--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you have hierarchy you need rules to…" description: "\"Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and you end up with some k..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/william-p-young-3038_chain-of-command_once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-t_25369.jpg" --- # Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and… ![“Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and you end up with some kind of chain of command or system of order that destroys relationship rather than promotes it. Hierarchy imposes laws and rules and you end up…” quote by William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/william-p-young-3038_chain-of-command_once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-t_25369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/william-p-young-3038_chain-of-command_once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-t_25369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/william-p-young-3038_chain-of-command_once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-t_25369.jpg) > “Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and you end up with some kind of chain of command or system of order that destroys relationship rather than promotes it. Hierarchy imposes laws and rules and you end up missing the wonder of relationship that we intended for you.” [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hierarchy creates structures that prioritize control over genuine connection, turning relationships into mechanisms of order rather than sources of wonder. **In simple terms:** Control eclipses connection Key Takeaway Rules can stifle relational depth Themes Power dynamics Social organization Human connection Authority Structure Freedom Mood Reflective Cautious Critical Type Philosophical Sociological Observational When to use this quote - Corporate management - Government bureaucracy - Family dynamics - Educational institutions - Religious hierarchies Key Concepts Hierarchy Law Enforcement Relationship Practical Applications - Designing flatter organizations - Cultivating relational leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance necessary structure with relational vitality? - What practices preserve wonder within hierarchical systems? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chain of command](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chain-of-command/) [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [Part of the beauty and much of the moral seriousness of sport derives from the severe justice of strenuous play in a circumscribed universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/part-of-the-beauty-and-much-of-the-moral-seriousness-of-sport-derives/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [We've got to abide by the rules. We have to protect it. The game of golf at a professional level is so clean. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-norman/we-ve-got-to-abide-by-the-rules-we-have-to-protect-it-the-game-of/) [Greg Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-norman/) > [Oh, propriety," says Mrs Benjamin. "We're always so concerned with propriety. Even in total madness, we still stick to our hierarchies and chains of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/oh-propriety-says-mrs-benjamin-we-re-always-so-concerned-with/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [Jesus picked up the conversation. "As the crowning glory of creation, you were made in Our image, unencumbered by structure and free to simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-picked-up-the-conversation-as-the-crowning-glory-of-creation/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“stairwell and started the climb to the seventh floor. He was knackered by the time they got to the third, but his agitation drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-robson/stairwell-and-started-the-climb-to-the-seventh-floor-he-was-knackered/) Roy Robson > [When I was working in the Pentagon, I had to own the recommendations I made up the chain of command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elissa-slotkin/when-i-was-working-in-the-pentagon-i-had-to-own-the-recommendations-i/) [Elissa Slotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elissa-slotkin/) > [Military investigations are designed not to find anyone guilty. And you can't investigate up the chain of command, which is a huge impediment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/military-investigations-are-designed-not-to-find-anyone-guilty-and/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [“Type II trauma also often occurs within a closed context - such as a family, a religious group, a workplace, a chain of command,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-a-courtois/type-ii-trauma-also-often-occurs-within-a-closed-context-such-as-a/) [Christine A. Courtois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-a-courtois/) > [It has to come out of the chain of command, because the chain of command has really become impotent. The chain of command is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-coughlin/it-has-to-come-out-of-the-chain-of-command-because-the-chain-of/) Paula Coughlin > [I've been deeply concerned that to date no individuals have been convicted for the brutal killing of three United States citizens, the Bytyqi brothers:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-engel/i-ve-been-deeply-concerned-that-to-date-no-individuals-have-been/) [Eliot Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-engel/) > [You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat ya with until you realize who's in ruttin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baldwin/you-know-what-the-chain-of-command-is-it-s-the-chain-i-go-get-and/) [Adam Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baldwin/) > [“Justice can only be delivered by someone who doesn't care about how much he's paid, or where he is in the chain of command.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-victoria/justice-can-only-be-delivered-by-someone-who-doesn-t-care-about-how/) Eliza Victoria > [There's a certain way you stand to give yourself authority, which gives you the texture for the part. I chose that my character hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goddard/there-s-a-certain-way-you-stand-to-give-yourself-authority-which/) [Mark Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goddard/) > [“The chain of command, I wear it around my neck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-chain-of-command-i-wear-it-around-my-neck/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Then it hits me… And it hits me with the force of a blow. I am maybe fifteen years old. I am a girl.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-meyer/then-it-hits-me-and-it-hits-me-with-the-force-of-a-blow-i-am-maybe/) [L.A. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-meyer/) ## More by William P. Young > [I don't want my kids growing up with the image of God that I had -- Plato's white grandfatherly god -- because that god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-want-my-kids-growing-up-with-the-image-of-god-that-i-had/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Because you continue to inhabit and believe your metaphors, you cannot see what is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/because-you-continue-to-inhabit-and-believe-your-metaphors-you-cannot/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“(Jesus speaking) "An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-speaking-an-awful-lot-of-what-is-done-in-my-name-has-nothing-to/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [This life is only the anteroom of a greater reality to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/this-life-is-only-the-anteroom-of-a-greater-reality-to-come/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I often find that getting head issues out of the way first makes the heart stuff easier to work on later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-often-find-that-getting-head-issues-out-of-the-way-first-makes-the/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [For me, everything is about Jesus and Father and the Holy Spirit, and relationships, and life is an adventure of faith lived one day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/for-me-everything-is-about-jesus-and-father-and-the-holy-spirit-and/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Relationships are never about power, and one way to avoid the will to hold power over another is to chose to limit to onself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/relationships-are-never-about-power-and-one-way-to-avoid-the-will-to/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [It is my desire and intent to trust the multi-layered good purposes of God than in what humans fabricate out of their need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/it-is-my-desire-and-intent-to-trust-the-multi-layered-good-purposes/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Jesus was always challenging the dogma of religion. So, you know, it's not like I'm out there by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-was-always-challenging-the-dogma-of-religion-so-you-know-it-s/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [If anything matters, then everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/if-anything-matters-then-everything-matters/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-just-want-a-piece-of-you-and-a-piece-of-your-life-even-if-you/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/trust-is-the-fruit-of-a-relationship-in-which-you-know-you-are-loved/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Something in the heart of most human beings simply cannot abide pain inflicted on the innocent, especially children. Even broken men serving in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/something-in-the-heart-of-most-human-beings-simply-cannot-abide-pain/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Look at us human beings: it's so much easier to be right than to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/look-at-us-human-beings-it-s-so-much-easier-to-be-right-than-to-love/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) [Explore all 138 William P. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) ## More Chain of command quotes > [“Then it hits me… And it hits me with the force of a blow. I am maybe fifteen years old. I am a girl.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-meyer/then-it-hits-me-and-it-hits-me-with-the-force-of-a-blow-i-am-maybe/) [L.A. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-meyer/) > [“The chain of command, I wear it around my neck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-chain-of-command-i-wear-it-around-my-neck/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [There's a certain way you stand to give yourself authority, which gives you the texture for the part. I chose that my character hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goddard/there-s-a-certain-way-you-stand-to-give-yourself-authority-which/) [Mark Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goddard/) > [“Justice can only be delivered by someone who doesn't care about how much he's paid, or where he is in the chain of command.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-victoria/justice-can-only-be-delivered-by-someone-who-doesn-t-care-about-how/) Eliza Victoria > [You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat ya with until you realize who's in ruttin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baldwin/you-know-what-the-chain-of-command-is-it-s-the-chain-i-go-get-and/) [Adam Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baldwin/) > [Oh, propriety," says Mrs Benjamin. "We're always so concerned with propriety. Even in total madness, we still stick to our hierarchies and chains of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/oh-propriety-says-mrs-benjamin-we-re-always-so-concerned-with/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [I've been deeply concerned that to date no individuals have been convicted for the brutal killing of three United States citizens, the Bytyqi brothers:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-engel/i-ve-been-deeply-concerned-that-to-date-no-individuals-have-been/) [Eliot Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-engel/) > [It has to come out of the chain of command, because the chain of command has really become impotent. The chain of command is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-coughlin/it-has-to-come-out-of-the-chain-of-command-because-the-chain-of/) Paula Coughlin > [“Type II trauma also often occurs within a closed context - such as a family, a religious group, a workplace, a chain of command,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-a-courtois/type-ii-trauma-also-often-occurs-within-a-closed-context-such-as-a/) [Christine A. Courtois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-a-courtois/) > [Military investigations are designed not to find anyone guilty. And you can't investigate up the chain of command, which is a huge impediment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/military-investigations-are-designed-not-to-find-anyone-guilty-and/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [When I was working in the Pentagon, I had to own the recommendations I made up the chain of command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elissa-slotkin/when-i-was-working-in-the-pentagon-i-had-to-own-the-recommendations-i/) [Elissa Slotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elissa-slotkin/) > [“stairwell and started the climb to the seventh floor. He was knackered by the time they got to the third, but his agitation drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-robson/stairwell-and-started-the-climb-to-the-seventh-floor-he-was-knackered/) Roy Robson > [What you of the CHOAM directorate seem unable to understand is that you seldom find real loyalties in commerce. ... Men must want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/what-you-of-the-choam-directorate-seem-unable-to-understand-is-that/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“The "contempt of cops" by those in their chain of command creates Toxic Boss Blues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-neal/the-contempt-of-cops-by-those-in-their-chain-of-command-creates-toxic/) Steve Neal > [“In our tribunal, we look only at personal criminal responsibility in a very tightly defined, narrow way and we demand proof beyond a resonable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erna-paris/in-our-tribunal-we-look-only-at-personal-criminal-responsibility-in-a/) [Erna Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erna-paris/) [Browse all 61 Chain of command quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chain-of-command/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and you end up with some kind of chain of command or system of order that destroys relationship rather than promotes it. 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