--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The paradox is that by the time you get…" description: "\"The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the decisions that matter the most are the ones that would be best made made by people who are ju..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png" --- # The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the… ![“The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the decisions that matter the most are the ones that would be best made made by people who are junior.” quote by Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png) > “The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the decisions that matter the most are the ones that would be best made made by people who are junior.” [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Senior decisions are best made by junior people. **In simple terms:** Junior staff often have better ideas. Key Takeaway Empower juniors in decision making. Themes leadership experience innovation Mood critical reflective Type analytical practical When to use this quote - business - team projects - career development Key Concepts organizational behavior hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How can senior and junior collaborate? - What barriers exist to junior input? A Different Perspective Experience can be valuable too. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Most discussions of decision making assume that only senior executives make decisions or that only senior executives' decisions matter. This is a dangerous mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/most-discussions-of-decision-making-assume-that-only-senior/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-moorehead/the-paradox-of-our-time-in-history-is-that-we-have-taller-buildings/) Bob Moorehead > [“Ah, yes, the trusty time paradox . If I go back in time and kill my grandfather, then shall I cease to exist? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/ah-yes-the-trusty-time-paradox-if-i-go-back-in-time-and-kill-my/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [“but in public school i learned that it was not only natural but desirable that i should make my own decisions. it was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/but-in-public-school-i-learned-that-it-was-not-only-natural-but/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [No matter what your decisions are, no matter what your votes are, if you're not playing by the rules, you're taking a big risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-moore-capito/no-matter-what-your-decisions-are-no-matter-what-your-votes-are-if-2/) [Shelley Moore Capito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-moore-capito/) > [No matter what your decisions are, no matter what your votes are, if youre not playing by the rules, youre taking a big risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-moore-capito/no-matter-what-your-decisions-are-no-matter-what-your-votes-are-if/) [Shelley Moore Capito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-moore-capito/) > [“Every choice is yours. You and you alone bear the responsibility of your decisions. No matter how great or small they may be. —THE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-choice-is-yours-you-and-you-alone-bear-the-responsibility-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He had made his decision. Later in life Ann would learn that when certain men made decisions no matter how much it might torture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/he-had-made-his-decision-later-in-life-ann-would-learn-that-when/) [Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/) > [Life is about making difficult decisions. No matter how long you put them off, always make the right choice. It will pay off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-about-making-difficult-decisions-no-matter-how-long-you-put/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I moved to New York between my junior and senior years of high school to just see what it was like, to go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-polo/i-moved-to-new-york-between-my-junior-and-senior-years-of-high-school/) [Teri Polo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-polo/) > [When I was little, I used to go to the local ice-skating rink. In my mind, I always felt like I could twirl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/when-i-was-little-i-used-to-go-to-the-local-ice-skating-rink-in-my/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [I'd violated the primary rule of junior and senior high-- don't get people talking about you too much. This was wearing the brightest shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darin-strauss/i-d-violated-the-primary-rule-of-junior-and-senior-high-don-t-get/) [Darin Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darin-strauss/) > [Answer e-mails from junior people before more senior ones. Junior people have further to go and tend to remember who slighted them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/answer-e-mails-from-junior-people-before-more-senior-ones-junior/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Generally, when I am working, I tend to learn from my seniors and juniors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-kapoor/generally-when-i-am-working-i-tend-to-learn-from-my-seniors-and/) [Rishi Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-kapoor/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) ## More by Seth > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“If you become so frightened of realities that are not your own, if you take upon yourselves tragedies that do not exist in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-you-become-so-frightened-of-realities-that-are-not-your-own-if-you/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The connection economy rewards the leader, the initiator, and the rebel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-connection-economy-rewards-the-leader-the-initiator-and-the-rebel/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There is no other way to change your physical reality but by changing your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/there-is-no-other-way-to-change-your-physical-reality-but-by-changing/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The search for the right answer is the enemy of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-search-for-the-right-answer-is-the-enemy-of-art/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [If you do not have a loving concern for the environment... it will no longer sustain you - you will not be worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-you-do-not-have-a-loving-concern-for-the-environment-it-will-no/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The only real help is self-help. Anything else is just designed to get you to the point where you can help yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-only-real-help-is-self-help-anything-else-is-just-designed-to-get/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest thing is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate. – When people ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-easiest-thing-is-to-react-the-second-easiest-thing-is-to-respond/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“Love. It has always seemed to me that love is a combination of lust and pity. (...) I've got to have some feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/love-it-has-always-seemed-to-me-that-love-is-a-combination-of-lust/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [My life is mine and I form it. Tell yourself this often. Create your own life now, using your beliefs as an artist uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/my-life-is-mine-and-i-form-it-tell-yourself-this-often-create-your/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There's a huge difference between the shallow pleasure of instant applause and the long-lasting impact of true connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/there-s-a-huge-difference-between-the-shallow-pleasure-of-instant/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Ideas that spread win. Ideas don't have to be selfish to win, in fact, it turns out that the more generous the interactions an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/ideas-that-spread-win-ideas-don-t-have-to-be-selfish-to-win-in-fact/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [A good job is largely anonymous and forgotten (but still important). A personal job, on the other hand, is humanized. It brings us closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/a-good-job-is-largely-anonymous-and-forgotten-but-still-important-a/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Don’t try to change someone’s worldview is the strategy smart marketers follow. Don’t try to use facts to prove your case and to insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/don-t-try-to-change-someone-s-worldview-is-the-strategy-smart/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) [Explore all 195 Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the decisions that matter the most are the ones that would be best made made by people who are junior.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get-to-be-senior-the-decisions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decision" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get-to-be-senior-the-decisions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/seth-1954_decision_the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get_2957599.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The paradox is that by the time you get to be senior, the decisions that matter the most are the ones that…” — Seth", "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": "Seth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The paradox is that by the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get-to-be-senior-the-decisions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-paradox-is-that-by-the-time-you-get-to-be-senior-the-decisions/#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 } } ] } ```