Inspiring quotes from famous leaders

1. “I like to hire people who have a specific lane, who do something very well. I hire a lot of people who are smarter than me. If I’m the smartest person in my company, then my company will go nowhere.” – Issa Rae, director, actor and writer

Sure, you want folks on your staff who can multitask. But Rae recognizes that sometimes, you need someone in a specific position who is very, very good at one thing, possibly something that you’re less good at yourself.

Rae also echoes the sentiment that almost all these executives offer: Find the courage to hire people who are smarter, more specialized, or more creative than you are. Those people can see beyond what’s obvious to you and figure out ways to reach business goals that may not occur to you.

2. “I will only hire someone to work directly for me if I would work for that person.” – Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta

Zuckerberg’s approach to hiring shows that he’s humble enough to listen to and take advice from his employees, regardless of their rank. As a boss and leader, it’s your job to not only guide your staff, but also to identify those who can one day lead alongside you – or even fill your role as you move up. Seeking out employees with a knack for leadership and sound judgment can only help you as your team grows.

3. “When you have really good people, you don’t have to baby them. By expecting them to do great things, you can get them to do great things. A-plus players like to work together, and they don’t like it if you tolerate B-grade work.” – Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple

No leader wants subpar work from his or her team. That’s why it’s so important to hire what Jobs called “A-plus” people right from the beginning. Seek out the most driven, hard-working candidates, and you’ll get results.

Successful people often talk about a teacher or other mentor who saw some spark in them when no one else did – someone who expected great things from them. Most of the time, a person will give you what you expect. Aim high for your team…[MORE]