--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was what collaboration meant for…" description: "\"“That was what collaboration meant for Steve Woz: the ability to share a donut and a brainwave with his laid-back, nonjudgmental, poorly dressed collea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg" --- # That was what collaboration meant for Steve Woz: the… ![“That was what collaboration meant for Steve Woz: the ability to share a donut and a brainwave with his laid-back, nonjudgmental, poorly dressed colleagues—who minded not a whit when he disappeared into his cubicle to get the real work done.” quote by Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg) > ““That was what collaboration meant for Steve Woz: the ability to share a donut and a brainwave with his laid-back, nonjudgmental, poorly dressed colleagues—who minded not a whit when he disappeared into his cubicle to get the real work done.”” [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collaboration is about sharing ideas and moments, allowing others to work independently while contributing to a common goal. **In simple terms:** Teamwork lets ideas flow while each person focuses on their part. Key Takeaway Embrace shared moments, trust others’ focus. Themes teamwork trust creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type advice observational When to use this quote - product development - brainstorming sessions - remote teamwork - creative problem solving Key Concepts collaboration psychology workplace dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance shared insight with individual responsibility? - What safeguards ensure all voices are heard? A Different Perspective Collaboration can mask unequal contributions if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) ## Related quotes > [In joint scientific efforts extending over twenty years, initially in collaboration with J. C. Shaw at the RAND Corporation, and subsequently with numerous faculty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-newell/in-joint-scientific-efforts-extending-over-twenty-years-initially-in/) [Allen Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-newell/) > [People put on their earphones, they lay out their phones, they put - open up their computers, and they convince themselves that they're most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/people-put-on-their-earphones-they-lay-out-their-phones-they-put-open/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [Love is essential; gregariousness is optional. Cherish your nearest and dearest. Work with colleagues you like and respect. Scan new acquaintances for those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/love-is-essential-gregariousness-is-optional-cherish-your-nearest-and/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [I'm glad that, despite everything, I was able to get work done and finish something. I never finish anything. So just being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-cole-smith/i-m-glad-that-despite-everything-i-was-able-to-get-work-done-and/) [Zachary Cole Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-cole-smith/) > [Sometimes I feel like just to get all my own work done would be great. You always feel like you're behind, and they're six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-burger/sometimes-i-feel-like-just-to-get-all-my-own-work-done-would-be-great/) [Neil Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-burger/) > [“all human work (especially excellent work), done by all people, as a channel of God’s love for his world. They will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/all-human-work-especially-excellent-work-done-by-all-people-as-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I am making my television debut with 'Dream Girl,' and hence, this role is very important for me. The uniqueness of my character prompted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-dutta/i-am-making-my-television-debut-with-dream-girl-and-hence-this-role/) [Nikita Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-dutta/) > [Never do any work for free or get any work done for free if you are good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/never-do-any-work-for-free-or-get-any-work-done-for-free-if-you-are/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [I love computers. I love writing on them. I love gadgetry. The thing is: I am a slow reader. So, if I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-love-computers-i-love-writing-on-them-i-love-gadgetry-the-thing-is/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [When his (the good ruler's) task is accomplished and his work done, The people all say, "It happened to us naturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-his-the-good-ruler-s-task-is-accomplished-and-his-work-done-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There are actresses who've had expensive work done and look great, so I'm not holier-than-thou about it. But it wouldn't be for me, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-imrie/there-are-actresses-who-ve-had-expensive-work-done-and-look-great-so/) [Celia Imrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-imrie/) > [Most celebrities are not going to admit they had work done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nassif/most-celebrities-are-not-going-to-admit-they-had-work-done/) [Paul Nassif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nassif/) > [“For some employers, there is no more glorious work than work done for free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/for-some-employers-there-is-no-more-glorious-work-than-work-done-for/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [God doesn't love me any more or less because I had some work done on my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/god-doesn-t-love-me-any-more-or-less-because-i-had-some-work-done-on/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“I hope we're not intruding,' she croons, sweetly. "Well, I say, "I was trying to get a little work done." I give T.J. a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-grunwald/i-hope-we-re-not-intruding-she-croons-sweetly-well-i-say-i-was-trying/) [Lisa Grunwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-grunwald/) ## More by Susan Cain > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“where we fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Our place on this continuum influences our choice of friends and mates, and how we make conversation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/where-we-fall-on-the-introvert-extrovert-spectrum-our-place-on-this/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“I worry that there are people who are put in positions of authority because they’re good talkers, but they don’t have good ideas,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-worry-that-there-are-people-who-are-put-in-positions-of-authority/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“He believes, as most of us do, that venting anger lets off steam. The “catharsis hypothesis”—that aggression builds up inside us until it’s healthily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/he-believes-as-most-of-us-do-that-venting-anger-lets-off-steam-the/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Soft power is not limited to moral exemplars like Mahatma Gandhi. Consider, for example, the much-ballyhooed excellence of Asians in fields like math and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/soft-power-is-not-limited-to-moral-exemplars-like-mahatma-gandhi/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Events like this don't give me the sense of oneness others seem to enjoy; it's always been private occasions that make me feel connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/events-like-this-don-t-give-me-the-sense-of-oneness-others-seem-to/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Social anxiety disorder”—which essentially means pathological shyness—is now thought to afflict nearly one in five of us. The most recent version of the Diagnostic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/social-anxiety-disorder-which-essentially-means-pathological-shyness/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Potential clients would walk out of Charlie’s office scared”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/potential-clients-would-walk-out-of-charlie-s-office-scared/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“So when introverts assume the observer role, as when they write novels, or contemplate unified field theory- or fall quiet at dinner parties- they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/so-when-introverts-assume-the-observer-role-as-when-they-write-novels/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Osborn’s theory had great impact, and company leaders took up brainstorming with enthusiasm. To this day, it’s common for anyone who spends time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/osborn-s-theory-had-great-impact-and-company-leaders-took-up/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we've turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/extroversion-is-an-enormously-appealing-personality-style-but-we-ve/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“But as the word satyagraha implies, Gandhi’s passivity was not weakness at all. It meant focusing on an ultimate goal and refusing to divert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/but-as-the-word-satyagraha-implies-gandhi-s-passivity-was-not/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“The Extrovert Ideal has been documented in many studies, though this research has never been grouped under a single name. Talkative people, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/the-extrovert-ideal-has-been-documented-in-many-studies-though-this/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation. As the influential psychologist Hans Eysenck once observed, introversion “concentrates the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/introverts-prefer-to-work-independently-and-solitude-can-be-a/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [ “People who tend to \[suppress their negative emotions\] regularly,” concludes Grob, “might start to see the world in a more negative light.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/people-who-tend-to-suppress-their-negative-emotions-regularly/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) [Explore all 428 Susan Cain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) ## More Collaboration quotes > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [Today's world requires a different leadership style - more collaboration and teamwork, including using Web 2.0 technologies. If you had told me I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/today-s-world-requires-a-different-leadership-style-more/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [“Damn, amigo. Just how much Oprah have you been watching since I’ve been gone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-adrian/damn-amigo-just-how-much-oprah-have-you-been-watching-since-i-ve-been/) [Lara Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-adrian/) > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [On any collaboration, you want to respect your music and the other's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nam/on-any-collaboration-you-want-to-respect-your-music-and-the-other-s/) [Eric Nam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nam/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) Sindiwe Magona > [Steadman! Any guy that's got Oprah as a girlfriend, I mean that's a good dude. I want to talk to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bush/steadman-any-guy-that-s-got-oprah-as-a-girlfriend-i-mean-that-s-a/) [Billy Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bush/) > [There are a lot of people whove been able to ditch their Windows machines and switch over to Linux because they can now use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-friedman/there-are-a-lot-of-people-whove-been-able-to-ditch-their-windows/) [Nat Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-friedman/) > [I realized that what I was looking for was doing collaborations with other people - people who can play a ballad, rock, jazz. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-realized-that-what-i-was-looking-for-was-doing-collaborations-with/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I've done loads of collaborations and I'm never totally happy with the outcome because it feels like you're compromising something of yourself in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-mohawke/i-ve-done-loads-of-collaborations-and-i-m-never-totally-happy-with/) Hudson Mohawke > [“With commitment and vision, it is possible to build a bridge between potential partners and communities whose work is of relevance to peace-building initiatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/with-commitment-and-vision-it-is-possible-to-build-a-bridge-between/) [Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/) > [I love mixing amateurs and professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lasse-hallstrom/i-love-mixing-amateurs-and-professionals/) [Lasse Hallstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lasse-hallstrom/) > [Working together precedes winning together...collaboration is multiplication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/working-together-precedes-winning-together-collaboration-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) [Browse all 1,240 Collaboration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That was what collaboration meant for Steve Woz: the ability to share a donut and a brainwave with his laid-back, nonjudgmental, poorly dressed colleagues—who minded not a whit when he disappeared into his cubicle to get the real work done.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Cain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-steve-woz-the-ability-to-share/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Collaboration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-steve-woz-the-ability-to-share/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/susan-cain-647_collaboration_that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-st_566924.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That was what collaboration meant for Steve Woz: the ability to share a donut and a brainwave with his…” — Susan Cain", "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": "Susan Cain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That was what collaboration meant for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-steve-woz-the-ability-to-share/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/that-was-what-collaboration-meant-for-steve-woz-the-ability-to-share/#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 } } ] } ```