--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't hear things that are bad about…" description: "\"You don't hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear good tidings, but you have to scratch to get the bad news.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/thomas-j-watson-22867_bad-company_you-don-t-hear-things-that-are-bad-about_182858.png" --- # You don't hear things that are bad about your company… ![“You don't hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear good tidings, but you have to scratch to get the bad news.” quote by Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/thomas-j-watson-22867_bad-company_you-don-t-hear-things-that-are-bad-about_182858.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/thomas-j-watson-22867_bad-company_you-don-t-hear-things-that-are-bad-about_182858.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/thomas-j-watson-22867_bad-company_you-don-t-hear-things-that-are-bad-about_182858.png) > “You don't hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear good tidings, but you have to scratch to get the bad news.” [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feedback loops require proactive inquiry; without seeking criticism, problems stay hidden. **In simple terms:** Ask for bad news to uncover issues. Key Takeaway Seek honest feedback regularly. Themes communication leadership organizational health Mood reflective pragmatic Type business leadership When to use this quote - team meetings - performance reviews - customer complaints Key Concepts feedback loops critical inquiry transparency Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure candid feedback? - How can leaders encourage whistleblowing? A Different Perspective People may with to protect you from negative news. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-company/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) ## Related quotes > [Then God sends us such a messenger who appears to us in spirit, warns us, consoles us, teaches us, and brings us His good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/then-god-sends-us-such-a-messenger-who-appears-to-us-in-spirit-warns/) [Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/) > [No man ever came to an experience which was satiating, but his good is tidings of a better. Onward and onward!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-ever-came-to-an-experience-which-was-satiating-but-his-good-is/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [EVANGELIST, n. A bearer of good tidings, particularly (in a religious sense) such as assure us of our own salvation and the damnation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/evangelist-n-a-bearer-of-good-tidings-particularly-in-a-religious/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [It's pretty easy to hear what people are physically responding to versus what's just flat as a pancake in the room when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-banks/it-s-pretty-easy-to-hear-what-people-are-physically-responding-to/) [Elizabeth Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-banks/) > [“It's easy to hear words. It's another thing to accept them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/it-s-easy-to-hear-words-it-s-another-thing-to-accept-them/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“Bad news doesn't hurt as much, if you hear it in good company. It's like, if somebody pushes you out of a 5th floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gaffney/bad-news-doesn-t-hurt-as-much-if-you-hear-it-in-good-company-it-s/) [Patricia Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gaffney/) > [“There is only one good thing science ever discovered—a good thing, good tidings of great joy— that the world is round.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/there-is-only-one-good-thing-science-ever-discovered-a-good-thing/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/how-beautiful-on-the-mountains-are-the-feet-of-those-who-bring-good/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/climb-the-mountains-and-get-their-good-tidings/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Climb the mountains and get there good tidings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/climb-the-mountains-and-get-there-good-tidings/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [I want to hear good things. I don't want to hear any negative things about me. It makes me look bad. It makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-want-to-hear-good-things-i-don-t-want-to-hear-any-negative-things/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I'd go to hell to hear a good band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bix-beiderbecke/i-d-go-to-hell-to-hear-a-good-band/) [Bix Beiderbecke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bix-beiderbecke/) > [Hearkners, we say, seldom hear good of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/hearkners-we-say-seldom-hear-good-of-themselves/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [I think wherever you go, when people hear good music, they will react to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-think-wherever-you-go-when-people-hear-good-music-they-will-react/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Not everything you hear is good for talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrthrill/not-everything-you-hear-is-good-for-talk/) Mrthrill ## More by Thomas J. Watson > [All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/all-the-problems-of-the-world-could-be-settled-easily-if-men-were/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/whenever-an-individual-or-a-business-decides-that-success-has-been/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [It was courage, faith, endurance and a dogged determination to surmount all obstacles that built this bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/it-was-courage-faith-endurance-and-a-dogged-determination-to-surmount/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Design must reflect the practical and aesthetic in business but above all... good design must primarily serve people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/design-must-reflect-the-practical-and-aesthetic-in-business-but-above/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Treat each case as an individual case, and give every man an opportunity to earn just as much money as he is capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/treat-each-case-as-an-individual-case-and-give-every-man-an/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [It is a common mistake to think of failure as the enemy of success. Failure is a teacher-a harsh one, but the best. Pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/it-is-a-common-mistake-to-think-of-failure-as-the-enemy-of-success/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [When asked how to achieve success more rapidly, came the quick reply, 'Double your failure rate'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/when-asked-how-to-achieve-success-more-rapidly-came-the-quick-reply/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Really big people are, above everything else, courteous, considerate and generous - not just to some people in some circumstances - but to everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/really-big-people-are-above-everything-else-courteous-considerate-and/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [The best way to supervise your men is from their reports that they make out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/the-best-way-to-supervise-your-men-is-from-their-reports-that-they/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/wisdom-is-the-power-to-put-our-time-and-our-knowledge-to-the-proper/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/follow-the-path-of-the-unsafe-independent-thinker-expose-your-ideas-2/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Success is on the far side of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/success-is-on-the-far-side-of-failure/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [A manager is an assistant to his men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/a-manager-is-an-assistant-to-his-men/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Failure is a teacher; a harsh one, but the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/failure-is-a-teacher-a-harsh-one-but-the-best/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [The toughest thing about the power of trust is that it's very difficult to build and very easy to destroy. The essence of trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/the-toughest-thing-about-the-power-of-trust-is-that-it-s-very/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) [Explore all 26 Thomas J. Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) ## More Bad company quotes > [“For those people whose association is harmful to the Self (kusangi), there is no better respectful fear (taap) than that of satsang (spiritual company).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/for-those-people-whose-association-is-harmful-to-the-self-kusangi/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Being alone sometimes is better than being with bad company and still be alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silence/being-alone-sometimes-is-better-than-being-with-bad-company-and-still/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silence/) > [I got the idea for the song 'Bad Company' when I saw a poster for the Jeff Bridges movie, and it reminded of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-got-the-idea-for-the-song-bad-company-when-i-saw-a-poster-for-the/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [Loneliness is better than bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loneliness-is-better-than-bad-company/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What would happen to a body that was starved, suffocated and then forced to drink poison? It would first suffer and then die an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/what-would-happen-to-a-body-that-was-starved-suffocated-and-then/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [ “Competition is a bad company \[kusang, the company which will bring our downfall\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/competition-is-a-bad-company-kusang-the-company-which-will-bring-our/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Plantations of good morals are easily captivated, colonized and corrupted by the pests of a bad company. Spray away bad companies and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/plantations-of-good-morals-are-easily-captivated-colonized-and/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Sometimes we're better off alone rather than with bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-re-better-off-alone-rather-than-with-bad-company/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Much harm may result from bad company and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse rather than what is better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-teresa-of-avila/much-harm-may-result-from-bad-company-and-we-are-inclined-by-nature/) [Saint Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-teresa-of-avila/) > [An honest heart is not to be trusted with itself in bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/an-honest-heart-is-not-to-be-trusted-with-itself-in-bad-company/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [When we formed Bad Company, I looked around and asked, 'Who is the biggest rock band in the world?' The answer was undoubtedly Led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/when-we-formed-bad-company-i-looked-around-and-asked-who-is-the/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [To be of good quality, you have to excuse yourself from the presence of shallow and callow minded individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-of-good-quality-you-have-to-excuse-yourself-from-the-presence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Announcing the intended arrival of some people is kind of like issuing a hurricane warning. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/announcing-the-intended-arrival-of-some-people-is-kind-of-like/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/associate-yourself-with-people-of-good-quality-for-it-is-better-to-be/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Better off alone than in bad company.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salla-simukka/better-off-alone-than-in-bad-company/) [Salla Simukka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salla-simukka/) [Browse all 78 Bad company quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-company/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear good tidings, but you have to scratch to get the bad news.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas J. 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