--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t…" description: "\"It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – a costly myth\" — W. Edwards Deming" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/w-edwards-deming-1337_costly_it-is-wrong-to-suppose-that-if-you-can-t_404909.jpg" --- # It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you… ![“It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – a costly myth” quote by W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/w-edwards-deming-1337_costly_it-is-wrong-to-suppose-that-if-you-can-t_404909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/w-edwards-deming-1337_costly_it-is-wrong-to-suppose-that-if-you-can-t_404909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/w-edwards-deming-1337_costly_it-is-wrong-to-suppose-that-if-you-can-t_404909.jpg) > “It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – a costly myth” [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Measuring is essential for management; believing otherwise is a costly misconception. **In simple terms:** You must measure to manage effectively. Key Takeaway Implement reliable metrics. Themes management measurement efficiency myths Mood analytical cautionary Type professional philosophical When to use this quote - business strategy - quality control - project tracking Key Concepts systems thinking performance metrics continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - What cannot be measured but still matters? - How to balance data with intuition? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on metrics can ignore qualitative factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) ## Related quotes > [“To get more clients, measure what you manage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mininni/to-get-more-clients-measure-what-you-manage/) [Lisa Mininni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mininni/) > [“We help leaders measure and manage culture. Specifically, we help them establish a reliable culture metric, measure the gap between the culture they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-mann/we-help-leaders-measure-and-manage-culture-specifically-we-help-them/) Tanya Mann > [Just because you can measure everything doesn't mean that you should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/just-because-you-can-measure-everything-doesn-t-mean-that-you-should/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Everything good is costly, and the development of the personality is one of the most costly of all things. It will cost you your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-b-kopp/everything-good-is-costly-and-the-development-of-the-personality-is/) [Sheldon B. Kopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-b-kopp/) > [“What do you mean, costly?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/what-do-you-mean-costly/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [There is no peace because the making of peace is at least as costly as the making of war - at least as exigent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-berrigan/there-is-no-peace-because-the-making-of-peace-is-at-least-as-costly/) [Daniel Berrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-berrigan/) > [“The most expensive card you'll hold in your pocket is trust, if used irresponsibly, the charges become costly and the debt is often unforgivable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silent-dugood/the-most-expensive-card-you-ll-hold-in-your-pocket-is-trust-if-used/) Silent Dugood > [Everything good is costly, and the development of personality is one of the most costly of all things. It is a matter of saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/everything-good-is-costly-and-the-development-of-personality-is-one/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Morality is a private and costly luxury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/morality-is-a-private-and-costly-luxury/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [In business, real jobs profitably produce goods and services that people value more highly than their alternatives. Subsidizing inefficient jobs is costly, wastes resources,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/in-business-real-jobs-profitably-produce-goods-and-services-that/) [Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/) > [Most advertisers spend millions upon millions of dollars to buy commercial time during the Super Bowl, and millions in creating eye-popping ads, hoping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/most-advertisers-spend-millions-upon-millions-of-dollars-to-buy/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [“most expensive in the body, second only to the heart. Neurons may be small, but they’re costly to make and maintain, consuming about ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ackerman/most-expensive-in-the-body-second-only-to-the-heart-neurons-may-be/) [Jennifer Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ackerman/) > [Any country that grants asylum to Snowden risks retaliation from the United States, including diplomatic isolation and costly trade sanctions. Several don't seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/any-country-that-grants-asylum-to-snowden-risks-retaliation-from-the/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [“You see, Flavia, silence is sometimes the most costly of commodities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/you-see-flavia-silence-is-sometimes-the-most-costly-of-commodities/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) ## More by W. Edwards Deming > [Absence of defects does not necessarily build business... Something more is required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/absence-of-defects-does-not-necessarily-build-business-something-more/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [In Japan, a company worker's position is secure. He is retrained for another job if his present job is eliminated by productivity improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/in-japan-a-company-worker-s-position-is-secure-he-is-retrained-for/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We are here to make another world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-are-here-to-make-another-world/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Innovation comes from the producer - not from the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/innovation-comes-from-the-producer-not-from-the-customer/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-only-useful-function-of-a-statistician-is-to-make-predictions-and/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A leader is a coach, not a judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-leader-is-a-coach-not-a-judge/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It does not happen all at once. There is no instant pudding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-does-not-happen-all-at-once-there-is-no-instant-pudding/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Sub-optimization is when everyone is for himself. Optimization is when everyone is working to help the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/sub-optimization-is-when-everyone-is-for-himself-optimization-is-when/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We know what we told him, but we don't know what he heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-know-what-we-told-him-but-we-don-t-know-what-he-heard/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Rational behavior requires theory. Reactive behavior requires only reflex action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/rational-behavior-requires-theory-reactive-behavior-requires-only/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A manager of people needs to understand that all people are different. This is not ranking people. He needs to understand that the performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-manager-of-people-needs-to-understand-that-all-people-are-different/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“It is not enough to just do your best or work hard; You must know what to work on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-not-enough-to-just-do-your-best-or-work-hard-you-must-know-what/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [You have to manage a system. The system doesn't manage itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/you-have-to-manage-a-system-the-system-doesn-t-manage-itself/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/two-basic-rules-of-life-are-1-change-is-inevitable-2-everybody/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) [Explore all 255 W. Edwards Deming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## More Costly quotes > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [“You see, Flavia, silence is sometimes the most costly of commodities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/you-see-flavia-silence-is-sometimes-the-most-costly-of-commodities/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [Any country that grants asylum to Snowden risks retaliation from the United States, including diplomatic isolation and costly trade sanctions. Several don't seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/any-country-that-grants-asylum-to-snowden-risks-retaliation-from-the/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [“most expensive in the body, second only to the heart. Neurons may be small, but they’re costly to make and maintain, consuming about ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ackerman/most-expensive-in-the-body-second-only-to-the-heart-neurons-may-be/) [Jennifer Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ackerman/) > [Most advertisers spend millions upon millions of dollars to buy commercial time during the Super Bowl, and millions in creating eye-popping ads, hoping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/most-advertisers-spend-millions-upon-millions-of-dollars-to-buy/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [In business, real jobs profitably produce goods and services that people value more highly than their alternatives. Subsidizing inefficient jobs is costly, wastes resources,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/in-business-real-jobs-profitably-produce-goods-and-services-that/) [Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/) > [Morality is a private and costly luxury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/morality-is-a-private-and-costly-luxury/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Everything good is costly, and the development of personality is one of the most costly of all things. It is a matter of saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/everything-good-is-costly-and-the-development-of-personality-is-one/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“The most expensive card you'll hold in your pocket is trust, if used irresponsibly, the charges become costly and the debt is often unforgivable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silent-dugood/the-most-expensive-card-you-ll-hold-in-your-pocket-is-trust-if-used/) Silent Dugood > [There is no peace because the making of peace is at least as costly as the making of war - at least as exigent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-berrigan/there-is-no-peace-because-the-making-of-peace-is-at-least-as-costly/) [Daniel Berrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-berrigan/) > [“What do you mean, costly?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/what-do-you-mean-costly/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Everything good is costly, and the development of the personality is one of the most costly of all things. It will cost you your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-b-kopp/everything-good-is-costly-and-the-development-of-the-personality-is/) [Sheldon B. Kopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-b-kopp/) > [Our TotalGuide Solution can operate on a wide range of the installed base of legacy set-top boxes without requiring material changes to the underlying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-amoroso/our-totalguide-solution-can-operate-on-a-wide-range-of-the-installed/) [Alfred Amoroso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-amoroso/) > [When your country is in a costly war, with our soldiers sacrificing abroad and our nation facing a debt crisis at home, being asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/when-your-country-is-in-a-costly-war-with-our-soldiers-sacrificing/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [The wearing of costly array is directly opposite to being adorned with good works. Nothing can be more evident than this; for the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/the-wearing-of-costly-array-is-directly-opposite-to-being-adorned/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) Browse all 126 Costly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – a costly myth", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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