--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So often the problem is in the system…" description: "\"“So often the problem is in the system, not in the people. If you put good people in bad systems, you get bad results. You have to water the flowers yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/stephen-r-covey-1501_good-people_so-often-the-problem-is-in-the-system-no_2810700.jpg" --- # So often the problem is in the system, not in the people… ![“So often the problem is in the system, not in the people. If you put good people in bad systems, you get bad results. You have to water the flowers you want to grow. As people really learn to think Win/Win, they can set up the systems to create and reinforce it. They can transform unnecessarily…” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/stephen-r-covey-1501_good-people_so-often-the-problem-is-in-the-system-no_2810700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/stephen-r-covey-1501_good-people_so-often-the-problem-is-in-the-system-no_2810700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/stephen-r-covey-1501_good-people_so-often-the-problem-is-in-the-system-no_2810700.jpg) > ““So often the problem is in the system, not in the people. If you put good people in bad systems, you get bad results. You have to water the flowers you want to grow. As people really learn to think Win/Win, they can set up the systems to create and reinforce it. They can transform unnecessarily competitive situations to cooperative ones and can powerfully impact their effectiveness”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Systems shape outcomes more than individual effort; good people in bad systems produce poor results, while designing supportive structures yields cooperative success. **In simple terms:** Systems matter more than people alone. Key Takeaway Design supportive systems for win‑win outcomes. Themes leadership systems cooperation effectiveness culture Mood optimistic pragmatic Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - team projects - company restructuring - community initiatives - educational programs Key Concepts Systems thinking win‑win paradigm organizational design Questions to Reflect On - How can you redesign a current process to foster cooperation? - What habits reinforce a win‑win culture? A Different Perspective Even well‑designed systems can fail without ongoing maintenance and cultural alignment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Win win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-win/) ## Related quotes > [If you put good people in bad systems you get bad results. You have to water the flowers you want to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/if-you-put-good-people-in-bad-systems-you-get-bad-results-you-have-to/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“W. Edwards Deming—that arguably, over 90 percent of problems are due to bad systems, not bad people. However, Greenleaf correctly points out that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-greenleaf/w-edwards-deming-that-arguably-over-90-percent-of-problems-are-due-to/) [Robert K. 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Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [The quickest way to grow the sales of your business is to grow your people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/the-quickest-way-to-grow-the-sales-of-your-business-is-to-grow-your/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [People grow. It's okay to grow. Some people find that difficult to grasp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/people-grow-it-s-okay-to-grow-some-people-find-that-difficult-to-grasp/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [In gardens it's not just plants and insects and microbes that grow. People grow too, and the best bit is that they don't realise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/costa-georgiadis/in-gardens-it-s-not-just-plants-and-insects-and-microbes-that-grow/) [Costa Georgiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/costa-georgiadis/) > [To grow, people need to be challenged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/to-grow-people-need-to-be-challenged/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [“If you aren't hiring, the only way for your business to grow is for your people to grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fresia-jackson/if-you-aren-t-hiring-the-only-way-for-your-business-to-grow-is-for/) Fresia Jackson > [“Never build your country, until you build and grow your people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-osman-abbasheikh/never-build-your-country-until-you-build-and-grow-your-people/) Mohamed Osman Abbasheikh > [The more I grow up, the more people can kiss my ass..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/the-more-i-grow-up-the-more-people-can-kiss-my-ass/) Author Name > [Manage by responsibility.It is a powerful way to grow people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/manage-by-responsibility-it-is-a-powerful-way-to-grow-people/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I've always tried to grow people rather than cricketers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-arthur/i-ve-always-tried-to-grow-people-rather-than-cricketers/) [Mickey Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-arthur/) > [Leadership development is about helping people grow, and if I can get people as individuals growing, then I've got a company that grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcnerney/leadership-development-is-about-helping-people-grow-and-if-i-can-get/) [James McNerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcnerney/) ## More by Stephen R. 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Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“So I recommend reading literature, such as the inspiring biography of Anwar Sadat, In Search of Identity, and seeing movies like Chariots of Fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/so-i-recommend-reading-literature-such-as-the-inspiring-biography-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. When relationships are strained and the air charged with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/my-experience-has-been-that-there-are-times-to-teach-and-times-not-to/) [Stephen R. 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Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-every-thousand-hacking-at-the-leaves-of-evil-there-is-one/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination, impatience, criticalness, or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/breaking-deeply-imbedded-habitual-tendencies-such-as-procrastination/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“man you might like to take her out. If you were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/man-you-might-like-to-take-her-out-if-you-were/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Start with the end in mind. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/start-with-the-end-in-mind/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“the very problem created the opportunity to build a deep relationship that empowered us to work together as a strong complementary team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-very-problem-created-the-opportunity-to-build-a-deep-relationship/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) [Explore all 230 Stephen R. Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More Good people quotes > [“Any discussion of money and success would be lacking if I did not state that money is neither good nor bad. In the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/any-discussion-of-money-and-success-would-be-lacking-if-i-did-not/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [From what I have seen, I am driven to the conclusion that religion is only good for good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/from-what-i-have-seen-i-am-driven-to-the-conclusion-that-religion-is/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Constantly look for the good in people and in situations. When you find it, tell the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/constantly-look-for-the-good-in-people-and-in-situations-when-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Life is all about experiences and being able to work with good people is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/life-is-all-about-experiences-and-being-able-to-work-with-good-people/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [Good people do not let others suffer needlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/good-people-do-not-let-others-suffer-needlessly/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Freedom and liberty lose out by default because good people are not vigilant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/freedom-and-liberty-lose-out-by-default-because-good-people-are-not/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [One of the things that I miss about Canada is that even the strangers, you have an immediate rapport, there's just an understanding that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/one-of-the-things-that-i-miss-about-canada-is-that-even-the-strangers/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. 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But such good people won't want to spend their time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-want-to-spend-my-time-with-people-who-don-t-look-to-be-respected/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) [Browse all 2,064 Good people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So often the problem is in the system, not in the people. If you put good people in bad systems, you get bad results. You have to water the flowers you want to grow. As people really learn to think Win/Win, they can set up the systems to create and reinforce it. They can transform unnecessarily competitive situations to cooperative ones and can powerfully impact their effectiveness”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen R. 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