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Quotes of the Day for 8 June 2012 – Scott Adams
Scott Adams was born at Windham, New York on this day in 1957. A fan of Peanuts, he started drawing cartoons at age six, but was rejected at art school and decided to become a lawyer. Instead, he landed at San Francisco's Crocker Bank where he sprinkled cartoons into his presentations to management. He went to work for Pacific Bell in 1986, characters he met there inspired Dilbert, which was carried by 100 papers in 1991, 400 in 1994. In 1996 he published The Dilbert Principle, the daily strip ran in 800 papers, and he left the phone company. Dilbert now appears in 2,000 papers in 65 countries and 25 languages. Whenever I have any thoughts of seeking employment again, five minutes with Dilbert sets me straight.
You will find an expanded profile, photo, additional biographical links, and all quotes from this author on the author's Notable Quotable page.
The quotes:
Mission Statement: A long awkward sentence that demonstrates management's inability to think clearly.
Most success springs from an obstacle or failure. I became a cartoonist largely because I failed in my goal of becoming a successful executive.
The Dilbert Principle: The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage - Management.
We're a planet of nearly six billion ninnies living in a civilization that was designed by a few thousand amazingly smart deviants.
Nothing defines humans better than their willingness to do irrational things in the pursuit of phenomenally unlikely payoffs. This is the principle behind lotteries, dating, and religion.
There are two essential rules to management. One, the customer is always right; and two, they must be punished for their arrogance.
If you want to kill an idea without being identified as the assassin, suggest that the legal department take a look at it.
All from Scott Adams
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