--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most powerful opportunity that it…" description: "\"“The most powerful opportunity that it presents is the chance to delay when the need to make a quick decision may present difficulties. In my own busin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/771/rob-elliott-70352_habits_the-most-powerful-opportunity-that-it-pr_2083505.jpg" --- # The most powerful opportunity that it presents is the… ![“The most powerful opportunity that it presents is the chance to delay when the need to make a quick decision may present difficulties. In my own business experience I have come to really understand the Japanese habit of delay, delay, delay, which so infuriates Western businessmen and diplomats.” quote by Rob Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/771/rob-elliott-70352_habits_the-most-powerful-opportunity-that-it-pr_2083505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/771/rob-elliott-70352_habits_the-most-powerful-opportunity-that-it-pr_2083505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/771/rob-elliott-70352_habits_the-most-powerful-opportunity-that-it-pr_2083505.jpg) > ““The most powerful opportunity that it presents is the chance to delay when the need to make a quick decision may present difficulties. In my own business experience I have come to really understand the Japanese habit of delay, delay, delay, which so infuriates Western businessmen and diplomats.”” [Rob Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-elliott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights Japanese cultural tendency to delay decisions, contrasting Western impatience **In simple terms:** Japanese habit of delay can be frustrating for Western business Key Takeaway Understand cultural decision styles to improve collaboration Themes cross‑cultural business decision making patience Mood analytical neutral Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - international negotiations - project planning - team coordination - conflict mediation Key Concepts Japanese business culture Western expectations communication Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance patience with urgency? - What strategies mitigate cultural friction? A Different Perspective Delay may hinder timely action in fast‑moving markets ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance Delay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-delay-4080954/) [Decision Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-present-4080956/) [Delay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delay/) [Delay Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delay-need-4080955/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Powerful Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-opportunity-2618247/) [Procrastination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procrastination/) ## Related quotes > [Evidently there is no need for delay, no need for further study, if the government takes a loss and Wall Street makes a profit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/evidently-there-is-no-need-for-delay-no-need-for-further-study-if-the/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [“Every bite you take is a powerful opportunity to create healing or infirmity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/every-bite-you-take-is-a-powerful-opportunity-to-create-healing-or/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [There is no such thing as a future decision. There are only present decisions that affect the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venita-vancaspel/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-future-decision-there-are-only-present/) [Venita VanCaspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venita-vancaspel/) > [Time wears all his locks before,Take thy hold upon his forehead;When he flies he turns no more,And behind his scalp is naked.Works adjourn'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southwell/time-wears-all-his-locks-before-take-thy-hold-upon-his-forehead-when/) [Robert Southwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southwell/) > [Life admits not of delays; when pleasure can be had, it is fit to catch it. Every hour takes away part of the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/life-admits-not-of-delays-when-pleasure-can-be-had-it-is-fit-to-catch/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow. Delay may give clearer light as to what is best to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-burr/never-do-today-what-you-can-put-off-till-tomorrow-delay-may-give/) [Aaron Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-burr/) > [Delays are as much a part of God plan as answered prayers. God wants you to trust him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/delays-are-as-much-a-part-of-god-plan-as-answered-prayers-god-wants/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Face troubles from their birth, for 'tis too late to cure When long delay has given the evil strength. Haste then; postpone not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/face-troubles-from-their-birth-for-tis-too-late-to-cure-when-long/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [ When a man's life is at stake no delay is too long. \[Lat., Nulla unquam de morte cunctatio longa est.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/when-a-man-s-life-is-at-stake-no-delay-is-too-long-lat-nulla-unquam/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [ \[Every\] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/every-hour-of-delay-abates-the-fame-and-force-of-the-invader-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [A delay does not solve the revenue problem,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-nickels/a-delay-does-not-solve-the-revenue-problem/) [Greg Nickels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-nickels/) > [I think FB should have a '5 second delay' after hitting ENTER; giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janie-ortiz/i-think-fb-should-have-a-5-second-delay-after-hitting-enter-giving/) [Janie Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janie-ortiz/) > [Procrastination comes in two types. Some of us procrastinate in order to pursue restful activities - spending time in bed, watching TV - while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/procrastination-comes-in-two-types-some-of-us-procrastinate-in-order/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/circumstances-may-cause-interruptions-and-delays-but-never-lose-sight/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [Even speed, when we are anxious, seems like delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-speed-when-we-are-anxious-seems-like-delay/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## More by Rob Elliott > [“Certainly expatriate Japanese businessmen are never actually mentally in the country to which they are posted. They sit late in the office, taking into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-elliott/certainly-expatriate-japanese-businessmen-are-never-actually-mentally/) [Rob Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-elliott/) > [“Q: What is a baby’s motto? A: If at first you don’t succeed, cry, cry again. Q:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-elliott/q-what-is-a-baby-s-motto-a-if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-cry-cry/) [Rob Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-elliott/) > [“Q: What fruit teases people a lot? A: A bana na na na na na! Q:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-elliott/q-what-fruit-teases-people-a-lot-a-a-bana-na-na-na-na-na-q/) [Rob Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-elliott/) [Explore all 4 Rob Elliott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-elliott/) ## More Delay quotes > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Even speed, when we are anxious, seems like delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-speed-when-we-are-anxious-seems-like-delay/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Delay always heeds danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/delay-always-heeds-danger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The measured blood beats out the year's delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/the-measured-blood-beats-out-the-year-s-delay/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [Right is the eternal sun; the world cannot delay its coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-phillips/right-is-the-eternal-sun-the-world-cannot-delay-its-coming/) [Wendell Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-phillips/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/circumstances-may-cause-interruptions-and-delays-but-never-lose-sight/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [Systems program building is an entropy-decreasing process, hence inherently metastable. Program maintenance is an entropy-increasing process, and even its most skillful execution only delays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/systems-program-building-is-an-entropy-decreasing-process-hence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I take no pleasure in seeing DeLay swing gently in the wind. But the thing I believe in the most is ethics. If someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/i-take-no-pleasure-in-seeing-delay-swing-gently-in-the-wind-but-the/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [Procrastination comes in two types. Some of us procrastinate in order to pursue restful activities - spending time in bed, watching TV - while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/procrastination-comes-in-two-types-some-of-us-procrastinate-in-order/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Everyone I have spoken with so far recognises the need for the IRA to respond positively and every has said sooner is better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-reiss/everyone-i-have-spoken-with-so-far-recognises-the-need-for-the-ira-to/) [Mitchell Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-reiss/) > [If the politics of inaction and delay that have triumphed in this country continues for another decade, then Planetary Purgatory in the likely future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-romm/if-the-politics-of-inaction-and-delay-that-have-triumphed-in-this/) [Joseph J. Romm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-romm/) > [“Delay is never denial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/delay-is-never-denial/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We are being conditioned, as a population, to never wait, to never delay our gratification, to accept thoughtless, constant consumption as the new norm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-wortham/we-are-being-conditioned-as-a-population-to-never-wait-to-never-delay/) [Jenna Wortham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-wortham/) [Browse all 636 Delay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delay/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The most powerful opportunity that it presents is the chance to delay when the need to make a quick decision may present difficulties. 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