--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mistakes that people will make are of…" description: "\"The mistakes that people will make are of much less importance than the mistake that management makes if it tells them exactly what to do.\" — William L..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/william-l-mcknight-85322_failure_the-mistakes-that-people-will-make-are-o_2104358.png" --- # The mistakes that people will make are of much less… ![“The mistakes that people will make are of much less importance than the mistake that management makes if it tells them exactly what to do.” quote by William L. McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/william-l-mcknight-85322_failure_the-mistakes-that-people-will-make-are-o_2104358.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/william-l-mcknight-85322_failure_the-mistakes-that-people-will-make-are-o_2104358.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/william-l-mcknight-85322_failure_the-mistakes-that-people-will-make-are-o_2104358.png) > “The mistakes that people will make are of much less importance than the mistake that management makes if it tells them exactly what to do.” William L. McKnight ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Micromanagement stifles initiative; the real error is dictating exact actions, which suppresses creativity and responsibility. **In simple terms:** Being told exactly what to do is worse than occasional mistakes. Key Takeaway Allow autonomy, avoid over‑directing. Themes leadership autonomy decision‑making Mood cautious reflective Type advisory cautionary When to use this quote - team projects - startup environments - product development - customer service Key Concepts micromanagement empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance guidance with freedom? - What safeguards prevent over‑directive policies? A Different Perspective If employees are over‑controlled, they may disengage or innovate less. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Profit is not the proper end and aim of management - it is what makes all of the proper ends and aims possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-packard/profit-is-not-the-proper-end-and-aim-of-management-it-is-what-makes/) [David Packard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-packard/) > [Its strong management that makes players feel comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-tahir/its-strong-management-that-makes-players-feel-comfortable/) [Imran Tahir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-tahir/) > [“Proper time management makes many things possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-nyarangi-akoya/proper-time-management-makes-many-things-possible/) [JOEL NYARANGI AKOYA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-nyarangi-akoya/) > [Politicians make mistakes. People misspeak in public. God knows I have proven both. A lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-rybak/politicians-make-mistakes-people-misspeak-in-public-god-knows-i-have/) R. T. Rybak > [Mistakes are often made when people dont apply the brakes but do allow emotions, lust, and physical attraction to be their guide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/mistakes-are-often-made-when-people-dont-apply-the-brakes-but-do/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [Generally I don't care about what people say. I have to be clear with myself. When everything goes well, people celebrate you, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-vettel/generally-i-don-t-care-about-what-people-say-i-have-to-be-clear-with/) [Sebastian Vettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-vettel/) > [Just because I've written extensively about race doesn't render me incapable of making the same mistakes as the people I've written about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/just-because-i-ve-written-extensively-about-race-doesn-t-render-me/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [“A lot of impulsive mistakes are made by people who simply aren’t willing to stay bored a little longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-aurandt/a-lot-of-impulsive-mistakes-are-made-by-people-who-simply-aren-t/) Paul Aurandt > [Even when I make mistakes and people exploit my mistakes on television or on the Internet, and they use it to make fun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/even-when-i-make-mistakes-and-people-exploit-my-mistakes-on/) [David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/) > [I have never meant a person that was perfect. We all make mistakes. Even the people that think they're perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-never-meant-a-person-that-was-perfect-we-all-make-mistakes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not easy. It's not supposed to be easy. Most people make mistakes. Most people have to learn the hardest lessons more than once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/po-bronson/it-s-not-easy-it-s-not-supposed-to-be-easy-most-people-make-mistakes/) [Po Bronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/po-bronson/) > [I think one of the big mistakes people make is to have fame as one of their main goals. That is the biggest mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-sandoval/i-think-one-of-the-big-mistakes-people-make-is-to-have-fame-as-one-of/) [Hope Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-sandoval/) > [If you want to avoid the usual fate in politics of failure, you need to understand some basic principles about why people make mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/if-you-want-to-avoid-the-usual-fate-in-politics-of-failure-you-need/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [We all make mistakes. Sometimes people slip, but that doesn't mean they're not worthy of the support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/we-all-make-mistakes-sometimes-people-slip-but-that-doesn-t-mean-they/) [Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/) > [The truth was, history repeated itself on a daily basis; mistakes were made over and over. People were haunted by what they had done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-truth-was-history-repeated-itself-on-a-daily-basis-mistakes-were/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by William L. McKnight > [Management that is destructively critical when mistakes are made kills initiative. And it's essential that we have many people with initiative if we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-mcknight/management-that-is-destructively-critical-when-mistakes-are-made/) William L. McKnight > [If you put fences around people, you get sheep. Give people the room they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-mcknight/if-you-put-fences-around-people-you-get-sheep-give-people-the-room/) William L. McKnight Explore all 3 William L. McKnight quotes ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mistakes that people will make are of much less importance than the mistake that management makes if it tells them exactly what to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William L. 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