---
title: A sense of proportion
date: "2010-05-14T08:44:30Z"
lastmod: "2010-05-15T15:37:11Z"
categories:
  - business-realities
wp_id: 2511
description: I struggle with business managers who treat one-in-a-trillion risks as likely events. DHH’s point about maintaining a sense of proportion is essential for avoiding nonsense and focusing on probabilities that actually matter in daily operations.
keywords: [probability, risk management, business strategy, decision making, prioritization, david heinemeier hansson]
---

A quote from [David Heinemeier Hansson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YczGZCTPkRE#t=20m24s):

> So the problem is, a lot of business managers and especially business owners, they have no sense of probability. They can't fathom that concept. So They treat the probability of 1 to 10 trillion as the same as a 1 to a 100. And like, "We've got to deal with this 1 to a trillion probability, because, what if it happens?"
>
> No! Doesn't matter! I mean, don't care.
>
> So as soon as that sense of probability spreads, that people can treat that reasonably, I think all this nonsense just goes away.

This lack of proportion, sadly, is at the heart of my every day problems. (Just watch the video!)

---

## Comments

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- **elbin** _14 May 2010 5:49 pm_:
  Money matters!

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