--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How can any company know if its…" description: "\"How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and telling the truth. The first part can be assumed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg" --- # How can any company know if its processes, products… ![“How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and telling the truth. The first part can be assumed; the second cannot.” quote by Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg) > “How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and telling the truth. The first part can be assumed; the second cannot.” [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Safety requires transparent vigilance; truth‑telling cannot be assumed. **In simple terms:** Safety needs honest oversight. Key Takeaway Promote a culture of open truth‑telling. Themes ethics risk management organizational culture Mood cautious optimistic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - manufacturing - healthcare - software development - finance Key Concepts business psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you encourage honest reporting? - What systems support transparency? A Different Perspective People may hide issues out of fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [There's a lot of catharsis to be found in 'Sex Education,' and that's the point - you know watching it that whatever you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/there-s-a-lot-of-catharsis-to-be-found-in-sex-education-and-that-s/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [I think the joy of any soap opera is it is always there. You are allowed into this world for a little while and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-donohoe/i-think-the-joy-of-any-soap-opera-is-it-is-always-there-you-are/) [Amanda Donohoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-donohoe/) > [The best TV that I watch, I always feel safe when I'm watching it. And that could be like 'Homeland' or 'The Americans'; by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/the-best-tv-that-i-watch-i-always-feel-safe-when-i-m-watching-it-and/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [I always try to be company for others as I know the pain of being alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-try-to-be-company-for-others-as-i-know-the-pain-of-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everybody knows things are not the same. The people running the TV end of a major vertically integrated company know how much money a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/everybody-knows-things-are-not-the-same-the-people-running-the-tv-end/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [We are the most focused company that I know of or have read of or have any knowledge of. We say no to good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/we-are-the-most-focused-company-that-i-know-of-or-have-read-of-or/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Love your job but don't love your company because you may not know when your company stops loving you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-your-job-but-don-t-love-your-company-because-you-may-not-know/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Many CEOs and leaders think that silence is indeed golden, that consensus is bliss. It is - sometimes. But more often what it signifies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/many-ceos-and-leaders-think-that-silence-is-indeed-golden-that/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I don't have a philosophical objection, necessarily, to a travel ban if that is the thing that is going to keep the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-have-a-philosophical-objection-necessarily-to-a-travel-ban-if/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We call them leaders because they go first, because they take the risk before anybody else does, because they will choose to sacrifice so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/we-call-them-leaders-because-they-go-first-because-they-take-the-risk/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-functionaries-of-every-government-have-propensities-to-command-at/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [During the aftermath of Katrina, National Guard troops were positioned on every block to establish a sense of safety and source of help for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russel-honore/during-the-aftermath-of-katrina-national-guard-troops-were-positioned/) [Russel Honore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russel-honore/) > [It's especially important since September 11 for people to be trained for the unexpected. We want to try to make sure people are safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-malone/it-s-especially-important-since-september-11-for-people-to-be-trained/) [Michael Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-malone/) > [My first job as commander in chief is to keep the American people safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-first-job-as-commander-in-chief-is-to-keep-the-american-people-safe/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common sense approaches to reduce the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-look-forward-to-working-with-the-nra-to-come-up-with-ways-in-which/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) ## More by Margaret Heffernan > [Companies are bought for their revenue, customer base, technology, or people. A few great companies offer all of these, but any valuable business offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/companies-are-bought-for-their-revenue-customer-base-technology-or/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [The biggest catastrophes that we've witnessed rarely come from information that is secret or hidden. It comes from information that is freely available and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/the-biggest-catastrophes-that-we-ve-witnessed-rarely-come-from/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I haven't always hated McDonald's. When my kids were little and I lived in the U.S., they were as susceptible as anyone to Happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/i-haven-t-always-hated-mcdonald-s-when-my-kids-were-little-and-i/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I hate people walking down the street listening to the soundtrack of their lives which responds to them but not their setting. I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/i-hate-people-walking-down-the-street-listening-to-the-soundtrack-of/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [The vast literature concerning whistleblowers shows that, far from weird extremists, they are really quite ordinary people: male and female, young and old, junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/the-vast-literature-concerning-whistleblowers-shows-that-far-from/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [“Indeed, there seems to be some evidence not only that all love is based on illusion — but that love positively requires illusion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/indeed-there-seems-to-be-some-evidence-not-only-that-all-love-is/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [Clearing your head of distractions in order to notice and understand the people you are with can feel inefficient - there are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/clearing-your-head-of-distractions-in-order-to-notice-and-understand/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [We treasure what we can measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/we-treasure-what-we-can-measure/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I don't mind if the couple next to me is tense or the kids are whiny. I'd even be happy to hear an honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/i-don-t-mind-if-the-couple-next-to-me-is-tense-or-the-kids-are-whiny/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [British innovation in design, in the creative arts, in engineering and manufacturing is world class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/british-innovation-in-design-in-the-creative-arts-in-engineering-and/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [Huge open source organizations like Red Hat and Mozilla manage the collaboration of hundreds of people who don't know one another and have spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/huge-open-source-organizations-like-red-hat-and-mozilla-manage-the/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [Words are how people think. When you misuse words, you diminish your ability to think clearly and truthfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/words-are-how-people-think-when-you-misuse-words-you-diminish-your/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [“Humans do not have enough mental capacity to do all the things that we think we can do. As attentional load increases, attentional capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/humans-do-not-have-enough-mental-capacity-to-do-all-the-things-that/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [“Those who consistently attempt multitasking find it harder to ignore irrelevant information and take longer moving between tasks—in other words, for all their frantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/those-who-consistently-attempt-multitasking-find-it-harder-to-ignore/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [The healthiest companies are always characterized by organic talent development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/the-healthiest-companies-are-always-characterized-by-organic-talent/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) [Explore all 96 Margaret Heffernan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and telling the truth. The first part can be assumed; the second cannot.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Heffernan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processes-products-people-are-safe/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Any" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processes-products-people-are-safe/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/margaret-heffernan-6923_any_how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processe_2914017.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and…” — Margaret Heffernan", "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": "Margaret Heffernan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How can any company know if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processes-products-people-are-safe/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/how-can-any-company-know-if-its-processes-products-people-are-safe/#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 } } ] } ```