--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and…" description: "\"Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and George Bush Sr., less so.\" — Lou Gerstner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png" --- # Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and George Bush Sr… ![“Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and George Bush Sr., less so.” quote by Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png) > “Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and George Bush Sr., less so.” [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comparative remark suggesting Gerstner excels in deal‑making while Bush Sr. is less adept. **In simple terms:** Gerstner is better at deals than Bush Sr. Key Takeaway Recognize differing negotiation skills. Themes business politics leadership Mood analytical critical Type comparative observational When to use this quote - corporate negotiations - political campaigns - board meetings - strategic partnerships Key Concepts dealmaking competence Questions to Reflect On - What makes someone a good deal‑maker? - How do personal traits influence negotiation success? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex political abilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) ## Related quotes > [Zinedine Zidane knows how to deal with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-asensio/zinedine-zidane-knows-how-to-deal-with-me/) [Marco Asensio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-asensio/) > [I've been a strong financial and political supporter of, first, President Bush Sr. when he was running for president, and even when he ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lay/i-ve-been-a-strong-financial-and-political-supporter-of-first/) [Kenneth Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lay/) > [Monday is President's Day and former President Bill Clinton is very excited. He is taking George Bush, Sr. to 'Hooters'. ... George H.W. Bush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/monday-is-president-s-day-and-former-president-bill-clinton-is-very/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [George Bush has become something of an embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-snow/george-bush-has-become-something-of-an-embarrassment/) [Tony Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-snow/) > [George W. Bush and his administration embarked on a full-scale assault on civil liberties, human rights and the rule of law, walking away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-jagger/george-w-bush-and-his-administration-embarked-on-a-full-scale-assault/) [Bianca Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-jagger/) > [That's what I like to call him, "the current president." I find it difficult to say or type his name, George W. Bush. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/that-s-what-i-like-to-call-him-the-current-president-i-find-it/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [We've had parallel lives. And frankly, I prefer mine to his. I would not like to be George Bush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/we-ve-had-parallel-lives-and-frankly-i-prefer-mine-to-his-i-would-not/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [When I finished graduate school, the first George Bush was president, and I really wanted to get out of the country. We'd just gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-king/when-i-finished-graduate-school-the-first-george-bush-was-president/) [Lily King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-king/) > [It's kind of an unwritten law, I think, being - carrying the name - George Bush. At times I ask myself, 'Am I going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/it-s-kind-of-an-unwritten-law-i-think-being-carrying-the-name-george/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [You know, when George Bush talks about freedom not being America's gift to world but God's gift to all humankind, it smells like market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/you-know-when-george-bush-talks-about-freedom-not-being-america-s/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [George W. Bush did an incredible job in the presidency, defending us from freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/george-w-bush-did-an-incredible-job-in-the-presidency-defending-us/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [The president of the United States of North America, George W. Bush, the little gentleman of the North, the political cadaver that is visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-president-of-the-united-states-of-north-america-george-w-bush-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/this-country-was-the-moral-leader-of-the-world-until-george-bush/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) ## More by Lou Gerstner > [Every now and then, a technology comes along that is so profound, so powerful, so universal, that its impact will change everything. It will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/every-now-and-then-a-technology-comes-along-that-is-so-profound-so/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Customer complaints are the schoolbooks from which we learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/customer-complaints-are-the-schoolbooks-from-which-we-learn/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [The rewards system is a powerful driver of behavior and therefore culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/the-rewards-system-is-a-powerful-driver-of-behavior-and-therefore/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [For the first month, I listened, and I tried very hard not to draw conclusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/for-the-first-month-i-listened-and-i-tried-very-hard-not-to-draw/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [The thing I have learned at IBM is that culture is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/the-thing-i-have-learned-at-ibm-is-that-culture-is-everything/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [IBM needed - an enormous sense of urgency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/ibm-needed-an-enormous-sense-of-urgency/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [I don't want to use the word reorganization. Reorganization to me is shuffling boxes, moving boxes around. Transformation means that you're really fundamentally changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-don-t-want-to-use-the-word-reorganization-reorganization-to-me-is/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [It is not about bits, bytes and protocols, but profits, losses and margins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/it-is-not-about-bits-bytes-and-protocols-but-profits-losses-and/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn't just one aspect of the game; it is the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-came-to-see-in-my-time-at-ibm-that-culture-isn-t-just-one-aspect-of/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [We built this company from the customer back, not from the company out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/we-built-this-company-from-the-customer-back-not-from-the-company-out/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [I just think we should look at this as a chess match," he said, "between the world's greatest chess player and Garry Kasparov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-just-think-we-should-look-at-this-as-a-chess-match-he-said-between/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [If the practices and processes inside a company don't drive the execution of values, then people don't get it. The question is, do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/if-the-practices-and-processes-inside-a-company-don-t-drive-the/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Everything starts with the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/everything-starts-with-the-customer/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [No institution will go through fundamental change unless it believes it is in deep trouble and needs to do something different to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/no-institution-will-go-through-fundamental-change-unless-it-believes/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Technology has limitations on what it can accomplish. You do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/technology-has-limitations-on-what-it-can-accomplish-you-do-not/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) [Explore all 29 Lou Gerstner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) ## More Deals quotes > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [When you reach that competing point, when you reach that time when the gun is about to go off, everyone's level is pretty much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/when-you-reach-that-competing-point-when-you-reach-that-time-when-the/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't really resent being on the red carpet as much as I do having to deal with the paparazzi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-don-t-really-resent-being-on-the-red-carpet-as-much-as-i-do-having/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I think kids growing up, if they were picked on and feeling inferior at 12, they're going to feel that way at 72. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-kids-growing-up-if-they-were-picked-on-and-feeling-inferior/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [I deal with the obvious. I present, reiterate, and glorify the obvious - because the obvious is what people need to be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/i-deal-with-the-obvious-i-present-reiterate-and-glorify-the-obvious/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [But when you have to deal with notes, and to be able to make a full definition of what a sound is - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-brown/but-when-you-have-to-deal-with-notes-and-to-be-able-to-make-a-full/) [Dennis Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-brown/) Browse all 7,121 Deals quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and George Bush Sr., less so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lou Gerstner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and-george-bush-sr-less-so/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and-george-bush-sr-less-so/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/lou-gerstner-21499_deals_lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and_2947154.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Lou Gerstner knows how to do a deal, and George Bush Sr., less so.” — Lou Gerstner", "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": "Lou Gerstner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Lou Gerstner knows how to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and-george-bush-sr-less-so/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/lou-gerstner-knows-how-to-do-a-deal-and-george-bush-sr-less-so/#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 } } ] } ```