--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important thing you do as a…" description: "\"The most important thing you do as a leader is to hire the right people.\" — David Cottrell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png" --- # The most important thing you do as a leader is to hire the… ![“The most important thing you do as a leader is to hire the right people.” quote by David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png) > “The most important thing you do as a leader is to hire the right people.” [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective leadership hinges on selecting capable team members. **In simple terms:** Hiring right people is key. Key Takeaway Prioritize talent acquisition. Themes leadership team building human resources Mood analytical practical Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - startup - corporate - non‑profit - project teams Key Concepts strategic hiring organizational fit Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess cultural fit? - What processes ensure ongoing development? A Different Perspective Hiring alone doesn't guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Monday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monday/) [Monday morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monday-morning/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Hire the right people and get the hell out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/hire-the-right-people-and-get-the-hell-out-of-the-way/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [“First, at the top levels of your organization, you absolutely must have the discipline not to hire until you find the right people. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/first-at-the-top-levels-of-your-organization-you-absolutely-must-have/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The biggest mistake was that I didn't hire all the right people. I should have done better reference checks. I should have defined the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-vernon/the-biggest-mistake-was-that-i-didn-t-hire-all-the-right-people-i/) [Lillian Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-vernon/) > [The most important thing as a leader is your relationship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/the-most-important-thing-as-a-leader-is-your-relationship-with-god/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“The important thing about being a leader is not being right or wrong but being certain. Of course it helps to be right as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-important-thing-about-being-a-leader-is-not-being-right-or-wrong/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [One thing as a leader - you don't say something to say something. When you actually see something and need to talk to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristaps-porzingis/one-thing-as-a-leader-you-don-t-say-something-to-say-something-when/) [Kristaps Porzingis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristaps-porzingis/) > [A key thing in being a leader is you’ve got to pause yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/a-key-thing-in-being-a-leader-is-you-ve-got-to-pause-yourself/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [The main thing for me - as a leader, anyway, is that you perform well. That's most of the battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/the-main-thing-for-me-as-a-leader-anyway-is-that-you-perform-well/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [People underestimate their capacity for change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing. A leader's job is to help people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-underestimate-their-capacity-for-change-there-is-never-a-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest thing you do as a leader may not be what you do as a leader but who watches you do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/the-greatest-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-may-not-be-what-you-do-as-a/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [You absolutely must have the discipline not to hire until you find the right people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/you-absolutely-must-have-the-discipline-not-to-hire-until-you-find/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“And I wish you were a hit man because, if I had the money, I’d hire you right this minute to knock yourself off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/and-i-wish-you-were-a-hit-man-because-if-i-had-the-money-i-d-hire-you/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [If you don't have a VP Finance on your team reporting to you, do yourself, your team, and your investors a favor and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-feld/if-you-don-t-have-a-vp-finance-on-your-team-reporting-to-you-do/) [Brad Feld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-feld/) > [If you own a butcher shop, don't hire vegetarians. To hire the right people, you have to let the wrong people go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-own-a-butcher-shop-don-t-hire-vegetarians-to-hire-the-right/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I know what I know and I also know what I don't know, and I make sure I hire the right people who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rande-gerber/i-know-what-i-know-and-i-also-know-what-i-don-t-know-and-i-make-sure/) [Rande Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rande-gerber/) ## More by David Cottrell > [Every successful person has faced, attacked, and conquered adversity somewhere along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/every-successful-person-has-faced-attacked-and-conquered-adversity/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [The single greatest demotivator of a team is having members who are not carrying their load.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/the-single-greatest-demotivator-of-a-team-is-having-members-who-are/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Successful people keep moving, even when they are discouraged and have made mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/successful-people-keep-moving-even-when-they-are-discouraged-and-have/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [One of the main things for a leader is to eliminate confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/one-of-the-main-things-for-a-leader-is-to-eliminate-confusion/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Guard your integrity as if it's your most precious leadership possession, because that is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/guard-your-integrity-as-if-it-s-your-most-precious-leadership/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [I have found success is ultimately realized by people who make more right choices . . . and recover quickly from their bad choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/i-have-found-success-is-ultimately-realized-by-people-who-make-more/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [It is rare for people to say they want to be held accountable, but in reality, everyone wants everyone else to be held accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/it-is-rare-for-people-to-say-they-want-to-be-held-accountable-but-in/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [People quit people before they quit companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/people-quit-people-before-they-quit-companies/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Don't stifle your career by limiting you knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/don-t-stifle-your-career-by-limiting-you-knowledge/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Your team has entrusted a portion of their life to you, and it's your job to help them grow, personally and professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/your-team-has-entrusted-a-portion-of-their-life-to-you-and-it-s-your/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Coaching sets the pace to get the best out of others while giving the best of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/coaching-sets-the-pace-to-get-the-best-out-of-others-while-giving-the/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [What you see in the interview will not get significantly better when the individual is hired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/what-you-see-in-the-interview-will-not-get-significantly-better-when/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Everything you do matters because your team is watching ... and depending on you to do the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/everything-you-do-matters-because-your-team-is-watching-and-depending/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [Your job is not to lower the bottom by adjusting for and accommodating the lowest-performing employees. You should be raising the top by recognizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/your-job-is-not-to-lower-the-bottom-by-adjusting-for-and/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [There is no 'grand conspiracy' preventing your from accomplishing what you need to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/there-is-no-grand-conspiracy-preventing-your-from-accomplishing-what/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) [Explore all 62 David Cottrell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) ## More Hire quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would like to work with whoever would like to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-would-like-to-work-with-whoever-would-like-to-have-me/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [Global poverty is the product of reversible policy failures overseen by politicians, past and present. The poorest of the poor don't vote in American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-evans/global-poverty-is-the-product-of-reversible-policy-failures-overseen/) [Hugh Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-evans/) > [I love to work with people and do what I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-starr/i-love-to-work-with-people-and-do-what-i-love/) [Martin Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-starr/) > [I do focus my energy on music, but it's just the way that the industry works. I kind of have to take what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/i-do-focus-my-energy-on-music-but-it-s-just-the-way-that-the-industry/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [In other restaurants you'll see employees signing to each other, since we also hire many deaf men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-karcher/in-other-restaurants-you-ll-see-employees-signing-to-each-other-since/) [Carl Karcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-karcher/) > [When you hire me, you hire a nut who is going to work 24 hours a day for you and never, ever burn his audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stern/when-you-hire-me-you-hire-a-nut-who-is-going-to-work-24-hours-a-day/) [Howard Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stern/) > [If cheap immigrant labor is made unavailable, employers can hire Americans at a higher wage, or replace low-wage immigrant workers with technology and automation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-c-ting/if-cheap-immigrant-labor-is-made-unavailable-employers-can-hire/) [Jan C. Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-c-ting/) > [I would rather hire a man with enthusiasm, than a man who knows everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-would-rather-hire-a-man-with-enthusiasm-than-a-man-who-knows/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [They'll totally hire me if I say I got fired from my job on the Hill because of a sex scandal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-cutler/they-ll-totally-hire-me-if-i-say-i-got-fired-from-my-job-on-the-hill/) [Jessica Cutler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-cutler/) > [When a new hire is afraid to roll up their sleeves and get things done, it's a clear sign it's not going to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/when-a-new-hire-is-afraid-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-and-get-things/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [If you need someone to come out of the sewer with a wire you don't hire someone who needs laborious collective instruction. You let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/if-you-need-someone-to-come-out-of-the-sewer-with-a-wire-you-don-t/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [I mean, I've always said I have an amazing team and network of friends and people that I work with that, you know, inspire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-wang/i-mean-i-ve-always-said-i-have-an-amazing-team-and-network-of-friends/) [Alexander Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-wang/) > [I want the best people, not just on the banking side but on innovation and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-patricia-botin/i-want-the-best-people-not-just-on-the-banking-side-but-on-innovation/) [Ana Patricia Botin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-patricia-botin/) > [For creative tasks, the best approach is often just to hire great people and get out of their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/for-creative-tasks-the-best-approach-is-often-just-to-hire-great/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) Browse all 690 Hire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most important thing you do as a leader is to hire the right people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Cottrell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-is-to-hire-the-right/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-is-to-hire-the-right/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/david-cottrell-10934_hire_the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-lea_691856.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most important thing you do as a leader is to hire the right people.” — David Cottrell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Cottrell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most important thing you do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-is-to-hire-the-right/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/the-most-important-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-is-to-hire-the-right/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```