--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way to guarantee smart…" description: "\"“The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike believed, was to bring all the responsible parties together and have them fight it out. “I do not belie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg" --- # The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike believed… ![“The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike believed, was to bring all the responsible parties together and have them fight it out. “I do not believe in bringing them in one at a time and therefore being more impressed by the most recent one you hear,” he said later. “You must get courageous…” quote by Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg) > ““The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike believed, was to bring all the responsible parties together and have them fight it out. “I do not believe in bringing them in one at a time and therefore being more impressed by the most recent one you hear,” he said later. “You must get courageous men, men of strong views and let them debate and argue with each other.”” [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smart decisions come from gathering strong, diverse voices to debate, not from incremental input. **In simple terms:** Gather strong voices for debate. Key Takeaway Seek diverse, courageous input. Themes decision making leadership collaboration Mood analytical serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - board meetings - policy development - team brainstorming - conflict resolution Key Concepts debate courage diverse perspectives Questions to Reflect On - Who should be invited to your decision panels? - How to balance strong opinions with consensus? A Different Perspective May lead to conflict or stalemate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Smart decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-decisions/) ## Related quotes > [“Eisenhower's military life taught him that talent was a necessary but not sufficient condition for success. The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs-michael-duffy/eisenhower-s-military-life-taught-him-that-talent-was-a-necessary-but/) [Nancy Gibbs; Michael Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs-michael-duffy/) > [You must get courageous men, men of strong views and let them debate and argue with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/you-must-get-courageous-men-men-of-strong-views-and-let-them-debate/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Prince Asaka had joined the army only about ten days before its entry into Nanking and in view of the short time he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iwane-matsui/prince-asaka-had-joined-the-army-only-about-ten-days-before-its-entry/) [Iwane Matsui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iwane-matsui/) > [If we attempt to block the development of new technology, we effectively have ensured that the most responsible parties will not develop them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/if-we-attempt-to-block-the-development-of-new-technology-we/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [There's Insanity on Both Sides of the Debate When You Argue with an Idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/there-s-insanity-on-both-sides-of-the-debate-when-you-argue-with-an/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) > [Of course, Mike and I debate and argue - we used to play Ping-Pong to settle arguments. But then Mike got really good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-konietzko/of-course-mike-and-i-debate-and-argue-we-used-to-play-ping-pong-to/) [Bryan Konietzko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-konietzko/) > [You have to go through your reads and you have to make smart decisions because if you start forcing it in to double coverage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cassel/you-have-to-go-through-your-reads-and-you-have-to-make-smart/) [Matt Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cassel/) > [If it is a rental property, we'll typically keep it fairly neutral. If it's a vacation property, we have a lot more fun and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcgillivray/if-it-is-a-rental-property-we-ll-typically-keep-it-fairly-neutral-if/) [Scott McGillivray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcgillivray/) > [Seize what's been handed you. Make smart decisions. Make decisions because life is a temporary situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/seize-what-s-been-handed-you-make-smart-decisions-make-decisions/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I think growing an economy is a good way to help with a deficit, but ultimately, it's about fiscal discipline and responsible spending -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/i-think-growing-an-economy-is-a-good-way-to-help-with-a-deficit-but/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [If children who commit crimes are not given the opportunity of a second chance, they may die in prison for acts made before having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-k-simpson/if-children-who-commit-crimes-are-not-given-the-opportunity-of-a/) [Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-k-simpson/) > [“What are the odds that people will make smart decisions about money if they don’t need to make smart decisions—if they can get rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/what-are-the-odds-that-people-will-make-smart-decisions-about-money/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [I also had to come tonight to apologize. If you need to go to Mexico to finish this process off, then I understand. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-also-had-to-come-tonight-to-apologize-if-you-need-to-go-to-mexico/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Let's prove that we're going to stand together, make the smart decisions that will get the economy going and growing for everybody, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/let-s-prove-that-we-re-going-to-stand-together-make-the-smart/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Jacob didn’t say “Seize the day,” he said “Seize what’s been handed you.” Make smart decisions. Make decisions because—he said it again—life is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/jacob-didn-t-say-seize-the-day-he-said-seize-what-s-been-handed-you/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) ## More by Nancy Gibbs > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Be bored and see where it takes you, because the imagination's dusty wilderness is worth crossing if you want to sculpt your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/be-bored-and-see-where-it-takes-you-because-the-imagination-s-dusty/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [As you probably know, I've written a lot about the presidency, so it's obviously exciting when you get to interview a president and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/as-you-probably-know-i-ve-written-a-lot-about-the-presidency-so-it-s/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [ \[Former chief executives\] come away thinking that America needs a strong, functioning presidency to succeed, and they become very protective of that office. Democrats… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/former-chief-executives-come-away-thinking-that-america-needs-a/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [It's hard to think of any tool, any instrument, any object in history with which so many developed so close a relationship so quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/it-s-hard-to-think-of-any-tool-any-instrument-any-object-in-history/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“Lydon Johnson realized he really was President, that his identity had changed by President Kennedy's shocking death, when aides who had been like family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/lydon-johnson-realized-he-really-was-president-that-his-identity-had/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [A typical smart phone has more computing power than Apollo 11 when it landed a man on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/a-typical-smart-phone-has-more-computing-power-than-apollo-11-when-it/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [George W. Bush, though a president's son, is cast as Reagan's heir even more than his father's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/george-w-bush-though-a-president-s-son-is-cast-as-reagan-s-heir-even/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [For God to be kept out of the classroom or out of America's public debate by nervous school administrators or overcautious politicians serves no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/for-god-to-be-kept-out-of-the-classroom-or-out-of-america-s-public/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Pain is the most private experience, but its causes, whether natural or man-made, demand public accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/pain-is-the-most-private-experience-but-its-causes-whether-natural-or/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [On the court, Jason Collins is not a huge basketball star, but he has already claimed his place in civil rights history as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/on-the-court-jason-collins-is-not-a-huge-basketball-star-but-he-has/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [When you are a media celebrity, every word you speak is dissected, as are those you choose not to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/when-you-are-a-media-celebrity-every-word-you-speak-is-dissected-as/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [If you want to humble an empire it makes sense to maim its cathedrals. They are symbols of its faith, and when they crumple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/if-you-want-to-humble-an-empire-it-makes-sense-to-maim-its-cathedrals/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“The wand is mighter then the sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-wand-is-mighter-then-the-sword/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) [Explore all 179 Nancy Gibbs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## More Smart decisions quotes > [“Jacob didn’t say “Seize the day,” he said “Seize what’s been handed you.” Make smart decisions. Make decisions because—he said it again—life is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/jacob-didn-t-say-seize-the-day-he-said-seize-what-s-been-handed-you/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Let's prove that we're going to stand together, make the smart decisions that will get the economy going and growing for everybody, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/let-s-prove-that-we-re-going-to-stand-together-make-the-smart/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I also had to come tonight to apologize. If you need to go to Mexico to finish this process off, then I understand. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-also-had-to-come-tonight-to-apologize-if-you-need-to-go-to-mexico/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“What are the odds that people will make smart decisions about money if they don’t need to make smart decisions—if they can get rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/what-are-the-odds-that-people-will-make-smart-decisions-about-money/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [If children who commit crimes are not given the opportunity of a second chance, they may die in prison for acts made before having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-k-simpson/if-children-who-commit-crimes-are-not-given-the-opportunity-of-a/) [Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-k-simpson/) > [I think growing an economy is a good way to help with a deficit, but ultimately, it's about fiscal discipline and responsible spending -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/i-think-growing-an-economy-is-a-good-way-to-help-with-a-deficit-but/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [Seize what's been handed you. Make smart decisions. Make decisions because life is a temporary situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/seize-what-s-been-handed-you-make-smart-decisions-make-decisions/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [If it is a rental property, we'll typically keep it fairly neutral. If it's a vacation property, we have a lot more fun and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcgillivray/if-it-is-a-rental-property-we-ll-typically-keep-it-fairly-neutral-if/) [Scott McGillivray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcgillivray/) > [You have to go through your reads and you have to make smart decisions because if you start forcing it in to double coverage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cassel/you-have-to-go-through-your-reads-and-you-have-to-make-smart/) [Matt Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cassel/) > [I think that most successful artists - not always, but a lot of them, in any field - have business savvy as well and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-wayne/i-think-that-most-successful-artists-not-always-but-a-lot-of-them-in/) [Teddy Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-wayne/) > [I wanted a T-shirt that says 'USA National Team'. It turned out to be a very smart decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-warkentin/i-wanted-a-t-shirt-that-says-usa-national-team-it-turned-out-to-be-a/) [Mark Warkentin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-warkentin/) > [Today there's a new report out about how population growth is going down in the United States. Immigrant women are having fewer children. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-crossette/today-there-s-a-new-report-out-about-how-population-growth-is-going/) [Barbara Crossette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-crossette/) > [I've been a free agent a couple times now. It's a process. You got to be smart with your decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaza-pachulia/i-ve-been-a-free-agent-a-couple-times-now-it-s-a-process-you-got-to/) [Zaza Pachulia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaza-pachulia/) > [The poor also are willing to make, and do make, smart decisions, if you give them that opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/the-poor-also-are-willing-to-make-and-do-make-smart-decisions-if-you/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [“Jake, our fearless leader. On a crazed kamikaze mission. I’d never seen him like this. Even in our lowest moments, he’d always been steady.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/jake-our-fearless-leader-on-a-crazed-kamikaze-mission-i-d-never-seen/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) [Browse all 41 Smart decisions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-decisions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike believed, was to bring all the responsible parties together and have them fight it out. “I do not believe in bringing them in one at a time and therefore being more impressed by the most recent one you hear,” he said later. “You must get courageous men, men of strong views and let them debate and argue with each other.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nancy Gibbs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decisions-ike-believed-was-to-bring/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Smart decisions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decisions-ike-believed-was-to-bring/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/nancy-gibbs-2206_smart-decisions_the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decision_2751703.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only way to guarantee smart decisions, Ike believed, was to bring all the responsible parties together…” — Nancy Gibbs", "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": "Nancy Gibbs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The only way to guarantee smart...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decisions-ike-believed-was-to-bring/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-only-way-to-guarantee-smart-decisions-ike-believed-was-to-bring/#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 } } ] } ```