--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't actually hire and fire people…" description: "\"You can't actually hire and fire people inside of an open source community. Which means that getting people to work together is much more along the lin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d96/john-dickinson-18449_being-done_you-can-t-actually-hire-and-fire-people_3015078.jpg" --- # You can't actually hire and fire people inside of an open… ![“You can't actually hire and fire people inside of an open source community. Which means that getting people to work together is much more along the lines of making sure that people have the tools they need both to get their work done but also to know what is being done by other people and how to…” quote by John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d96/john-dickinson-18449_being-done_you-can-t-actually-hire-and-fire-people_3015078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d96/john-dickinson-18449_being-done_you-can-t-actually-hire-and-fire-people_3015078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d96/john-dickinson-18449_being-done_you-can-t-actually-hire-and-fire-people_3015078.jpg) > “You can't actually hire and fire people inside of an open source community. Which means that getting people to work together is much more along the lines of making sure that people have the tools they need both to get their work done but also to know what is being done by other people and how to take that to their employer and tell that story to their employer and to show this is why the community is good and this is why we're working on these sort of things because it helps us over here.” [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective collaboration in open source relies on providing tools for transparency, coordination, and showcasing contributions to employers. **In simple terms:** Open source needs tools for work, visibility, and employer storytelling. Key Takeaway Provide clear tools and communication channels. Themes collaboration transparency community employment communication Mood pragmatic optimistic professional Type advice strategic motivational When to use this quote - software development teams - remote freelancers - non‑profits - HR departments - career coaching Key Concepts open source governance knowledge sharing reputation management Questions to Reflect On - How can contributors demonstrate value to employers? - What tools best reveal community work? A Different Perspective May be hard to quantify individual impact without formal metrics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually Hire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-hire-4852669/) [Being done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-done/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Employer Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employer-community-4852668/) [Employers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employers/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Hire People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hire-people/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Open source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-source/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Source Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source-community-3400001/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Work done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-done/) [Work together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-together/) [Working together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-together/) ## Related quotes > [If you seek to help, join the open source community and fight to keep the spirit of the press alive and the internet free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-you-seek-to-help-join-the-open-source-community-and-fight-to-keep/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Hire people inspired to achieve something big over people who demand something big before they feel inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/hire-people-inspired-to-achieve-something-big-over-people-who-demand/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [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/) > [As an individual, you know what you are good at and what you're not good at, so over time as you are hiring, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-maybank/as-an-individual-you-know-what-you-are-good-at-and-what-you-re-not/) [Alexis Maybank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-maybank/) > [“The bottom line is that you shouldn’t hire people you don’t trust, or work for bosses who don’t trust you. If you’re not trusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/the-bottom-line-is-that-you-shouldn-t-hire-people-you-don-t-trust-or/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/hire-people-who-are-better-than-you-are-then-leave-them-to-get-on/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Early on I realized that I had to hire people smarter and ore qualified than I was in a number of different fields, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/early-on-i-realized-that-i-had-to-hire-people-smarter-and-ore/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Only hire people you want to have dinner with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/only-hire-people-you-want-to-have-dinner-with/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/i-hire-people-brighter-than-me-and-then-i-get-out-of-their-way/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [Somebody asked me 'what's the job of a CEO', and there's a number of things a CEO does. What you mostly do is articulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-chesky/somebody-asked-me-what-s-the-job-of-a-ceo-and-there-s-a-number-of/) [Brian Chesky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-chesky/) > [The first people in a company are the most important. They will hire people like themselves and create a culture that either works or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-anderson/the-first-people-in-a-company-are-the-most-important-they-will-hire/) [Tom Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-anderson/) > [Always hire people who are better than you. Hiring dummies is shortsighted. You can't move up the ladder until everyone is comfortable with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-wyse/always-hire-people-who-are-better-than-you-hiring-dummies-is/) [Lois Wyse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-wyse/) > [Hire people more for their judgment than for their talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/hire-people-more-for-their-judgment-than-for-their-talents/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Our team at Duolingo is really cohesive, but this did not just happen. I made a concerted effort to hire people who are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/our-team-at-duolingo-is-really-cohesive-but-this-did-not-just-happen/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [If you want to start or grow a business in the state of Missouri and hire more people with good jobs, I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/if-you-want-to-start-or-grow-a-business-in-the-state-of-missouri-and/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) ## More by John Dickinson > [The rights essential to happiness. . . . We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Kings or parliaments could not give the rights essential to happiness... We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/kings-or-parliaments-could-not-give-the-rights-essential-to-happiness/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Our liberties do not come from charters; for these are only the declaration of pre-existing rights. They do not depend on parchments or seals;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/our-liberties-do-not-come-from-charters-for-these-are-only-the/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [For I am convinced, that the authors of this law would never obtain an act to raise so trifling a sum as it must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/for-i-am-convinced-that-the-authors-of-this-law-would-never-obtain-an/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Experience must be our only guide. Reason may mislead us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/experience-must-be-our-only-guide-reason-may-mislead-us/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [The power of the people pervading the proposed system, together with the strong confederation of the states, will form an adequate security against every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-power-of-the-people-pervading-the-proposed-system-together-with/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [If my property cannot be secure, in case others over whom I have no kind of influence, may take it from me by taxes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/if-my-property-cannot-be-secure-in-case-others-over-whom-i-have-no/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/most-men-with-nothing-would-rather-protect-the-possibility-of/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/with-hearts-fortified-with-these-animating-reflections-we-most/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Our cause is just. Our union is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/our-cause-is-just-our-union-is-perfect/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Honor, justice and humanity call upon us to hold and to transmit to our posterity, that liberty, which we received from our ancestors. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/honor-justice-and-humanity-call-upon-us-to-hold-and-to-transmit-to/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [We cannot be happy without being free; we cannot be free without being secure in our property; we cannot be secure in our property…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/we-cannot-be-happy-without-being-free-we-cannot-be-free-without-being/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/then-join-hand-in-hand-brave-americans-all-by-uniting-we-stand-by/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [As Congress is now to legislate for our extensive territory lately acquired, I pray to Heaven that they may build up the system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/as-congress-is-now-to-legislate-for-our-extensive-territory-lately/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [As in forming a political society, each individual contributes some of his rights, in order that he may, from a common stock of rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/as-in-forming-a-political-society-each-individual-contributes-some-of/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) [Explore all 34 John Dickinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) ## More Being done quotes > [Im done being silent, the left cannot win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-done-being-silent-the-left-cannot-win/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once Im done with somebody thats it, there's no turning back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-im-done-with-somebody-thats-it-there-s-no-turning-back/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A good man likes a hard boss. I don't mean a nagging boss or a grouchy boss. I mean a boss who insists on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-good-man-likes-a-hard-boss-i-don-t-mean-a-nagging-boss-or-a-grouchy/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [Tonight I'm dying. I'm done with this pain Done with people taking everything. I'm done thinking I'm insane. Do e with getting mad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tonight-i-m-dying-i-m-done-with-this-pain-done-with-people-taking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im done with tears. I'm wiping my eyes. If he doesnt care then why the hell should I?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-done-with-tears-i-m-wiping-my-eyes-if-he-doesnt-care-then-why-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't sweat it nor regret it, just move on and forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-sweat-it-nor-regret-it-just-move-on-and-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot is being done to bring additional protective measures, particularly the critical infrastructure locations around the United States, ... There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The difference between a stranger sending you a message that you might be interested in at a very low volume level, no repetition, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-difference-between-a-stranger-sending-you-a-message-that-you/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [When you no longer wish to defend, explain or fight then its time to give up...no matter how much you don't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-no-longer-wish-to-defend-explain-or-fight-then-its-time-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm done wit being nice if u don't like my attiude then stay the fuck away from me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-done-wit-being-nice-if-u-don-t-like-my-attiude-then-stay-the-fuck/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like television. I still believe that television is the most powerful form of communication on Earth - I just hate what is being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/i-like-television-i-still-believe-that-television-is-the-most/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [To all those I've loved I can't take this any more, By the time you read this, I'll be waiting at Hell's door. I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-all-those-i-ve-loved-i-can-t-take-this-any-more-by-the-time-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why not take all of me? Can't you see I'm no good without you? Take my arms I want to lose them Take my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal/why-not-take-all-of-me-can-t-you-see-i-m-no-good-without-you-take-my/) [Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal/) > [I never really knew what they said when they told me to Forgive and Forget. They tell me it's easy. Maybe for them. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-cavalinni/i-never-really-knew-what-they-said-when-they-told-me-to-forgive-and/) [Brie Cavalinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-cavalinni/) > [Try to find if something out there is similar. If it's already being done, now you need to find out if you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-johnson/try-to-find-if-something-out-there-is-similar-if-it-s-already-being/) [Cameron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-johnson/) [Browse all 304 Being done quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-done/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't actually hire and fire people inside of an open source community. 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