WorkplaceWisdom

Insightful and/or humorous quotes need not come only from the Ancients. What are the sayings that float about at your place of work, and what do they mean?

Also see AncientWisdom

Here's one from where I work now:

The sooner we get behind, the more time we will have to catch up.

--DaveLiebreich 2003.09.02

I will add one from the Amish (How could they have insight into the modern world? You mean, it isn't all that different?)

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.

--DianeGibson 9-2-03

Then there's that Ancient Chinese Saying:

The slow I work, the bigger my behind.

or is it

The faster I eat, the bigger my behind.

-- JerryWeinberg 2003.09.02

The Software Configuration Manager Chant:

If you want software bad, you'll get it.

-- CharlesAdams 2003.09.02

Don't get mad, get well (leave)

DwaynePhillips 3 September 2003

I personally find myself repeating two things as I try to deal with the insanity in this place:

"I can't control the outcome, only my response to what happens..."

And

"He/She/They are a "P" -- a schedule/decision/whatever doesn't MEAN the same thing to them!"

DianeGibson 9-3-03

Ah yes, that reminds me of one.

You don't have to be crazy to work here but it helps.

LaurentBossavit 03.09.03

"No matter where you go, here you are." BobKing 2003.09.03

Thanks, everyone. Now, what does it mean when that particular quote is popular where you work? I'll give it a shot:

The sooner we get behind, the more time we will have to catch up.

Reactive culture.

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.

Probably more proactive - at least one type of short-sightedness is recognized.

You don't have to be crazy to work here but it helps.

Probably an innocuous quote.

The others don't strike me as the kind of quotes that become part of the culture.

Anyone else? How thorough a measure is "what quotes are popular at work?"

Oh, and I really like Don't get mad, get well (leave). Thanks, Dwayne.

--DaveLiebreich 2003.09.03

My favorite at work is "The only hard and fast rule is, there are no other hard and fast rules."

Of course I'm a strong P, and my partner is a strong J. After 20 years I think we're both turning into M's. DonGray 2003.09.17

I'm pink, therefore I'm Spam <- Bad Rob. Shame. DonGray 2003.09.18 ;{)>

RobWyatt 2003.9.17

You vote with your feet. If you don't like it, and they won't listen, you can always work somewhere else!

TroyAzmoon 2005.11.16

Change your organization, or change your organization. -Martin Fowler JbRainsberger 2005.11.17

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare -Japanese Proverb

JoshuaForman 2005.11.18

I've cut this board 3 times and it's still too short. - carpenter's lament

- GeorgeDinwiddie 2005.11.18

"My job is to to help them out or help them out", a first sargent

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny ...'", Isaac Asimov

--CharlesAdams

That reminds me of Milligan's law: "If you notice anything funny, record the amount of funny." reported by Bob Pease.

- GeorgeDinwiddie 2005.11.21

Updated: Monday, November 21, 2005