-with-good-intentions-and-set-yourself-up-for-a-good/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [All good performance starts with clear goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/all-good-performance-starts-with-clear-goals/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Anything worth doing does not have to be done perfectly - at first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/anything-worth-doing-does-not-have-to-be-done-perfectly-at-first/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Positive thinkers get positive results because they are not afraid of problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/positive-thinkers-get-positive-results-because-they-are-not-afraid-of/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Empowering means helping teams develop their skills and knowledge and supporting them to use their talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/empowering-means-helping-teams-develop-their-skills-and-knowledge-and/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Your role as a leader is even more important than you might imagine. You have the power to help people become winners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/your-role-as-a-leader-is-even-more-important-than-you-might-imagine/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Catch people in the act of doing something right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/catch-people-in-the-act-of-doing-something-right/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [It never hurts to toot your own horn once in a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/it-never-hurts-to-toot-your-own-horn-once-in-a-while/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Too often in business, only financial data is gathered - and then it is distributed only to management. Other key indicators that relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/too-often-in-business-only-financial-data-is-gathered-and-then-it-is/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [The biggest obstacle that stalls leaders' growth is the human ego. When leaders start to think they know it all, they stop growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-biggest-obstacle-that-stalls-leaders-growth-is-the-human-ego-when/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Everyday do something in relation to everything that's important to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/everyday-do-something-in-relation-to-everything-that-s-important-to/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Leadership is anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/leadership-is-anytime-you-seek-to-influence-the-thinking-behavior-or/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [The only job security you have today os your commitment to continuous personal improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-only-job-security-you-have-today-os-your-commitment-to-continuous/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) [Explore all 140 Ken Blanchard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) ## More Being responsible quotes > [We can only be responsible for what we ourselves do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-peterfreund/we-can-only-be-responsible-for-what-we-ourselves-do/) [Diana Peterfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-peterfreund/) > [I tried to just do things like make some money, be responsible, help out other artists who I see have had a similar path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-tried-to-just-do-things-like-make-some-money-be-responsible-help/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [Taxpayers would likely be responsible for treating addicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/taxpayers-would-likely-be-responsible-for-treating-addicts/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [I don't really think in terms of the future of literature. I think literature will be around "forever" - but in a relatively niche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-really-think-in-terms-of-the-future-of-literature-i-think/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [This is a difference between being a governor and being in a legislature. Because when something doesn't work in New Jersey, they look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/this-is-a-difference-between-being-a-governor-and-being-in-a/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [I think labels for the most part want to sign new discoveries so that that label alone is seen to be responsible for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-think-labels-for-the-most-part-want-to-sign-new-discoveries-so-that/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Clean your freakin' fryer. Be responsible for Christ's sake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-taffer/clean-your-freakin-fryer-be-responsible-for-christ-s-sake/) [Jon Taffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-taffer/) > [When a health policy analyst went to heaven, he asked God the same question: 'Will America ever have a single-payer system?' And God said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-altman/when-a-health-policy-analyst-went-to-heaven-he-asked-god-the-same/) Stuart Altman > [I am involved with so many charitable organizations. Lung Cancer because of my dad, Breast Cancer because as a woman and mother of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-robbins/i-am-involved-with-so-many-charitable-organizations-lung-cancer/) Lois Robbins > [People want a grounded government. They want a government that's going to be responsible to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-paladino/people-want-a-grounded-government-they-want-a-government-that-s-going/) [Carl Paladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-paladino/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [You cannot be responsible for Jim Crow. You can not be responsible for racism. This is much more a problem for the person exercising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-cannot-be-responsible-for-jim-crow-you-can-not-be-responsible-for/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-be-good-stewards-of-the-earth-we-inherited-all-of-us-have-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [I think that today, more so than ever, corporate responsibility is the best strategic as well as financial path that most businesses can follow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-hollender/i-think-that-today-more-so-than-ever-corporate-responsibility-is-the/) [Jeffrey Hollender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-hollender/) > [If you recognize that self-driving cars are going to prevent car accidents, AI will be responsible for reducing one of the leading causes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/if-you-recognize-that-self-driving-cars-are-going-to-prevent-car/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) Browse all 281 Being responsible quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive to their needs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ken Blanchard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsible-be-responsive-to-their-needs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being responsible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsible-be-responsive-to-their-needs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/ken-blanchard-3099_being-responsible_if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsibl_2836947.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive to their needs.” — Ken Blanchard", "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": "Ken Blanchard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want your people to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsible-be-responsive-to-their-needs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/if-you-want-your-people-to-be-responsible-be-responsive-to-their-needs/#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 } } ] } ```