--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Running the house like a well-oiled…" description: "\"“Running the house like a well-oiled machine even when she was not there. Running it so well that all anyone noticed was the rare screw-up.”\" — Lisa Ve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/lisa-verge-higgins-47404_computers_running-the-house-like-a-well-oiled-mach_2205224.jpg" --- # Running the house like a well-oiled machine even when she… ![“Running the house like a well-oiled machine even when she was not there. Running it so well that all anyone noticed was the rare screw-up.” quote by Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/lisa-verge-higgins-47404_computers_running-the-house-like-a-well-oiled-mach_2205224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/lisa-verge-higgins-47404_computers_running-the-house-like-a-well-oiled-mach_2205224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/lisa-verge-higgins-47404_computers_running-the-house-like-a-well-oiled-mach_2205224.jpg) > ““Running the house like a well-oiled machine even when she was not there. Running it so well that all anyone noticed was the rare screw-up.”” [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights efficient management that runs smoothly even in the leader’s absence. **In simple terms:** Effective systems operate without constant oversight. Key Takeaway Build self‑sustaining teams. Themes leadership efficiency delegation Mood analytical pragmatic Type business leadership When to use this quote - business management - team building - process improvement Key Concepts systems thinking organizational design Questions to Reflect On - How can you create resilient processes? - What are signs of over‑automation? A Different Perspective May downplay human error. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ## Related quotes > [Only a well-oiled machine runs smoothly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-kaufman/only-a-well-oiled-machine-runs-smoothly/) [Ron Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-kaufman/) > ['Dexter' is a very well-oiled machine; it's just a great show and great to be part of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/dexter-is-a-very-well-oiled-machine-it-s-just-a-great-show-and-great/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [You know you've had enough coffee when you can thread a sewing machine ...while it's running!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/you-know-you-ve-had-enough-coffee-when-you-can-thread-a-sewing/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/in-seattle-you-haven-t-had-enough-coffee-until-you-can-thread-a/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [She's very active. My mom is my manager and handles day-to-day business to keep the DeGarmo machine up and running! She's a huge, huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degarmo/she-s-very-active-my-mom-is-my-manager-and-handles-day-to-day/) [Diana DeGarmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degarmo/) > [You know I always say this in interviews...but I forget what a legend he is when we work with him every day. we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-oday/you-know-i-always-say-this-in-interviews-but-i-forget-what-a-legend/) [Aubrey ODay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-oday/) > [At Christmas, it's my siblings running around the house, we're cooking, talking, laughing, loud and just crazy. It's beautiful chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tika-sumpter/at-christmas-it-s-my-siblings-running-around-the-house-we-re-cooking/) [Tika Sumpter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tika-sumpter/) > [Barry Manilow, BJ Thomas and stuff like that were always running through my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/barry-manilow-bj-thomas-and-stuff-like-that-were-always-running/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [Intoxicated? The word did not express it by a mile. He was oiled, boiled, fried, plastered, whiffled, sozzled, and blotto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/intoxicated-the-word-did-not-express-it-by-a-mile-he-was-oiled-boiled/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're gone I can go running though the house screaming and no one will ever hear me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-johnson/when-you-re-gone-i-can-go-running-though-the-house-screaming-and-no/) [Michael Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-johnson/) > [I'm used to being part of 'Game of Thrones' and going into something where you're a small part of something else. You don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-williams/i-m-used-to-being-part-of-game-of-thrones-and-going-into-something/) [Maisie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-williams/) > [I don't think a female running a house is a problem, a broken family. It's perceived as one because of the notion that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-don-t-think-a-female-running-a-house-is-a-problem-a-broken-family/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Running a house should be left to innkeepers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/running-a-house-should-be-left-to-innkeepers/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [“If you can pick the baby up without him squirting our of your hands like a bar of soap in the shower, he's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lileks/if-you-can-pick-the-baby-up-without-him-squirting-our-of-your-hands/) [James Lileks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lileks/) > [“Do it, I told you, I don’t care—’ A smash, the unlit oil burner hitting the marble and shattering in the dim room, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/do-it-i-told-you-i-don-t-care-a-smash-the-unlit-oil-burner-hitting/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) ## More by Lisa Verge Higgins > [“You're so busy running here and there that you've forgotten that the goal of life is learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/you-re-so-busy-running-here-and-there-that-you-ve-forgotten-that-the/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [“you're a terrible liar. sarah never mentioned me, because there's nothing to say. when did that happen. when did the old rock-climbing, mutiple-master's-degree kate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/you-re-a-terrible-liar-sarah-never-mentioned-me-because-there-s/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [“Any fool could see that you're at the reeling end of a long, strong rope - soon enough, It'll be tugging you back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/any-fool-could-see-that-you-re-at-the-reeling-end-of-a-long-strong/) [lisa verge higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [“We rush, rush, rush to get things done, and in the process, our lives rush past us. Life isn't supposed to rush past you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/we-rush-rush-rush-to-get-things-done-and-in-the-process-our-lives/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [“there's this thing about rainbows. they're perfect from afar. but when you get real close to them, they just disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/there-s-this-thing-about-rainbows-they-re-perfect-from-afar-but-when/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [“But all that was as automatic as her beating heart, as subconscious as breathing - what she felt above all was the fierce tingling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/but-all-that-was-as-automatic-as-her-beating-heart-as-subconscious-as/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [“Any sharp transition such as this was like birth; the pain was necessary to remind you of its importance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/any-sharp-transition-such-as-this-was-like-birth-the-pain-was/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) [Explore all 8 Lisa Verge Higgins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Running the house like a well-oiled machine even when she was not there. 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