--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of…" description: "\"“THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of high-performing organizations is their ability to make good decisions and to make them happen quickly.”\" — Marcia W. Bl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/marcia-w-blenko-71654_good-decisions_the-defining-characteristic-of-high-perf_82298.jpg" --- # THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of high-performing… ![“THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of high-performing organizations is their ability to make good decisions and to make them happen quickly.” quote by Marcia W. Blenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/marcia-w-blenko-71654_good-decisions_the-defining-characteristic-of-high-perf_82298.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/marcia-w-blenko-71654_good-decisions_the-defining-characteristic-of-high-perf_82298.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/marcia-w-blenko-71654_good-decisions_the-defining-characteristic-of-high-perf_82298.jpg) > ““THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of high-performing organizations is their ability to make good decisions and to make them happen quickly.”” [Marcia W. Blenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-w-blenko/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective organizations excel by rapidly turning sound judgments into decisive action, linking insight with execution. **In simple terms:** Speedy, quality decision‑making drives performance. Key Takeaway Decisions must be both good and swift. Themes Decision-making Execution Organizational performance Leadership Agility Mood Focused Urgent Confident Type Leadership Business strategy Motivational When to use this quote - Crisis response - Product launch planning - Strategic pivots - Team alignment meetings Key Concepts Strategic thinking Operational efficiency Culture of accountability Practical Applications - Rapid prototyping - Real‑time market adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can we reduce the lag between analysis and action? - What safeguards ensure speed doesn’t sacrifice quality? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characteristic High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristic-high-1045636/) [Good Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-decisions/) [High Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-performing-910656/) [Organizations Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizations-ability-1045634/) [Performing Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing-organizations-1045635/) ## Related quotes > [My research offers impressive evidence that we feel better when we attempt to make our world better...to have a purpose beyond one's self lends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/my-research-offers-impressive-evidence-that-we-feel-better-when-we/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [Companies that understand the purpose and philosophy behind the 'why' are usually astute, high-performing organizations that tap directly into the pulse of those they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/companies-that-understand-the-purpose-and-philosophy-behind-the-why-2/) [Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/) > [Be intensely result-oriented in everything you do. This is a key characteristic of high performers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/be-intensely-result-oriented-in-everything-you-do-this-is-a-key/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [High performing organizations have cultures of creativity and risk. They encourage workers to innovate and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/high-performing-organizations-have-cultures-of-creativity-and-risk/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [“The high performing board shows the ability and openness to “question itself, senior management team, and its decision/discussions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/the-high-performing-board-shows-the-ability-and-openness-to-question-2/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [A hallmark of high performance leaders is the ability to influence others through all levels and types of communication, from simple interactions to difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kohlrieser/a-hallmark-of-high-performance-leaders-is-the-ability-to-influence/) [George Kohlrieser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kohlrieser/) > [If becoming a high performing organization is the destination, leadership is the engine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/if-becoming-a-high-performing-organization-is-the-destination/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [On what high-performing companies should be striving to create: A great place for great people to do great work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-c-nelson/on-what-high-performing-companies-should-be-striving-to-create-a/) [Marilyn C. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-c-nelson/) > [“High-performing companies have leaders who are self-aware and possess certain qualities that enable them to connect with others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-colonna-marie-r-miyashiro/high-performing-companies-have-leaders-who-are-self-aware-and-possess/) [Jerry Colonna Marie R. Miyashiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-colonna-marie-r-miyashiro/) > [On any high-performing team I've been a part of, putting mission first, and team before self, was always key to collective success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-fussell/on-any-high-performing-team-i-ve-been-a-part-of-putting-mission-first/) [Chris Fussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-fussell/) > [When we look at really good high-performing companies abroad, they are always at the back of an extremely high-performing board, and that is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshni-nadar/when-we-look-at-really-good-high-performing-companies-abroad-they-are/) [Roshni Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshni-nadar/) > [Sleep might be the most important aspect of building a great business, and having a high-performing body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howes/sleep-might-be-the-most-important-aspect-of-building-a-great-business/) [Lewis Howes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howes/) > [“The high-performing board shows the ability and openness to question itself and its decisions and discussions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/the-high-performing-board-shows-the-ability-and-openness-to-question/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [High-performing companies from all over the world have discovered that they can find all the competitive advantages they need to succeed with their growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/high-performing-companies-from-all-over-the-world-have-discovered/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [Life is full of chances -- and those times when we each trust our own guts and have a terrific outcome reaffirms our ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-laurie/life-is-full-of-chances-and-those-times-when-we-each-trust-our-own/) [Victoria Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-laurie/) ## More by Marcia W. Blenko > [“If managers suddenly realize that they’re spending less time sitting through meetings wondering why they are there, that’s an early signal that companies have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-w-blenko/if-managers-suddenly-realize-that-they-re-spending-less-time-sitting/) [Marcia W. Blenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-w-blenko/) > [“A well-aligned organization reinforces roles Clear decision roles are critical, but they are not enough. If an organization does not reinforce the right approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-w-blenko/a-well-aligned-organization-reinforces-roles-clear-decision-roles-are/) [Marcia W. Blenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-w-blenko/) > [“Decisions are the coin of the realm in business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-w-blenko/decisions-are-the-coin-of-the-realm-in-business/) [Marcia W. Blenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-w-blenko/) [Explore all 4 Marcia W. Blenko quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-w-blenko/) ## More Good Decisions quotes > [Life is full of chances -- and those times when we each trust our own guts and have a terrific outcome reaffirms our ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-laurie/life-is-full-of-chances-and-those-times-when-we-each-trust-our-own/) [Victoria Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-laurie/) > [Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-fisher/good-plans-shape-good-decisions-that-s-why-good-planning-helps-to/) [Geoffrey Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-fisher/) > [“If you let fear make decisions for you, fear will make good decisions - but only for its own sake, not yours. p. 161”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-asher/if-you-let-fear-make-decisions-for-you-fear-will-make-good-decisions/) [Bridget Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-asher/) > [“What passes for good luck is really an infinite number of little good decisions. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-steinheimer/what-passes-for-good-luck-is-really-an-infinite-number-of-little-good/) [Richard Steinheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-steinheimer/) > [Everyone wants to make good decisions. But how do you know when you are being guided by the Eck (Holy Spirit) or the mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/everyone-wants-to-make-good-decisions-but-how-do-you-know-when-you/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [It doesn't matter what has Happened to You, it doesn't matter where you Came From or where you were Born. It also doesn't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-jenn/it-doesn-t-matter-what-has-happened-to-you-it-doesn-t-matter-where/) [Jenn Jenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-jenn/) > [“Without good analysis, we can’t make good decisions. Without good analysis, we can’t even figure out what our options are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-braddock/without-good-analysis-we-can-t-make-good-decisions-without-good/) [John Braddock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-braddock/) > [My job as a coach is to make good decisions. It's not to go out there and block or tackle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/my-job-as-a-coach-is-to-make-good-decisions-it-s-not-to-go-out-there/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [Making good decisions leads to good results, the same with bad decisions. Sometimes we slip up, just take more steps forward than backward!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-good-decisions-leads-to-good-results-the-same-with-bad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True leaders are not just competent at what they do; they make good decisions about what to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/true-leaders-are-not-just-competent-at-what-they-do-they-make-good/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“This is your life and you have the right and responsibility to make good decisions for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/this-is-your-life-and-you-have-the-right-and-responsibility-to-make/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have faith in the United States and our ability to make good decisions based on the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-have-faith-in-the-united-states-and-our-ability-to-make-good/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Good decisions don't make life easy, but they do make it easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/good-decisions-don-t-make-life-easy-but-they-do-make-it-easier/) [Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/) > [Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/good-decisions-come-from-experience-and-experience-comes-from-bad/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Life is simple. Make good decisions and good things happen. Make bad decisions and bad things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-vitale/life-is-simple-make-good-decisions-and-good-things-happen-make-bad/) [Dick Vitale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-vitale/) [Browse all 98 Good Decisions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-decisions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of high-performing organizations is their ability to make good decisions and to make them happen quickly.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcia W. 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