--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At IBM, if we kept our same leadership…" description: "\"At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd be bankrupt.\" — Scott Howell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg" --- # At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd… ![“At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd be bankrupt.” quote by Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg) > “At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd be bankrupt.” [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stagnant leadership leads to organizational failure; continuous renewal of leadership is essential for long‑term viability. **In simple terms:** Leadership must evolve to avoid bankruptcy. Key Takeaway Refresh leadership regularly. Themes leadership innovation organizational health change management strategy Mood cautious strategic forward‑looking Type analytical advisory When to use this quote - company growth - non‑profit - government agencies - startup scaling Key Concepts corporate governance succession planning Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations balance continuity with fresh ideas? - What processes ensure smooth leadership transitions? A Different Perspective Frequent leadership changes can cause instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [36 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/36-years-1074972/) [Bankrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bankrupt/) [Ibm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ibm/) [Ibm Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ibm-kept-3886677/) [Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept/) [Kept Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-leadership-3886678/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership 36](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-36-3886675/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Bankrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-bankrupt-3886676/) ## Related quotes > [“He was on the bench for 36 years and had the girth to show it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodes-fishburne/he-was-on-the-bench-for-36-years-and-had-the-girth-to-show-it/) [Rodes Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodes-fishburne/) > [36 years old is significant, because at 36 you can sleep with someone half your age and not go to jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/36-years-old-is-significant-because-at-36-you-can-sleep-with-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even Rod Woodson will tell you his best year he had as a professional was when he was 36 years old. If you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/even-rod-woodson-will-tell-you-his-best-year-he-had-as-a-professional/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [I do not want to be 36 years old and can hardly walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-alderweireld/i-do-not-want-to-be-36-years-old-and-can-hardly-walk/) [Toby Alderweireld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-alderweireld/) > [At 36 years old I can look back on a long and wonderful time in professional football, which I could never have dreamed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ballack/at-36-years-old-i-can-look-back-on-a-long-and-wonderful-time-in/) [Michael Ballack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ballack/) > [I'm 36-years-old and I'm learning about definitions that I should have known when I started having sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-parker/i-m-36-years-old-and-i-m-learning-about-definitions-that-i-should/) [Nate Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-parker/) > [Whatever I watched, whatever I loved in 36 years of life on Earth, probably had some influence on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/whatever-i-watched-whatever-i-loved-in-36-years-of-life-on-earth/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [I'm 36 years old, and I'm growing up. Little by little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-anaya/i-m-36-years-old-and-i-m-growing-up-little-by-little/) [Elena Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-anaya/) > [It took me 36 years to be able to be by myself and like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynonna-judd/it-took-me-36-years-to-be-able-to-be-by-myself-and-like-it/) [Wynonna Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynonna-judd/) > [I was married for 36 years but now I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-was-married-for-36-years-but-now-i-m-free/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I have been in the field working with my birds for 36 years and I don't think a day goes by that I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madden/i-have-been-in-the-field-working-with-my-birds-for-36-years-and-i-don/) [Steve Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-madden/) > [I am 36 years old, I can't change. I have tried, trust me, but I can't. It's nice to get over yourself and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drew/i-am-36-years-old-i-can-t-change-i-have-tried-trust-me-but-i-can-t-it/) [Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drew/) > [It's really crazy to be 36 years old and to have been doing something for 25 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/it-s-really-crazy-to-be-36-years-old-and-to-have-been-doing-something/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) > [I'm 36 years old, I love my family, I love baseball, and I'm about to become a farmer. But until I heard the voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kinsella/i-m-36-years-old-i-love-my-family-i-love-baseball-and-i-m-about-to/) [Ray Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kinsella/) > [This is all so exciting I've decided to keep making one movie every 36 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/this-is-all-so-exciting-i-ve-decided-to-keep-making-one-movie-every/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) ## More by Scott Howell > [The chalkboards are no longer cutting it. We've got to adapt education at every level to this new paradigm to keep our kids competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/the-chalkboards-are-no-longer-cutting-it-we-ve-got-to-adapt-education/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm running against Mitt Romney or Sen. Hatch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-running-against-mitt-romney-or-sen-hatch/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [My experience is not creating debt but my experience is creating jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/my-experience-is-not-creating-debt-but-my-experience-is-creating-jobs/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [I think a sitting senator who's been there 36 years is not doing a favor to anyone in the state of Utah nor to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/i-think-a-sitting-senator-who-s-been-there-36-years-is-not-doing-a/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [Look, Orrin Hatch is not a bad guy. But he is an old guy, and he's a lifer politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/look-orrin-hatch-is-not-a-bad-guy-but-he-is-an-old-guy-and-he-s-a/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [We continue to elect the very same people, and we wonder why we get the same results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/we-continue-to-elect-the-very-same-people-and-we-wonder-why-we-get/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [Education is not Democrat versus Republican. It's about doing the right things for the right reason for our kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/education-is-not-democrat-versus-republican-it-s-about-doing-the/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [You cannot be a part-time candidate when you're running against Orrin Hatch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/you-cannot-be-a-part-time-candidate-when-you-re-running-against-orrin/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [Let's get the elephant out of the room. I'm a conservative Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/let-s-get-the-elephant-out-of-the-room-i-m-a-conservative-democrat/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [He's 78 years old... He's not the same Orrin Hatch I knew 12 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/he-s-78-years-old-he-s-not-the-same-orrin-hatch-i-knew-12-years-ago/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [We can have open and good discussion with our Republican brothers and sisters. But when we walk into the chapel we should leave our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/we-can-have-open-and-good-discussion-with-our-republican-brothers-and/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [We need fresh, new leadership with bold ideas and a new approach to get more people back to work with quality jobs and restored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/we-need-fresh-new-leadership-with-bold-ideas-and-a-new-approach-to/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [Orrin Hatch is old enough to be my father, and I don't want my father running the United States Senate Finance Committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/orrin-hatch-is-old-enough-to-be-my-father-and-i-don-t-want-my-father/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [I strongly support extending current student loan interest rates and increasing the college tuition tax credit for students and their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/i-strongly-support-extending-current-student-loan-interest-rates-and/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) [Explore all 15 Scott Howell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) ## More Bankrupt quotes > [“Forcing new loans upon the bankrupt on condition that they shrink their income is nothing short of cruel and unusual punishment. Greece was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanis-varoufakis/forcing-new-loans-upon-the-bankrupt-on-condition-that-they-shrink/) [Yanis Varoufakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanis-varoufakis/) > [“The single best predictor that a family would go bankrupt was if they had a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-single-best-predictor-that-a-family-would-go-bankrupt-was-if-they/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/sarcasm-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-imaginatively-bankrupt/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The worst bankrupt in the world is the man who has lost his enthusiasm. Let a man lose everything else in the world, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-arnold/the-worst-bankrupt-in-the-world-is-the-man-who-has-lost-his/) [William Howard Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-arnold/) > [I have never gone bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-never-gone-bankrupt/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I've developed a lot of reform proposals myself and been accused of trying to destroy Social Security, when the whole point was to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-ve-developed-a-lot-of-reform-proposals-myself-and-been-accused-of/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Its bad when men have money for cars, rims , shoes and etc. But when it comes to feeding their child or supporting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kale-bell/its-bad-when-men-have-money-for-cars-rims-shoes-and-etc-but-when-it/) [Kale Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kale-bell/) > [ Not every company went bankrupt. Not every bank needed TARP \[Troubled Asset Relief Program\]. So I'm very proud that JPMorgan, throughout that time period,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/not-every-company-went-bankrupt-not-every-bank-needed-tarp-troubled/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Every city and town in America would be bankrupt if they kept their books the way private-sector companies keep their books - because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-city-and-town-in-america-would-be-bankrupt-if-they-kept-their/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [There is an old saying, "How did you go bankrupt?" And the answer is, "Gradually, and then suddenly." The impending fiscal crisis in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/there-is-an-old-saying-how-did-you-go-bankrupt-and-the-answer-is/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Let us not bankrupt our todays by paying interest on the regrets of yesterday and by borrowing in advance the troubles of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-w-sockman-2/let-us-not-bankrupt-our-todays-by-paying-interest-on-the-regrets-of/) [Ralph W. Sockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-w-sockman-2/) > [“Why is this such a well-kept secret? The core issue is that we don't believe we're still spiritually "bankrupt." Having come into God's kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/why-is-this-such-a-well-kept-secret-the-core-issue-is-that-we-don-t/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [I was spiritually bankrupt, and when that happens, it's like a spiritual cancer afflicts you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/i-was-spiritually-bankrupt-and-when-that-happens-it-s-like-a/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“I’m bankrupt without love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/i-m-bankrupt-without-love/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) [Browse all 144 Bankrupt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bankrupt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd be bankrupt.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Howell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-for-36-years-we-d-be-bankrupt/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bankrupt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-for-36-years-we-d-be-bankrupt/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/scott-howell-32190_bankrupt_at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-fo_443803.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd be bankrupt.” — Scott Howell", "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": "Scott Howell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "At IBM, if we kept our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-for-36-years-we-d-be-bankrupt/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/at-ibm-if-we-kept-our-same-leadership-for-36-years-we-d-be-bankrupt/#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 } } ] } ```