--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you either have to have a very…" description: "\"I think you either have to have a very strong decisive person at the top or else a really brilliant staff command.\" — Hunter S. Thompson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/hunter-s-thompson-278_brilliant_i-think-you-either-have-to-have-a-very-s_2026037.jpg" --- # I think you either have to have a very strong decisive… ![“I think you either have to have a very strong decisive person at the top or else a really brilliant staff command.” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/hunter-s-thompson-278_brilliant_i-think-you-either-have-to-have-a-very-s_2026037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/hunter-s-thompson-278_brilliant_i-think-you-either-have-to-have-a-very-s_2026037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/hunter-s-thompson-278_brilliant_i-think-you-either-have-to-have-a-very-s_2026037.jpg) > “I think you either have to have a very strong decisive person at the top or else a really brilliant staff command.” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## 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 requires either a decisive leader at the helm or an exceptionally brilliant team to drive decisions. **In simple terms:** Strong leader or brilliant team needed. Key Takeaway Balance authority with talent. Themes leadership decision‑making team dynamics Mood analytical critical Type strategic philosophical When to use this quote - corporate management - startup founding - political governance Key Concepts authority intelligence collaboration Questions to Reflect On - Who should hold ultimate decision power? - How can brilliance be harnessed without a strong leader? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on one can cause bottlenecks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Decisive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisive/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think what the American people want more than anything else is a strong and decisive leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-think-what-the-american-people-want-more-than-anything-else-is-a/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [I'm blessed to be supported by some brilliant staff, who are all experts in their field and dedicated to what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/i-m-blessed-to-be-supported-by-some-brilliant-staff-who-are-all/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [Barack Obama is an incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, decisive person in pursuing the agenda he sets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/barack-obama-is-an-incredibly-intelligent-thoughtful-decisive-person/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Nobody ever told you that being a mother is all about making what seemed like thousands of tiny decisions. Tess had always considered herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/nobody-ever-told-you-that-being-a-mother-is-all-about-making-what/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) > [The Finnish way of dealing with Russia, whatever the situation, is that we will be very decisive to show what we don't like, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sauli-niinisto/the-finnish-way-of-dealing-with-russia-whatever-the-situation-is-that/) Sauli Niinisto > [I'm not very good at dating. I'm very decisive. If I like someone, then they're my boyfriend. It's pretty straightforward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinessa-shaw/i-m-not-very-good-at-dating-i-m-very-decisive-if-i-like-someone-then/) [Vinessa Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinessa-shaw/) > [Nothing is over until there's something more decisive than your own thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-van-agtmael/nothing-is-over-until-there-s-something-more-decisive-than-your-own/) [Peter van Agtmael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-van-agtmael/) > [My God, I thgouht you were going to chip in with some decisive insght at the end there, not leave it with ?we leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olufunmilayo/my-god-i-thgouht-you-were-going-to-chip-in-with-some-decisive-insght/) Olufunmilayo > [“To mark the paper was the decisive act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/to-mark-the-paper-was-the-decisive-act/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [There is only one decisive victory: the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/there-is-only-one-decisive-victory-the-last/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [“It always seems like the universe behaves reluctant to intercept those who determinedly travel to their destinations! It is as if the universe favours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/it-always-seems-like-the-universe-behaves-reluctant-to-intercept/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“She'd stepped out of sex as if out of a loose dress. Now she was brisk, decisive, no nonsense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/she-d-stepped-out-of-sex-as-if-out-of-a-loose-dress-now-she-was-brisk/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I am courageous at the decisive moment. But I need a good deal of start-up time, and I try to take as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/i-am-courageous-at-the-decisive-moment-but-i-need-a-good-deal-of/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [“being mostly correct and decisive typically yields better results than taking the time to figure out what is perfectly correct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-koch/being-mostly-correct-and-decisive-typically-yields-better-results/) [Richard Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-koch/) > [It's important to score some goals and make the decisive pass for my club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-laurent/it-s-important-to-score-some-goals-and-make-the-decisive-pass-for-my/) [Robert Laurent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-laurent/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More Brilliant quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? 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He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [No matter how brilliant an actor is, there's always a point where they let you down, but that's all part of their journey. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hale/no-matter-how-brilliant-an-actor-is-there-s-always-a-point-where-they/) [Amanda Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hale/) > [I enjoy working with Deborah Ann, I think she's brilliant. It's been a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-enjoy-working-with-deborah-ann-i-think-she-s-brilliant-it-s-been-a/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Gravity Falls' didn't just appear overnight - every spooky cave and moss covered tree was created by a team of brilliant artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/gravity-falls-didn-t-just-appear-overnight-every-spooky-cave-and-moss/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [Without a trace of irony I can say I have been blessed with brilliant enemies. 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He looked weird and I think he took a really defensive attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-fritts/tom-stafford-was-an-odd-character-you-know-a-brilliant-guy-he-looked/) [Donnie Fritts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-fritts/) [Browse all 2,403 Brilliant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think you either have to have a very strong decisive person at the top or else a really brilliant staff command.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hunter S. 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