--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So I still seized the power, but I felt…" description: "\"So I still seized the power, but I felt that if I officially made myself the boss, in black and white, it would be too intimidating for the other produ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/marlo-thomas-8603_black_so-i-still-seized-the-power-but-i-felt-t_2088226.jpg" --- # So I still seized the power, but I felt that if I… ![“So I still seized the power, but I felt that if I officially made myself the boss, in black and white, it would be too intimidating for the other producers and the other men who worked on the show. In other words, I had the power, but I gave them the title.” quote by Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/marlo-thomas-8603_black_so-i-still-seized-the-power-but-i-felt-t_2088226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/marlo-thomas-8603_black_so-i-still-seized-the-power-but-i-felt-t_2088226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/marlo-thomas-8603_black_so-i-still-seized-the-power-but-i-felt-t_2088226.jpg) > “So I still seized the power, but I felt that if I officially made myself the boss, in black and white, it would be too intimidating for the other producers and the other men who worked on the show. In other words, I had the power, but I gave them the title.” [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes delegating formal authority while retaining real influence to avoid intimidating collaborators **In simple terms:** Share power, keep titles modest Key Takeaway Practice servant leadership;Empower team members;Maintain informal influence;Balance credit;Foster collaborative culture Themes leadership collaboration humility Mood reflective pragmatic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - TV producers - team leaders - creative teams - executives Key Concepts Power dynamics organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance authority and humility? - When is formal title necessary? A Different Perspective Power may be perceived as absent without clear titles ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black and white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-and-white/) [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Gave Title](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-title-2852876/) [Intimidating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimidating/) [Intimidating Producers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimidating-producers-4114584/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Officially Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officially-boss-4114585/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-felt-3551860/) [Producers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producers/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Titles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titles/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [It gave the title to Manchester City - it's as simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/it-gave-the-title-to-manchester-city-it-s-as-simple-as-that/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [I can be a tomboy or an absolute lady - I gave myself the title 'The Best of Both Girls.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-brat/i-can-be-a-tomboy-or-an-absolute-lady-i-gave-myself-the-title-the/) [Da Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-brat/) > [“I realized that the knowledge I gained over this period in my life was power, and it felt like a waste not to share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-kendall/i-realized-that-the-knowledge-i-gained-over-this-period-in-my-life/) [Andrew Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-kendall/) > [I used many times to touch my own chest and feel, under its asthmatic quiver, the engine of the heart and lungs and blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-used-many-times-to-touch-my-own-chest-and-feel-under-its-asthmatic/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [It was the peculiar artifice of Habit not to suffer her power to be felt at first. 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They would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/years-ago-i-was-asked-this-question-do-terrorists-fear-anything-i/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“I would never get used to how gorgeous he was or the effect he had on me besides just intimidating the hell out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/i-would-never-get-used-to-how-gorgeous-he-was-or-the-effect-he-had-on/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [There certainly are situations where I feel not empowered or uninspired. Particularly when the person's agenda is to intimidate through abusing their position or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/there-certainly-are-situations-where-i-feel-not-empowered-or/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [I need no bodyguard at all, for even the bravest men who approach me get weak at the knees and their hearts turn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaka/i-need-no-bodyguard-at-all-for-even-the-bravest-men-who-approach-me/) [Shaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaka/) > [Who doesn't want to shoot for 'Vogue?' I remember updating my Facebook status to say 'Doing 'Vogue' today', it was so exciting. I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/who-doesn-t-want-to-shoot-for-vogue-i-remember-updating-my-facebook/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) ## More by Marlo Thomas > [I know George Burns was a very happy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-know-george-burns-was-a-very-happy-man/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [“Steady as she goes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/steady-as-she-goes/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [What I love about the theater is the work ethic. I grew up with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-love-about-the-theater-is-the-work-ethic-i-grew-up-with-it/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-stick-it-to-your-ear-and-it/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I realize now that I was a feminist and the minute I heard the word I certainly knew it meant me, but at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-realize-now-that-i-was-a-feminist-and-the-minute-i-heard-the-word-i/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Living with these teenage boys allowed me to see how much their psyches were like their girl counterparts. They were more familiar to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/living-with-these-teenage-boys-allowed-me-to-see-how-much-their/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I find that balancing my life with my work with the kids at St. Jude, working on books, working on my career as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-find-that-balancing-my-life-with-my-work-with-the-kids-at-st-jude/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I wish someone would have told me that, just because I'm a girl, I don't have to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-wish-someone-would-have-told-me-that-just-because-i-m-a-girl-i-don/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Laughter is important, not only because it makes us happy, it also has actual health benefits. And that's because laughter completely engages the body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/laughter-is-important-not-only-because-it-makes-us-happy-it-also-has/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [It's fascinating for us women to begin looking at our lives in five-year plans. It really does help you keep on track. If that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/it-s-fascinating-for-us-women-to-begin-looking-at-our-lives-in-five/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [The Golden Girls certainly proved that there was a large audience for a show about older women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/the-golden-girls-certainly-proved-that-there-was-a-large-audience-for/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [There's no doubt about it... I was born a feminist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/there-s-no-doubt-about-it-i-was-born-a-feminist/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [One woman is a pest and two women is a team, but three women or more is a coalition. If you can bring a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/one-woman-is-a-pest-and-two-women-is-a-team-but-three-women-or-more/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Never face facts; if you do, you'll never get up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/never-face-facts-if-you-do-you-ll-never-get-up-in-the-morning/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [What I'm loving about Hilary Clinton is that she has the job that's been held mostly by men. She's made it her job, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-m-loving-about-hilary-clinton-is-that-she-has-the-job-that-s/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) [Explore all 79 Marlo Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. 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I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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