WIST Quotations

Milne, A. A. -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:26:28 +0000

Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.

A. A. Milne (1882-1956) English poet and playwright [Alan Alexander Milne]
(Attributed)

Widely quoted and attributed to Milne, but I can find no instance of it with an actual, proven citation.

Ross Webber in Management: Basic Elements of Managing Organizations (1979) gives the following:

In A. A. Milne's childhood classic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin tells his group of stuffed-animal friends that before they can search for the North Pole they ought to get organized. Pooh asks what getting organized means, and Christopher replies, "Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up."

All well and good, and Christopher Robin does organize such an expedition ("expotition") to the North Pole in that book -- but never says anything of the sort. It is possible that the line derives from a Disney animated adaptation, but could not confirm this.

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 1072 (1725)

Dave — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:13:50 +0000

Let the Care of one’s Business be committed but to one Person; for otherwise, besides Disagreement which may arise when Account is taken, everyone’s Answer is, That he thought others had done it.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 1072 (1725)
(Source)

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Dave — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:51:19 +0000

Avoid over-coordination. We have all observed months-long delays caused by an effort to bring all activities into complete agreement with a proposed policy or procedure. While the coordinating machinery is slowly grinding away, the original purpose is often lost. The essence of the proposals is being worn down as the persons most concerned impatiently await the decision. The process has been aptly called coordinating to death.

Hyman Rickover (1900-1986) Polish-American naval engineer, admiral [b. Chaim Gdala Rykower]
Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
(Source)