--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important figures for management…" description: "\"The most important figures for management of any organization are unknown and unknowable.\" — W. Edwards Deming" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/w-edwards-deming-1337_figures_the-most-important-figures-for-managemen_693157.jpg" --- # The most important figures for management of any… ![“The most important figures for management of any organization are unknown and unknowable.” quote by W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/w-edwards-deming-1337_figures_the-most-important-figures-for-managemen_693157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/w-edwards-deming-1337_figures_the-most-important-figures-for-managemen_693157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/w-edwards-deming-1337_figures_the-most-important-figures-for-managemen_693157.jpg) > “The most important figures for management of any organization are unknown and unknowable.” [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. Key contributors to organizational success are often invisible and cannot be fully known. **In simple terms:** Important management figures are unknown and unknowable. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of knowledge about leadership. Themes leadership uncertainty management theory Mood analytical thoughtful Type theoretical strategic When to use this quote - strategic planning - risk assessment - team building Key Concepts systems thinking organizational dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify hidden influencers? - What strategies mitigate uncertainty? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on unknowns may hinder decisive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Unknowable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unknowable/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest losses are unknown and unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-greatest-losses-are-unknown-and-unknowable/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The most important measures are both unknown and unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-most-important-measures-are-both-unknown-and-unknowable/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“Life is the unknown and the unknowable, except that we are put into this world to eat, to stay alive as lone as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/life-is-the-unknown-and-the-unknowable-except-that-we-are-put-into/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Ralph Gomory, the President of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, proposes a tripartite division of science: the known, the unknown, and the unknowable. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-traub/ralph-gomory-the-president-of-the-alfred-p-sloan-foundation-proposes/) Joseph Traub > [Now I am the unknown, the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/now-i-am-the-unknown-the-unknowable/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I try to be one of the exceptional people who can live with the complexity of things, who are at peace with the unknown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-corrigan/i-try-to-be-one-of-the-exceptional-people-who-can-live-with-the/) [Kelly Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-corrigan/) > [It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/it-is-this-belief-in-a-power-larger-than-myself-and-other-than-myself/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“The Unknown is not the Unknowable; it need not remain the unknown for us, unless we choose ignorance or persist in our first limitations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-unknown-is-not-the-unknowable-it-need-not-remain-the-unknown-for/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [One cannot be successful on visible figures alone ... the most important figures that one needs for management are unknown or unknowable, but successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/one-cannot-be-successful-on-visible-figures-alone-the-most-important/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [I went to government for making these changes. I remember a number of guys among these important figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/i-went-to-government-for-making-these-changes-i-remember-a-number-of/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [Chanel, General De Gaulle and Picasso are the three most important figures of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/chanel-general-de-gaulle-and-picasso-are-the-three-most-important/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [There is the unknown and the unknowable which propounds all creation. This we cannot love , we can only accept it as a term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/there-is-the-unknown-and-the-unknowable-which-propounds-all-creation/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [“Identity confusion... is as if somebody lost their mental road map and has no appreciation of who they are or what is going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-chefetz/identity-confusion-is-as-if-somebody-lost-their-mental-road-map-and/) Richard A. Chefetz > [It is strange to reflect how much energy is thrown away in attempting to know the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barber-lightfoot/it-is-strange-to-reflect-how-much-energy-is-thrown-away-in-attempting/) [Joseph Barber Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barber-lightfoot/) > [“Our lives were limitless and unknowable, not perfect, but ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/our-lives-were-limitless-and-unknowable-not-perfect-but-ours/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) ## 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 Figures quotes > [The tough thing about radio is I've met a lot of people in it who like my music. But it's hard for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-isaak/the-tough-thing-about-radio-is-i-ve-met-a-lot-of-people-in-it-who/) [Chris Isaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-isaak/) > [I was always anti-marriage. I didn't understand monogamy. I couldn't figure out how that could last. And then I met Bryn and I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bello/i-was-always-anti-marriage-i-didn-t-understand-monogamy-i-couldn-t/) [Maria Bello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bello/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [My life is a crystal teardrop. There are snowflakes falling in the teardrop and little figures trudging in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/my-life-is-a-crystal-teardrop-there-are-snowflakes-falling-in-the/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [The best way to hold customers is to constantly figure out how to give them more for less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-best-way-to-hold-customers-is-to-constantly-figure-out-how-to/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [What do you want for your life? And how are you going to get it? Figure that out. And then follow me to gloryville.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-ellis/what-do-you-want-for-your-life-and-how-are-you-going-to-get-it-figure/) [Jason Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-ellis/) > [I don't have to figure out how God is going to solve my problem. I don't have to understand how He's going to bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-don-t-have-to-figure-out-how-god-is-going-to-solve-my-problem-i-don/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [ \[Hitler thought\] that Mussolini was no figure of world history, like der Fuehrer or Stalin. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/hitler-thought-that-mussolini-was-no-figure-of-world-history-like-der/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [The thing about a pick-up line is, even if it works, then what? I just figure you unapologetically be yourself, and if it works,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skylar-astin/the-thing-about-a-pick-up-line-is-even-if-it-works-then-what-i-just/) [Skylar Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skylar-astin/) > [Anderson sent me to give you this he said. I believe the subtext was kiss and makeup. This time I was sure I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-black/anderson-sent-me-to-give-you-this-he-said-i-believe-the-subtext-was/) [Jenna Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-black/) > [It's a lot of money, but in reality what's important is the kids health. I suppose the day could come where we could walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-carter/it-s-a-lot-of-money-but-in-reality-what-s-important-is-the-kids/) Jeff Carter > [I've used Twitter now and again to try to figure something out; it's an amazing resource. But I think you have to use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-ve-used-twitter-now-and-again-to-try-to-figure-something-out-it-s/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [The figure of the enthusiast who has just discovered jogging or a new way to fix tofu can be said to stand or, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-figure-of-the-enthusiast-who-has-just-discovered-jogging-or-a-new/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) Browse all 4,696 Figures quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most important figures for management of any organization are unknown and unknowable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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