--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good people hire people better than…" description: "\"Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players. But others hire below their skills to make themselves look good. So B pla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png" --- # Good people hire people better than themselves. So A… ![“Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players. But others hire below their skills to make themselves look good. So B players hire C players. C players hire D players, etc.” quote by Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png) > “Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players. But others hire below their skills to make themselves look good. So B players hire C players. C players hire D players, etc.” [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hiring decisions reflect the relative competence of leaders, creating a cascade of talent levels. **In simple terms:** Leaders hire people at or above their own skill level. Key Takeaway Hire at or above your own ability. Themes leadership talent management hierarchy Mood reflective analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - team building - recruitment - performance reviews Key Concepts competence self-awareness organizational dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does your hiring standard affect team culture? - What steps can you take to attract higher‑level candidates? A Different Perspective Hiring lower talent can erode overall performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) ## Related quotes > [The most important thing is that you hire people who complement you and are better than you in specific areas. Good people hire people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-hire-people-who-complement-you/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [“Steve Jobs has a saying that A players hire A players. But B players hire C players, and C players hire D players. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/steve-jobs-has-a-saying-that-a-players-hire-a-players-but-b-players/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [My philosophy is to always find the smartest people you can. Hire people smarter than you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-deutsch/my-philosophy-is-to-always-find-the-smartest-people-you-can-hire/) [Donny Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-deutsch/) > [I think great bosses hire great people. 'A' people hire 'A' people, but 'B' people hire 'C' people; they're worried they might be shown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stumpf/i-think-great-bosses-hire-great-people-a-people-hire-a-people-but-b/) [John Stumpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stumpf/) > [I always tell people that you should only hire people to be on your team if you would work for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/i-always-tell-people-that-you-should-only-hire-people-to-be-on-your/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [If rich people could hire other people to die for them, the poor could make a wonderful living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiddish-proverb/if-rich-people-could-hire-other-people-to-die-for-them-the-poor-could/) Yiddish Proverb > [Whatever I have is because of the people who are watching me. I don't have a PR agency, I don't have a manager, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-massey/whatever-i-have-is-because-of-the-people-who-are-watching-me-i-don-t/) [Vikrant Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-massey/) > [The people that make this country work, the people who pay on their mortgages, the people getting up and going to work, striving in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-people-that-make-this-country-work-the-people-who-pay-on-their/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There are very few black-and-white truths in management or in business, but one that I have found is that people either hire people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-dubuc/there-are-very-few-black-and-white-truths-in-management-or-in/) [Nancy Dubuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-dubuc/) > [First-rate people hire first-rate people; second-rate people hire third-rate people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/first-rate-people-hire-first-rate-people-second-rate-people-hire/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [I would say that nobody is going to work harder for your career than yourself - the one with the vision. No matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skylar-grey/i-would-say-that-nobody-is-going-to-work-harder-for-your-career-than/) [Skylar Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skylar-grey/) > [In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-looking-for-people-to-hire-you-look-for-three-qualities-integrity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know why people hire architects and then tell them what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/i-don-t-know-why-people-hire-architects-and-then-tell-them-what-to-do/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [I'm a mercenary. That's what people hire me for, and I don't apologize for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-avenatti/i-m-a-mercenary-that-s-what-people-hire-me-for-and-i-don-t-apologize/) [Michael Avenatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-avenatti/) > [The young people we hire today at Conde Nast are fearless polymaths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/the-young-people-we-hire-today-at-conde-nast-are-fearless-polymaths/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) ## More by Guy Kawasaki > [Don't worry, be crappy. Revolutionary means you ship and then test... Lots of things made the first Mac in 1984 a piece of crap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/don-t-worry-be-crappy-revolutionary-means-you-ship-and-then-test-lots/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [In giving presentations, use the 10/20/30 rule…use only 10 slides, take 20 minutes maximum, and use at least 30-point fonts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/in-giving-presentations-use-the-10-20-30-rule-use-only-10-slides-take/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [What I lack in talent, I compensate with my willingness to grind it out. That's the secret of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/what-i-lack-in-talent-i-compensate-with-my-willingness-to-grind-it/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The mark of a good conversationalist is not that you can talk a lot. The mark is that you can get others to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-mark-of-a-good-conversationalist-is-not-that-you-can-talk-a-lot/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [At the end of my life, I want to say that I made the world a better place because I raised good children, loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/at-the-end-of-my-life-i-want-to-say-that-i-made-the-world-a-better/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The higher you go in a company, the less oxygen there is, so supporting intelligent life becomes difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-higher-you-go-in-a-company-the-less-oxygen-there-is-so-supporting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The record of what you do is forever recoverable because of Google. The lofty upside and scary downside makes reciprocity more important than ever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-record-of-what-you-do-is-forever-recoverable-because-of-google/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I think that no one, or very few, are born as good presenters. It's a skill that you learn. The key is the 10/20/30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/i-think-that-no-one-or-very-few-are-born-as-good-presenters-it-s-a/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Pursuing your passions makes you more interesting, and interesting people are enchanting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/pursuing-your-passions-makes-you-more-interesting-and-interesting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Entitlement is the opposite of enchantment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/entitlement-is-the-opposite-of-enchantment/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Revolutionary leaders have to care more about what they think of themselves than what the world thinks of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/revolutionary-leaders-have-to-care-more-about-what-they-think-of/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing, If you have more brains than money, you should focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/if-you-have-more-money-than-brains-you-should-focus-on-outbound/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Most venture capitalists won't read a business plan unless the entrepreneur is introduced to them by a contact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/most-venture-capitalists-won-t-read-a-business-plan-unless-the/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > ["(Big name research firm) says our market will be $50 billion in 2010." Every entrepreneur has a few slides about how the market potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/big-name-research-firm-says-our-market-will-be-50-billion-in-2010/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Go APE: Author a great book, Publish it quickly, and Entrepreneur your way to success. Self-publishing isn’t easy, but it’s fun and sometimes even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/go-ape-author-a-great-book-publish-it-quickly-and-entrepreneur-your/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) [Explore all 259 Guy Kawasaki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players. But others hire below their skills to make themselves look good. So B players hire C players. C players hire D players, etc.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Guy Kawasaki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/good-people-hire-people-better-than-themselves-so-a-players-hire-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/good-people-hire-people-better-than-themselves-so-a-players-hire-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/guy-kawasaki-1292_better_good-people-hire-people-better-than-them_1612708.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players. But others hire below their…” — Guy Kawasaki", "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": "Guy Kawasaki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good people hire people better than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/good-people-hire-people-better-than-themselves-so-a-players-hire-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/good-people-hire-people-better-than-themselves-so-a-players-hire-a/#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 } } ] } ```