--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most CEOs walk around the office like we…" description: "\"Most CEOs walk around the office like we own the place, without realizing that the place itself isn't worth owning: a business's value comes from the p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/glenn-kelman-6951_business_most-ceos-walk-around-the-office-like-we_3190937.jpg" --- # Most CEOs walk around the office like we own the place… ![“Most CEOs walk around the office like we own the place, without realizing that the place itself isn't worth owning: a business's value comes from the people who walk out the door every night, who have to decide each morning whether to walk back in. One of the simplest things you can do as a leader…” quote by Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/glenn-kelman-6951_business_most-ceos-walk-around-the-office-like-we_3190937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/glenn-kelman-6951_business_most-ceos-walk-around-the-office-like-we_3190937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/glenn-kelman-6951_business_most-ceos-walk-around-the-office-like-we_3190937.jpg) > “Most CEOs walk around the office like we own the place, without realizing that the place itself isn't worth owning: a business's value comes from the people who walk out the door every night, who have to decide each morning whether to walk back in. One of the simplest things you can do as a leader is honor their choice and appreciate their work.” [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A company’s true value lies in its people, not its assets; leaders should respect employees’ choices and recognize their contributions. **In simple terms:** People, not property, create value; honor them. Key Takeaway Respect and appreciate staff daily. Themes leadership value people respect Mood motivational pragmatic Type leadership inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - performance reviews - onboarding - exit interviews Key Concepts human capital organizational culture employee engagement Questions to Reflect On - What actions show genuine appreciation? - How can you improve employee retention? A Different Perspective Employees may leave despite appreciation; systemic issues persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-value-1227578/) [Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceos/) [Ceos Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceos-walk-5885509/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Owning Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owning-business-1512262/) [Walk Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walk-office-2536148/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [As I walk to my office every morning, I know I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazie-hirono/as-i-walk-to-my-office-every-morning-i-know-i-stand-on-the-shoulders/) [Mazie Hirono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazie-hirono/) > [I walk into the office at Southwark Bridge every morning, and I have no idea whats going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-barber/i-walk-into-the-office-at-southwark-bridge-every-morning-and-i-have-2/) [Lionel Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-barber/) > [I walk into the office at Southwark Bridge every morning, and I have no idea what's going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-barber/i-walk-into-the-office-at-southwark-bridge-every-morning-and-i-have/) [Lionel Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-barber/) > [Most people end up owning a business by accident. 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I knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/to-retire-by-the-age-of-35-was-my-goal-i-wasn-t-sure-how-i-was-going/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [“I’m not… it’s just that I don’t know anything about owning a—” I stop and give myself a swift mental kick in the ass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/i-m-not-it-s-just-that-i-don-t-know-anything-about-owning-a-i-stop/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the world. 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Kankanala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalyan-c-kankanala/) > [I'm in the business of value judgments .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-m-in-the-business-of-value-judgments/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [At some point, practicality requires that you reach out to people in the business. You have to take care of business if you value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/at-some-point-practicality-requires-that-you-reach-out-to-people-in/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) > [“Developing software that delivers true business value is not the same thing as developing ordinary business software. Software that delivers true business value aligns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaughn-vernon/developing-software-that-delivers-true-business-value-is-not-the-same/) [Vaughn Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaughn-vernon/) > [“The way to go in any industry is to be mindful, both in business and in value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/the-way-to-go-in-any-industry-is-to-be-mindful-both-in-business-and/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) > [Clear content, simple navigation and answers to customer questions have the biggest impact on business value. Advanced technology matters much less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/clear-content-simple-navigation-and-answers-to-customer-questions/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) ## More by Glenn Kelman > [If your values don't alienate anyone, it is just platitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/if-your-values-don-t-alienate-anyone-it-is-just-platitude/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Employers are as sensitive to housing costs as their employees, which is why, when we build more houses, we create more jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/employers-are-as-sensitive-to-housing-costs-as-their-employees-which/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [When my brother and I were 11, our father designed a 17-foot boat for sailing around the world. 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We just need to make our customers happy, and when we do that, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/we-don-t-need-to-take-the-world-by-storm-we-just-need-to-make-our/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I learned, even when all hell is breaking loose, first to take time to make my environment productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-learned-even-when-all-hell-is-breaking-loose-first-to-take-time-to/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Every firing happens differently except in this one respect: the person being fired can't believe how fast it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/every-firing-happens-differently-except-in-this-one-respect-the/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [People can smell a lack of respect from a mile away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/people-can-smell-a-lack-of-respect-from-a-mile-away/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Almost everything is interesting if you work at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/almost-everything-is-interesting-if-you-work-at-it/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I think the corporate world is pretty starved for personality. The reason you have comic strips like 'Dilbert' and sitcoms like 'The Office' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-think-the-corporate-world-is-pretty-starved-for-personality-the/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [It's easy to grow 300% in your first year or two, when you're starting with nothing and people first hear about your service. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/it-s-easy-to-grow-300-in-your-first-year-or-two-when-you-re-starting/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Most of the tech CEOs I know used to think that moving to the Midwest or the South was beneath us, a good tactic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/most-of-the-tech-ceos-i-know-used-to-think-that-moving-to-the-midwest/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I really admire the fact that whenever Marc Singer gets a call from someone running late, he says he's running late, too. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-really-admire-the-fact-that-whenever-marc-singer-gets-a-call-from/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I learned that it's important to treat yourself like a work in progress, to think about how you can improve, to listen to feedback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-learned-that-it-s-important-to-treat-yourself-like-a-work-in/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [When I was 28, running products for a company I'd co-founded, the CEO called to say that I had a problem with the board,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/when-i-was-28-running-products-for-a-company-i-d-co-founded-the-ceo/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [We need to create technologies - and a culture of respect, and an updated legal doctrine, too - that allow creative folks to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/we-need-to-create-technologies-and-a-culture-of-respect-and-an/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) [Explore all 96 Glenn Kelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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