--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My feeling about executive bonuses is…" description: "\"My feeling about executive bonuses is that any candidate for a chief executive job who even raises the issue of bonuses should be dismissed out of hand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png" --- # My feeling about executive bonuses is that any candidate… ![“My feeling about executive bonuses is that any candidate for a chief executive job who even raises the issue of bonuses should be dismissed out of hand.” quote by Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png) > “My feeling about executive bonuses is that any candidate for a chief executive job who even raises the issue of bonuses should be dismissed out of hand.” [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Executive bonus discussions reveal misaligned incentives; those who prioritize personal gain over organizational health lack appropriate leadership qualities. **In simple terms:** Bonus talk shows bad priorities. Key Takeaway Avoid hiring leaders who focus on personal bonuses. Themes leadership ethics incentives governance Mood skeptical critical Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - board recruitment - executive interviews - performance reviews - shareholder meetings Key Concepts agency theory principal‑agent problem corporate culture Questions to Reflect On - How can boards assess a candidate’s values beyond bonus discussions? - What alternative compensation structures could align incentives? A Different Perspective Such dismissals may overlook qualified candidates who can address compensation responsibly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bonus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonus/) [Bonuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonuses-265969/) [Bonuses Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonuses-candidate-3086746/) [Bonuses Dismissed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonuses-dismissed-3086745/) [Chief executive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chief-executive/) [Chief executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chief-executives/) [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Executive Bonuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executive-bonuses-1222678/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Issue Bonuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue-bonuses-3086747/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Raises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raises/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [We've seen the government give out subsidies to companies, those companies turn around and use it for executive bonuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/we-ve-seen-the-government-give-out-subsidies-to-companies-those/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [We started paying everyone 100% bonuses. We removed any sort of performance management system where you put down your goals for the quarter, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-started-paying-everyone-100-bonuses-we-removed-any-sort-of/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [I think the sense of fairness in humans is very strongly developed, and that's why we react so strongly to all the bonuses received…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/i-think-the-sense-of-fairness-in-humans-is-very-strongly-developed/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [I don't come with the goal of submitting, knocking out or getting bonuses. I come to do my job, to show that a humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-oliveira/i-don-t-come-with-the-goal-of-submitting-knocking-out-or-getting/) [Charles Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-oliveira/) > [I've won five bonuses in my nine fight UFC career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiesa/i-ve-won-five-bonuses-in-my-nine-fight-ufc-career/) [Michael Chiesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiesa/) > [When I got my first professional contract from Ian St John - the Portsmouth manager at the time - my wages went up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kamara/when-i-got-my-first-professional-contract-from-ian-st-john-the/) [Chris Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kamara/) > [The company must not throw money away on huge bonuses for executives or other frivolities but must share its fate with the workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/the-company-must-not-throw-money-away-on-huge-bonuses-for-executives/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) > [As footballers that's what we do when it comes to bonuses. we don't sit there and go 'yeah can I get £20million as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-deeney/as-footballers-that-s-what-we-do-when-it-comes-to-bonuses-we-don-t/) [Troy Deeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-deeney/) > [“They should be taking bonuses from bankers, not library books from schoolchildren. What kind of society are we building?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/they-should-be-taking-bonuses-from-bankers-not-library-books-from/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [In a Bloomberg poll, 88% of respondents said that Wall Street bonuses should either be banned outright or taxed at 50%. Just 7% said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-salmon/in-a-bloomberg-poll-88-of-respondents-said-that-wall-street-bonuses/) [Felix Salmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-salmon/) > [I am not a believer in large salaries. I hold that every man should be paid for personal production. Our big men at Bethlehem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/i-am-not-a-believer-in-large-salaries-i-hold-that-every-man-should-be/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [In London, Washington, and Paris, people talk of bonuses or no bonuses. In parts of Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, the struggle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-zoellick/in-london-washington-and-paris-people-talk-of-bonuses-or-no-bonuses/) [Robert Zoellick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-zoellick/) > [I work every day - or at least I force myself into office or room. I may get nothing done, but you don't earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/i-work-every-day-or-at-least-i-force-myself-into-office-or-room-i-may/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [I don't think bonuses are always bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/i-don-t-think-bonuses-are-always-bad/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) > [If you're going to take away our sponsors, why not bump it up to $100,000 for a fight bonus? Let us scrap it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stephens/if-you-re-going-to-take-away-our-sponsors-why-not-bump-it-up-to-100/) [Jeremy Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stephens/) ## More by Henry Mintzberg > [Everyone is against micro managing but macro managing means you're working at the big picture but don't know the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/everyone-is-against-micro-managing-but-macro-managing-means-you-re/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [To 'turn around' is to end up facing the same way. Maybe that is the problem, all the turning organizations around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/to-turn-around-is-to-end-up-facing-the-same-way-maybe-that-is-the/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Never set out to be the best. It's too low a standard. Set out to be good. Do Your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/never-set-out-to-be-the-best-it-s-too-low-a-standard-set-out-to-be/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [“being a manager’ means not merely assuming a position of authority but also becoming more dependent on others,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/being-a-manager-means-not-merely-assuming-a-position-of-authority-but/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Basically, managing is about influencing action. Managing is about helping organizations and units to get things done, which means action. 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Engagement is what managers do with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/empowerment-is-what-managers-do-to-people-engagement-is-what-managers/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [“A good part of the work of managing involves doing what specialists do, but in particular ways that make use of the manager’s special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/a-good-part-of-the-work-of-managing-involves-doing-what-specialists/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Why does every generation have to think that he lives in the period with the greatest turbulence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/why-does-every-generation-have-to-think-that-he-lives-in-the-period/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Management is a curious phenomenon. It is generously paid, enormously influential, and significantly devoid of common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/management-is-a-curious-phenomenon-it-is-generously-paid-enormously/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [So technologies, whether it is a telephone or an iPhone, computers in general or automobiles, television even, all individualize us. We all sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/so-technologies-whether-it-is-a-telephone-or-an-iphone-computers-in/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Data don't generate theory - only researchers do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/data-don-t-generate-theory-only-researchers-do-that/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Effective managing therefore happens where art , craft, and science meet. But in a classroom of students without managerial experience, these have no place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/effective-managing-therefore-happens-where-art-craft-and-science-meet/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Corporations are social institutions. If they don't serve society, they have no business existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-social-institutions-if-they-don-t-serve-society-they/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Corporations are economic entities, to be sure, but they are also social institutions that must justify their existence by their overall contribution to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-economic-entities-to-be-sure-but-they-are-also/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) [Explore all 63 Henry Mintzberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) ## More Bonus quotes > [I nibbled my lower lip. "If you could see into my past just by touching my back, you'd have a hard time resisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-nibbled-my-lower-lip-if-you-could-see-into-my-past-just-by-touching/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm happy doing what I'm doing, and if you have that kind of attitude then everything else from there on is a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/i-m-happy-doing-what-i-m-doing-and-if-you-have-that-kind-of-attitude/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [“All fair in love and bonus round”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-charters/all-fair-in-love-and-bonus-round/) [David Charters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-charters/) > [People paid money for tickets to see us and be entertained by us, and we've never forgotten that. Anything after that was a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-young/people-paid-money-for-tickets-to-see-us-and-be-entertained-by-us-and/) [Malcolm Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-young/) > [Just as Wall Street needs to break the hold of the bonus culture, which drives risk-taking that is rational for individuals but damaging to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-schekman/just-as-wall-street-needs-to-break-the-hold-of-the-bonus-culture/) [Randy Schekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-schekman/) > [“I have a hard time keeping my hands off you without that added bonus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-have-a-hard-time-keeping-my-hands-off-you-without-that-added-bonus/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I feel very privileged to get to read and write and not to have to do things that I don't like, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/i-feel-very-privileged-to-get-to-read-and-write-and-not-to-have-to-do/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [After 40, every day is a bonus. We should know how to live our lives to the fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/after-40-every-day-is-a-bonus-we-should-know-how-to-live-our-lives-to/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [I'd love to go and I'd love to play for my country and go to a World Cup again. I've got to accept I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/i-d-love-to-go-and-i-d-love-to-play-for-my-country-and-go-to-a-world/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-am-indeed-a-fortunate-man-and-today-s-hours-are-but-a-bonus/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [If I win, it's a bonus. If I lose, the sun still comes up the next day, and it's all good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-barty/if-i-win-it-s-a-bonus-if-i-lose-the-sun-still-comes-up-the-next-day/) [Ashleigh Barty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-barty/) > [I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-cheque-and-a-few-days-later-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you're going to take away our sponsors, why not bump it up to $100,000 for a fight bonus? Let us scrap it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stephens/if-you-re-going-to-take-away-our-sponsors-why-not-bump-it-up-to-100/) [Jeremy Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stephens/) > [A lot of companies make diversity a part of the performance goals against which an executive gets paid. Just as you have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-jordan/a-lot-of-companies-make-diversity-a-part-of-the-performance-goals/) [Vernon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-jordan/) > [Well, I got better after this, and my entire family really did appreciate it. Usually, they're resentful of movies that I go off and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/well-i-got-better-after-this-and-my-entire-family-really-did/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) [Browse all 284 Bonus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My feeling about executive bonuses is that any candidate for a chief executive job who even raises the issue of bonuses should be dismissed out of hand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Mintzberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-that-any-candidate-for-a-chief/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bonus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-that-any-candidate-for-a-chief/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/henry-mintzberg-10810_bonus_my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-th_1940145.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My feeling about executive bonuses is that any candidate for a chief executive job who even raises the issue…” — Henry Mintzberg", "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": "Henry Mintzberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My feeling about executive bonuses is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-that-any-candidate-for-a-chief/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/my-feeling-about-executive-bonuses-is-that-any-candidate-for-a-chief/#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 } } ] } ```