Done Quote by Norman Ralph Augustine
“If the Earth could be made to rotate twice as fast, managers would get twice as much done. If the Earth could be made to rotate twenty times as fast, everyone else would get twice as much done since all the managers would fly off.”
About This Quote
Increasing speed of work benefits managers only until they become ineffective; beyond that, everyone else gains as managers are removed.
In simple terms: Fast work helps managers, but too fast hurts them.
Key Takeaway
Balance workload and leadership capacity.
Themes
productivity
leadership
efficiency
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- corporate strategy
- project planning
- team scaling
Key Concepts
organizational dynamics
resource allocation
management theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What limits a manager’s productivity?
- How can teams stay effective without over‑reliance on managers?
A Different Perspective
Assumes managers are the bottleneck; may overlook systemic issues.
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