--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Particularly when you're dealing with…" description: "\"Particularly when you're dealing with very high ranking people, you know, you have to get their attention, they are used to, by their rank, of having t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg" --- # Particularly when you're dealing with very high ranking… ![“Particularly when you're dealing with very high ranking people, you know, you have to get their attention, they are used to, by their rank, of having their own way and doing their own thing and when it's necessary to all work together on something, sometimes you have to hit the mule between the…” quote by Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg) > “Particularly when you're dealing with very high ranking people, you know, you have to get their attention, they are used to, by their rank, of having their own way and doing their own thing and when it's necessary to all work together on something, sometimes you have to hit the mule between the eyes of the two by four to get its attention.” [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High-ranking leaders often resist collaboration; direct, decisive actions may be needed to capture their focus. **In simple terms:** Leaders can be stubborn; sometimes you must act sharply to get their attention. Key Takeaway Use clear, decisive communication to engage senior leaders. Themes leadership communication authority collaboration strategy Mood strategic pragmatic Type motivational cautionary When to use this quote - Board meetings - crisis management - team projects - policy negotiations Key Concepts Hierarchy power dynamics influence Questions to Reflect On - When is a direct approach appropriate? - How can you balance respect with assertiveness? A Different Perspective Such tactics can damage relationships if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-used-1926086/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Eyes Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-attention-2133762/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [High Ranking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-ranking-620364/) [Know Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-attention-1115369/) [Mules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mules/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Ranking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ranking/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-together/) [Working together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-together/) ## Related quotes > [Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh, your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone. Then, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-there-is-someone-else-who-always-makes-you-laugh-your-eyes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always do get a little bit paranoid when I get a lot of attention. But I get used to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-always-do-get-a-little-bit-paranoid-when-i-get-a-lot-of-attention/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [In order to survive women have developed their second attention, which men have not evolved. They use the second attention, and have used it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-order-to-survive-women-have-developed-their-second-attention-which/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The haters can go to any extent to get the attention and I'm used to trolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-khan/the-haters-can-go-to-any-extent-to-get-the-attention-and-i-m-used-to/) [Sara Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-khan/) > [I always like to create things that get attention. It used to be a problem when I wasn't famous. Now, I can do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-bunny/i-always-like-to-create-things-that-get-attention-it-used-to-be-a/) [Bad Bunny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-bunny/) > [“The conscious energy of attention can be used to do literally anything because it’s a focalization of the imagination, the binding life force that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/the-conscious-energy-of-attention-can-be-used-to-do-literally/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [“And he simply would not tolerate any other high-ranking officer, commissioned or noncommissioned, reaming out one of his guys. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/and-he-simply-would-not-tolerate-any-other-high-ranking-officer/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [“One of the imponderables in our system of government is how rapidly and easily secretaries of state, defense, and treasury, high-ranking military officers, congressmen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/one-of-the-imponderables-in-our-system-of-government-is-how-rapidly/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [I have now established myself in a most enviable manner. Those who require something of me must seek me out - I remain apart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-goya/i-have-now-established-myself-in-a-most-enviable-manner-those-who/) [Francisco Goya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-goya/) > [There are ways of staying under the radar here, and they're effective to a degree. But if you're an ambitious person and you're confident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killian-scott/there-are-ways-of-staying-under-the-radar-here-and-they-re-effective/) [Killian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killian-scott/) > [Fighting somebody high in the ranking is important, but getting eyeballs on you having great performances is just as, if not more so important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-meerschaert/fighting-somebody-high-in-the-ranking-is-important-but-getting/) [Gerald Meerschaert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-meerschaert/) > [I see the staff and crew on the set as my equals. When I make a mistake, they know they can call my attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-martin/i-see-the-staff-and-crew-on-the-set-as-my-equals-when-i-make-a/) [Coco Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-martin/) > [Everyone I know has attention deficit, and they say it with great pride. It's a bad time to he right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/everyone-i-know-has-attention-deficit-and-they-say-it-with-great/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Banks and investors don't usually view a high-ranking executive in the company selling off massive amounts of stock as a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-randolph/banks-and-investors-don-t-usually-view-a-high-ranking-executive-in/) [Marc Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-randolph/) > [“The secret of a high-ranking website is not its colors but its content.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/the-secret-of-a-high-ranking-website-is-not-its-colors-but-its-content/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Norman Schwarzkopf > [War is a profane thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/war-is-a-profane-thing/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [I am an environmentalist, but I'm not a wacko environmentalist. I believe that mankind and nature can live side-by-side for the mutual benefit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/i-am-an-environmentalist-but-i-m-not-a-wacko-environmentalist-i/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [Fish are a renewable resource, and one of the problems we've had is people feel obliged to catch the limit, then throw 'em in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/fish-are-a-renewable-resource-and-one-of-the-problems-we-ve-had-is/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [You can't help someone get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/you-can-t-help-someone-get-up-a-hill-without-getting-closer-to-the/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [Tanks being deployed far forward is an indication of offensive action; tanks in depth is an indication of defensive action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/tanks-being-deployed-far-forward-is-an-indication-of-offensive-action/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [It's nice to feel that you have a purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/it-s-nice-to-feel-that-you-have-a-purpose/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [If it had been our intention to take Iraq, if it had been our intention to destroy the country, if it had been our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/if-it-had-been-our-intention-to-take-iraq-if-it-had-been-our/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [For the entire first part of my career, I prided myself on being unflappable even in the most chaotic of circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/for-the-entire-first-part-of-my-career-i-prided-myself-on-being/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [More than 200 ships from 13 nations conducted over 10,000 flawless intercepts, which formed a steel wall around the waters leading to Iraq. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/more-than-200-ships-from-13-nations-conducted-over-10-000-flawless/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [I believe that forgiving them is god's function, our job is to arrange the meeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/i-believe-that-forgiving-them-is-god-s-function-our-job-is-to-arrange/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [I've got to tell you what, the soldier doesn't fight very hard for a leader who is going to shoot him, okay, on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/i-ve-got-to-tell-you-what-the-soldier-doesn-t-fight-very-hard-for-a/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [I do not want to be a pawn in a political campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/i-do-not-want-to-be-a-pawn-in-a-political-campaign/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [“Success is sweet, but the secret is sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/success-is-sweet-but-the-secret-is-sweat/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [When I fish, I stop thinking about anything else. But truth be told, if you want to declare victories, I can tell you the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/when-i-fish-i-stop-thinking-about-anything-else-but-truth-be-told-if/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/it-takes-a-hero-to-be-one-of-those-men-who-goes-into-battle/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) [Explore all 96 Norman Schwarzkopf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Particularly when you're dealing with very high ranking people, you know, you have to get their attention, they are used to, by their rank, of having their own way and doing their own thing and when it's necessary to all work together on something, sometimes you have to hit the mule between the eyes of the two by four to get its attention.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Schwarzkopf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-very-high-ranking-people-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-very-high-ranking-people-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/norman-schwarzkopf-6969_attention_particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-ve_1003526.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Particularly when you're dealing with very high ranking people, you know, you have to get their attention…” — Norman Schwarzkopf", "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": "Norman Schwarzkopf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Particularly when you're dealing with very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-very-high-ranking-people-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/particularly-when-you-re-dealing-with-very-high-ranking-people-you/#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 } } ] } ```