--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lots of people can manage. That's not the…" description: "\"Lots of people can manage. That's not the question. It's this: Can we reimagine? Knowing how government works is not the same as getting it to work tra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/maya-wiley-10040_government_lots-of-people-can-manage-that-s-not-the_2506055.jpg" --- # Lots of people can manage. That's not the question. It's… ![“Lots of people can manage. That's not the question. It's this: Can we reimagine? Knowing how government works is not the same as getting it to work transformationally.” quote by Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/maya-wiley-10040_government_lots-of-people-can-manage-that-s-not-the_2506055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/maya-wiley-10040_government_lots-of-people-can-manage-that-s-not-the_2506055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/maya-wiley-10040_government_lots-of-people-can-manage-that-s-not-the_2506055.jpg) > “Lots of people can manage. That's not the question. It's this: Can we reimagine? Knowing how government works is not the same as getting it to work transformationally.” [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective governance requires reimagining structures, not just understanding them. **In simple terms:** Reimagine government to work better. Key Takeaway Think beyond current systems. Themes innovation government systems reform Mood critical inspired optimistic Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy design - public administration - civic tech - community organizing Key Concepts systems thinking transformational change Questions to Reflect On - What structures limit current governance? - How can citizens drive transformational change? A Different Perspective Changing systems is politically difficult and faces entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Knowing Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-government-1110072/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Manage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-manage-419198/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Reimagine Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reimagine-knowing-1110074/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Transformationally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-transformationally-1110073/) ## Related quotes > [Society needs people who can manage projects in addition to handling individual tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/society-needs-people-who-can-manage-projects-in-addition-to-handling/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [It is almost impossible to orchestrate the farewell you desire. That is something only a few people manage to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-van-der-sar/it-is-almost-impossible-to-orchestrate-the-farewell-you-desire-that/) [Edwin van der Sar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-van-der-sar/) > [“But when did it become acceptable to manage people who manage people and relationships via email?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-weinberg/but-when-did-it-become-acceptable-to-manage-people-who-manage-people/) [Mike Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-weinberg/) > [“It’s so difficult for two shy people to manage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/it-s-so-difficult-for-two-shy-people-to-manage/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“People had to manage terrible truths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/people-had-to-manage-terrible-truths/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [There are people who are really good managers, people who can manage a big organization, and then there are people who are very analytic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/there-are-people-who-are-really-good-managers-people-who-can-manage-a/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [In an increasingly connected world it is less likely that a few people 'manage' everyone else. The new environment requires a shift in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/in-an-increasingly-connected-world-it-is-less-likely-that-a-few/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [Technology is ruled by two types of people: those who manage what they do not understand, and those who understand what they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-trout/technology-is-ruled-by-two-types-of-people-those-who-manage-what-they/) [Mike Trout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-trout/) > [Intellectuals are people who manage the world in their head. They look at life and try to see some kind of truth, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-lapid/intellectuals-are-people-who-manage-the-world-in-their-head-they-look/) [Yair Lapid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-lapid/) > [Those who manage their way into a crisis are not necessarily the right people to manage their way out of a crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/those-who-manage-their-way-into-a-crisis-are-not-necessarily-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Odinary people don't have a feeling of being loved by the people who manage to get into positions of leadership. They get in there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/odinary-people-don-t-have-a-feeling-of-being-loved-by-the-people-who/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“When the people have to manage dangers from inside the organization, the organization itself becomes less able to face the dangers from outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/when-the-people-have-to-manage-dangers-from-inside-the-organization/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [The people I look up to the most - politicians, actors, artists - are the people who manage to do a high-powered job while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/the-people-i-look-up-to-the-most-politicians-actors-artists-are-the/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [I wonder how some people manage their life. Poor fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hellena/i-wonder-how-some-people-manage-their-life-poor-fools/) [Hellena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hellena/) > [“Strength isn't measured by how many things or people you manage but more prevalent is how much you can self manage and guide yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/strength-isn-t-measured-by-how-many-things-or-people-you-manage-but/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) ## More by Maya Wiley > [Red Hook is cut off from the rest of the borough by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and has no subway access, forcing residents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/red-hook-is-cut-off-from-the-rest-of-the-borough-by-the-brooklyn/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [So, the real question isn't, in my view, whether someone can beat Trump in 2020. The question is can the Democrats start articulating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/so-the-real-question-isn-t-in-my-view-whether-someone-can-beat-trump/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Big telecommunications monopolies - many of whom now seek to be content providers as well - shouldn't be able to price others out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/big-telecommunications-monopolies-many-of-whom-now-seek-to-be-content/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Red Hook, Brooklyn, is a spit of land jutting out over the New York Harbor and looking across to the gleaming high rises of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/red-hook-brooklyn-is-a-spit-of-land-jutting-out-over-the-new-york/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [As mayor, my New Deal for New York will be a massive infrastructure, stimulus, and jobs program consisting of a $10 billion investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/as-mayor-my-new-deal-for-new-york-will-be-a-massive-infrastructure/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [My father, because he was an academic, he did not shy away from meeting with academics who focused on political science, sociology, he actively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/my-father-because-he-was-an-academic-he-did-not-shy-away-from-meeting/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Do you know how many women in a survey reported experiences of sexual harassment on the job? Eighty percent. It is so common. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/do-you-know-how-many-women-in-a-survey-reported-experiences-of-sexual/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Legal arguments, particularly when they reach the highest court in the land, can be detached from daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/legal-arguments-particularly-when-they-reach-the-highest-court-in-the/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [We used to watch my father, who was a civil-rights activist, get arrested on TV sometimes, and we never knew if he was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/we-used-to-watch-my-father-who-was-a-civil-rights-activist-get/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Whether a resident needs to get online to access homework or supplemental educational tools, to search for a job or start a business, broadband…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/whether-a-resident-needs-to-get-online-to-access-homework-or/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Some will say I don't sound like past mayors or look like them or think like them, and I say yes, I don't -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/some-will-say-i-don-t-sound-like-past-mayors-or-look-like-them-or/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Democrats and Republicans agree that police misconduct should be better tracked. But agreement appears to end there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/democrats-and-republicans-agree-that-police-misconduct-should-be/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Let's be clear about one thing everyone should know: Affirmative action is constitutional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/let-s-be-clear-about-one-thing-everyone-should-know-affirmative/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [There is no off-roading to solve income inequality for people of color. They must have broadband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/there-is-no-off-roading-to-solve-income-inequality-for-people-of/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) > [Far too many people, many of them white men, are losing healthcare insurance as they lose their manufacturing jobs. This is commerce by most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/far-too-many-people-many-of-them-white-men-are-losing-healthcare/) [Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) [Explore all 68 Maya Wiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/) ## More Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. 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Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [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/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Lots of people can manage. 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