--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In city government, it's about getting…" description: "\"In city government, it's about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on a certain thing.\" — Michelle Wu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg" --- # In city government, it's about getting things done, not… ![“In city government, it's about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on a certain thing.” quote by Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg) > “In city government, it's about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on a certain thing.” [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) ## 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 focuses on outcomes, not on binary judgments or scorecards. **In simple terms:** Do the work, not chase approval. Key Takeaway Prioritize results over approval. Themes public service leadership effectiveness Mood determined pragmatic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - budget planning - community outreach - infrastructure projects Key Concepts outcome orientation policy implementation collaborative governance Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure decisions stay outcome‑focused? - What mechanisms keep accountability transparent? A Different Perspective Complex problems may resist simple metrics; stakeholder conflict can arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being judged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-judged/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [City government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city-government/) [Getting things done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-things-done/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [We, through city government, can add protections and regulations and have policy conversations about so many aspects of what affects our residents' daily lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-through-city-government-can-add-protections-and-regulations-and/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [In nearly a decade in city government, I have learned that the easiest thing to do in government is nothing. And in trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/in-nearly-a-decade-in-city-government-i-have-learned-that-the-easiest/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [Aligning private development with community needs for equity and resiliency is one of the most powerful roles of city government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/aligning-private-development-with-community-needs-for-equity-and/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [City government is the level closest to the people, so our charge uniquely embodies the big and the small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/city-government-is-the-level-closest-to-the-people-so-our-charge/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [The Seoul city government has been cooperating with the central government to stabilize the housing market, and we plan to brainstorm all possible ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/the-seoul-city-government-has-been-cooperating-with-the-central/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [We need to keep a very keen eye on our own government. It's getting too rich and redistributing wealth is a sure way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pipes/we-need-to-keep-a-very-keen-eye-on-our-own-government-it-s-getting/) [Richard Pipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pipes/) > [There is nothing more important for a government than getting its budget through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annastacia-palaszczuk/there-is-nothing-more-important-for-a-government-than-getting-its/) [Annastacia Palaszczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annastacia-palaszczuk/) > [I thought the whole idea of being a conservative was to keep the government from messing around in people's lives. And yet they say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zigler/i-thought-the-whole-idea-of-being-a-conservative-was-to-keep-the/) [Edward Zigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zigler/) > [Laws could be passed to keep the leader of a government from getting too much power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/laws-could-be-passed-to-keep-the-leader-of-a-government-from-getting/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [There are lots of levels of fear and complaint about the government getting involved in business. First and foremost, of course, is incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/there-are-lots-of-levels-of-fear-and-complaint-about-the-government/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Obviously, whenever the government is getting involved with speech, it gives me a lot of pause. I have a background as a journalist, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wu/obviously-whenever-the-government-is-getting-involved-with-speech-it/) [Brianna Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wu/) > [I'm one who demands a lot from people. I'm not afraid to look at alternative ways in city government. That's what I've done in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-daley/i-m-one-who-demands-a-lot-from-people-i-m-not-afraid-to-look-at/) [Richard M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-daley/) > [People feel like city government is corrupt. They feel like it doesn't work unless you have clout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/people-feel-like-city-government-is-corrupt-they-feel-like-it-doesn-t/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [We have an expression in New York City government - "In God we trust, but for everyone else, bring data." It's so easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-have-an-expression-in-new-york-city-government-in-god-we-trust-but/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [I have no doubt that aggressively going after wrongdoing can result in real improvement. Fewer wrongdoers in city government means more honest employees; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hoffman/i-have-no-doubt-that-aggressively-going-after-wrongdoing-can-result/) [David Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hoffman/) ## More by Michelle Wu > [The success of Boston's economy is intertwined with the health and well-being of every neighborhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/the-success-of-boston-s-economy-is-intertwined-with-the-health-and/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [We've got to change the culture of riding the T. It is a civic space for community conversations, but everyone's always really quiet on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-ve-got-to-change-the-culture-of-riding-the-t-it-is-a-civic-space/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [I'm the daughter of immigrants and my parents came to this country with nothing in their pockets and not speaking English and all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/i-m-the-daughter-of-immigrants-and-my-parents-came-to-this-country/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [It is not enough to simply dismiss policy, because it's too complicated or we're scared about what the unintended consequences might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/it-is-not-enough-to-simply-dismiss-policy-because-it-s-too/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [Free public transportation is the single biggest step we could take toward economic mobility, racial equity, and climate justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/free-public-transportation-is-the-single-biggest-step-we-could-take/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [We need to be fearless in reaching for the scale of change that our residents deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-need-to-be-fearless-in-reaching-for-the-scale-of-change-that-our/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [Too often, our societal norms still set up a false choice between parenting and professionalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/too-often-our-societal-norms-still-set-up-a-false-choice-between/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [We should be demilitarizing the Boston police in weapons and tactics, and interactions with community. We should be reining in ballooning overtime for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-should-be-demilitarizing-the-boston-police-in-weapons-and-tactics/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [Women especially are often asked to choose between being a mother and being a leader. Without adequate policy support, too many women face not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/women-especially-are-often-asked-to-choose-between-being-a-mother-and/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [Investing in free public transportation would establish a right to mobility - the right of every person to access every part of our city,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/investing-in-free-public-transportation-would-establish-a-right-to/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [We need to see more resources in the combination of public safety and public health but we have to use our dollars wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-need-to-see-more-resources-in-the-combination-of-public-safety-and/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [We're ready to be a Boston that doesn't push people out, but welcomes all who call our city home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-re-ready-to-be-a-boston-that-doesn-t-push-people-out-but-welcomes/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [During natural disasters or emergencies, the most resilient communities - places that suffer the fewest casualties and rebuild more quickly - are not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/during-natural-disasters-or-emergencies-the-most-resilient/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [My boys, Blaise and Cass, run Halloween at our house with the help of my sister who always makes their costumes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/my-boys-blaise-and-cass-run-halloween-at-our-house-with-the-help-of/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [We love our history in Boston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/we-love-our-history-in-boston/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) [Explore all 100 Michelle Wu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) ## More Being judged quotes > [For me, I do my best work when I feel completely relaxed and not being judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/for-me-i-do-my-best-work-when-i-feel-completely-relaxed-and-not-being/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [Don't forget that in the history of the world, there was a plebiscite, in which Christ and Barabbas were being judged, and the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-pinochet/don-t-forget-that-in-the-history-of-the-world-there-was-a-plebiscite/) [Augusto Pinochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-pinochet/) > [If you look at her or him and think Somethings wrong with them; weirdos? don't be quick to judge someone ;because a paragraph isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayely-saldana/if-you-look-at-her-or-him-and-think-somethings-wrong-with-them/) [Nayely Saldana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayely-saldana/) > [For me, money has never been an indicator. And it is very sad that each and every film these days is being judged by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-bajpayee/for-me-money-has-never-been-an-indicator-and-it-is-very-sad-that-each/) [Manoj Bajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-bajpayee/) > [Don't listen to other people, because their words don't define you and who you are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-listen-to-other-people-because-their-words-don-t-define-you-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to be painted a monster, when the devil is doing the painting!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-v/it-s-easy-to-be-painted-a-monster-when-the-devil-is-doing-the-painting/) [Wendell V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-v/) > [I always fear being judged. I can't handle it, whenever I go out I try and make myself stand out as little as possible...Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-fear-being-judged-i-can-t-handle-it-whenever-i-go-out-i-try/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't pretend to know someone you think you know because everyone has issues that they're holding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-pretend-to-know-someone-you-think-you-know-because-everyone-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some introverts are actually brilliant extraverts. They're just afraid of judgement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/modestas-rinkevicius/some-introverts-are-actually-brilliant-extraverts-they-re-just-afraid/) [Modestas Rinkevicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/modestas-rinkevicius/) > [When you judge a women by her appearance, it doesn't define her it define youuuuuuuuuuuu..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammy-gill/when-you-judge-a-women-by-her-appearance-it-doesn-t-define-her-it/) Ammy\_gill > [Judging someone before you have gotten to know them is like explaining the contents of a book youve never read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/judging-someone-before-you-have-gotten-to-know-them-is-like/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [You may know my name, but not my story nor my pain nor my tears either. No one can handle a half of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-know-my-name-but-not-my-story-nor-my-pain-nor-my-tears-either/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is too short to care what people think. So live your life the way you want to, be happy, be strong, be yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-short-to-care-what-people-think-so-live-your-life-the-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that only God can judge us, forget the haters, because somebody love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/remember-that-only-god-can-judge-us-forget-the-haters-because/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The bible says if you truly wants to know a Man, look at his Seed, his Fruits that he produce, his Kids!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/the-bible-says-if-you-truly-wants-to-know-a-man-look-at-his-seed-his/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) [Browse all 520 Being judged quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-judged/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In city government, it's about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on a certain thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Wu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-things-done-not-being-judged-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being judged" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-things-done-not-being-judged-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/michelle-wu-5796_being-judged_in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-th_1861186.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In city government, it's about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes…” — Michelle Wu", "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": "Michelle Wu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In city government, it's about getting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-things-done-not-being-judged-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/in-city-government-it-s-about-getting-things-done-not-being-judged-on/#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 } } ] } ```