--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To get something done, a committee should…" description: "\"“To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.”\" — Robert Copeland" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/robert-copeland-102489_quote_to-get-something-done-a-committee-should_1129601.jpg" --- # To get something done, a committee should consist of no… ![“To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.” quote by Robert Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/robert-copeland-102489_quote_to-get-something-done-a-committee-should_1129601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/robert-copeland-102489_quote_to-get-something-done-a-committee-should_1129601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/robert-copeland-102489_quote_to-get-something-done-a-committee-should_1129601.jpg) > ““To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.”” [Robert Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-copeland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical take on committees, implying they’re ineffective unless most members are absent. **In simple terms:** Committees work best when few are present. Key Takeaway Limit committee size for efficiency. Themes efficiency leadership organization Mood sarcastic critical Type Absent:1 Committee:1 Consist:0 Committee Consist:0 Men Absent:0 Consist Men:0 When to use this quote - business meetings - project planning - organizational design Key Concepts decision‑making team dynamics satire Questions to Reflect On - How many members are truly needed for effective decisions? - What are the risks of too few participants? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent/) [Committee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committee/) [Committee Consist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committee-consist-1025442/) [Consist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consist/) [Consist Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consist-men-1025444/) [Men Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-absent-1025443/) ## Related quotes > [A committee should consist of three men, two of whom are absent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-beerbohm-tree/a-committee-should-consist-of-three-men-two-of-whom-are-absent/) [Herbert Beerbohm Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-beerbohm-tree/) > [“To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three people, two of whom are absent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-copeland/to-get-something-done-a-committee-should-consist-of-no-more-than-2/) [Robert Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-copeland/) > [It is better to be on hand with ten men than absent with ten thousand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-better-to-be-on-hand-with-ten-men-than-absent-with-ten-thousand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Committee: A group which succeeds in getting something done only when it consists of three members, one of whom happens to be sick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/committee-a-group-which-succeeds-in-getting-something-done-only-when/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There will be some tracks on the next album which that will consist of mostly noise and feedback, whereas others may just have guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-berkowitz/there-will-be-some-tracks-on-the-next-album-which-that-will-consist/) [Daisy Berkowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-berkowitz/) > [“In 'Yes' and 'No' all things consist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-boehme/in-yes-and-no-all-things-consist/) [Jacob Boehme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-boehme/) > [My diplomatic position will not consist of going and kneeling down in front of George Bush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segolene-royal/my-diplomatic-position-will-not-consist-of-going-and-kneeling-down-in/) [Segolene Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segolene-royal/) > [“Conversations consist for the most part of things one does not say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cees-nooteboom/conversations-consist-for-the-most-part-of-things-one-does-not-say/) [Cees Nooteboom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cees-nooteboom/) > [Nothing changes more constantly than the past; for the past that influences our lives does not consist of what actually happened, but of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-w-johnson/nothing-changes-more-constantly-than-the-past-for-the-past-that/) [Gerald W. 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You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/your-life-has-to-consist-of-more-than-black-people-should-unite-you/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [It should consist of short, sharply focused sentences, each of which is a whole scene in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/it-should-consist-of-short-sharply-focused-sentences-each-of-which-is/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) ## More by Robert Copeland > [“To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three people, two of whom are absent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-copeland/to-get-something-done-a-committee-should-consist-of-no-more-than-2/) [Robert Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-copeland/) [Explore all 2 Robert Copeland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-copeland/) ## More Absent quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. 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