C. Northcote Parkinson Quotes

If you look at any kind of modern organization and you think, 'What are the foremost tools of power?' You will find that it is information.

In all legislative assemblies, the greater the number composing them may be, the fewer will be the men who will in fact direct their proceedings.

A committee should consist of three men, two of whom are absent.

There are lots of people shaping decisions, and so if we want to predict correctly, we have to pay attention to everybody who is trying to shape the outcome, not just the people at the pinnacle of the decision-making pyramid.

When you're in the minority, it doesn't matter what you're agenda is, you're not going to have the degree of freedom that you have as a member of the majority.

In the case of maternal health care, you look at, well naturally, it's the mother who's the customer, who makes the decisions. But in truth, the mother in many areas, in certain parts of India, the mother has very little decision-making power at all. The real decision-maker is the mother-in-law.

In a network situation, a vice president, while he's shaving, can decide your history.

Committees have become so important nowadays that subcommittees have to be appointed to do the work.

And the inner dynamics of Hollywood are like politics. Say you give a script to a group of executives - they all sit around, afraid to voice an opinion, saying nothing, waiting to know what the consensus is. Just like focus groups, opinion polls or a cabinet.

Most discussions of decision making assume that only senior executives make decisions or that only senior executives' decisions matter. This is a dangerous mistake.

No matter how many or how few people you have reporting to you, you must remember that as you climb higher in the ranks, your words will be taken as commands even if you're just thinking out loud.

Too many problem-solving sessions become battlegrounds where decisions are made based on power rather than intelligence.

The views of several individuals are assuredly preferable to one man, even as the power of a number of men is of course greater than the power of one man.

If in the first group of people who have gathered, unanimity is not achieved, new people shall be added, after which a group equal in number to the Greatest Name or fewer or greater shall be chosen from their midst by lots; whereupon the consultation shall be renewed; whatever is the result shall be obeyed. If the second time opinions again differ, repeat the process a third time. This time obey the majority vote.

While one has to work from the roots upwards to build a solid organization, at the start one has no choice but to work from the top downwards, since until individuals had learnt to think for themselves, masses could be manipulated.

The higher rank of a committee member who proposes an amendment, the greater the chances of that amendment getting accepted regardless of its merit.

How a minority, reaching majority, seizing authority, hates a minority.

There is little leadership or followership on the Hill.

With five votes and you can get anything around here.

Structure is not about moving boxes around on a chart. Structure is about power.

There were differences of opinion, but the only opinion that mattered was the President’s opinion.

If three come together let them pick a leader.

A committee is not a good instrument for final judgment.

A lot of companies have teams, but they are not really independent. They still have to get stuff approved by the boss. You have to change how and where decisions are made. If the hierarchy makes the decision, it will be based on politics.

The secretariat will play a pivotal role in decision-making above a certain level, where basic policies are involved, but below that, we will have to leave the implementation to whoever is in charge.