--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you have to have is very smart…" description: "\"What you have to have is very smart, motivated, dedicated, and focused engineers and focus them on the right goal.\" — Lisa Su" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg" --- # What you have to have is very smart, motivated, dedicated… ![“What you have to have is very smart, motivated, dedicated, and focused engineers and focus them on the right goal.” quote by Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg) > “What you have to have is very smart, motivated, dedicated, and focused engineers and focus them on the right goal.” [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective teams need highly skilled, motivated, dedicated, and focused engineers aligned with the right objectives. **In simple terms:** Smart, motivated engineers need clear goals. Key Takeaway Hire talent, set clear goals. Themes leadership team building strategy Mood determined optimistic Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - product development - R&D projects - startup scaling - tech innovation Key Concepts Human capital goal alignment Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure engineers stay aligned with goals? - What mechanisms keep focus sharp? A Different Perspective Talent alone can't guarantee success without proper direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Engineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineers/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) ## Related quotes > [Often people, especially computer engineers, focus on the machines. 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Make it clear that you plan to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-jurich/hire-people-who-are-smarter-than-you-and-don-t-be-afraid-to-work-with/) [Lynn Jurich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-jurich/) > [I think I just pick really smart and motivated people to work with - people who are probably going to do great things anyway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/i-think-i-just-pick-really-smart-and-motivated-people-to-work-with/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [One out of every eight Pennsylvanians and one in every 720 people in the United States, as well as one out of every 50…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-sherwood/one-out-of-every-eight-pennsylvanians-and-one-in-every-720-people-in/) [Don Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-sherwood/) > [Of course, I have given my engineers some headaches over the years, but they go with me. I have always wanted my buildings to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-niemeyer/of-course-i-have-given-my-engineers-some-headaches-over-the-years-but/) [Oscar Niemeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-niemeyer/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ \[An engineer's\] invention causes things to come into existence from ideas, makes world conform to thought; whereas science, by deriving ideas from observation, makes… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-mitcham/an-engineer-s-invention-causes-things-to-come-into-existence-from/) Carl Mitcham > [I'm going to be specific so you can render your verdict. Let's go to North Africa, she was the chief engineer of the disastrous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-m-going-to-be-specific-so-you-can-render-your-verdict-let-s-go-to/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [The study of history and philosophy, accompanied by some acquaintance with art and literature, should be for lawyers and engineers as well as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-study-of-history-and-philosophy-accompanied-by-some-acquaintance/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/it-is-a-great-profession-there-is-the-fascination-of-watching-a/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [There is no demand for women engineers, as such, as there are for women doctors; but there's always a demand for anyone who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-clarke/there-is-no-demand-for-women-engineers-as-such-as-there-are-for-women/) Edith Clarke > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) Daniel Burka > [I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way-to-do-it-was-to-these/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) ## More by Lisa Su > [Putting you into a virtual world really allows you to think differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/putting-you-into-a-virtual-world-really-allows-you-to-think/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [I think it's fair to say that the age of traditional computing is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/i-think-it-s-fair-to-say-that-the-age-of-traditional-computing-is-dead/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Traditional computing is always going to be a part of AMD's business, but our technology can go further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/traditional-computing-is-always-going-to-be-a-part-of-amd-s-business/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [When I step back and look at what's important to AMD, it's about graphics leadership - visual computing leadership - as well as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/when-i-step-back-and-look-at-what-s-important-to-amd-it-s-about/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [If I sound like a technology geek, that's probably because I am. But I also love running good businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/if-i-sound-like-a-technology-geek-that-s-probably-because-i-am-but-i/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [The best thing you can do is learn from those mistakes so that you continue to get better. That's the management style or leadership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/the-best-thing-you-can-do-is-learn-from-those-mistakes-so-that-you/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Do we care about gaming? We absolutely care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/do-we-care-about-gaming-we-absolutely-care/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [We're so excited about technology. We can help turn the impossible into the possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/we-re-so-excited-about-technology-we-can-help-turn-the-impossible/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Everyone in the semiconductor industry, everyone in the technology industry, would benefit from more diversity in the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/everyone-in-the-semiconductor-industry-everyone-in-the-technology/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [I've spent my entire career in semiconductors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/i-ve-spent-my-entire-career-in-semiconductors/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Like many Asian parents, mine were very focused on education. My dad would quiz me with multiplication tables when I was about 5.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/like-many-asian-parents-mine-were-very-focused-on-education-my-dad/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Don't worry about the financials. Just focus on delivering great products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/don-t-worry-about-the-financials-just-focus-on-delivering-great/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Make sure there are lots of Harvard M.B.A.s working for MIT Ph.D.s in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/make-sure-there-are-lots-of-harvard-m-b-a-s-working-for-mit-ph-d-s-in/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [My philosophy is, I can't make every product that can possibly use a high-performance CPU and graphics. Why shouldn't I enable others, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/my-philosophy-is-i-can-t-make-every-product-that-can-possibly-use-a/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [I grew up in the IBM school of management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/i-grew-up-in-the-ibm-school-of-management/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) [Explore all 75 Lisa Su quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) ## More Engineering quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [“Nothing is easier than yesterday's solutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sperry/nothing-is-easier-than-yesterday-s-solutions/) Roger Sperry > [Design is not making beauty, beauty emerges from selection, affinities, integration, love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kahn/design-is-not-making-beauty-beauty-emerges-from-selection-affinities/) [Louis Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kahn/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [I design some of my own clothes now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiernan-shipka/i-design-some-of-my-own-clothes-now/) [Kiernan Shipka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiernan-shipka/) > [Design is a very personal thing. It's like art. Your personal choice plays a big role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/design-is-a-very-personal-thing-it-s-like-art-your-personal-choice/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [My objective is to design a space that nobody else can come up with while using the material that anyone can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/my-objective-is-to-design-a-space-that-nobody-else-can-come-up-with/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Man's endeavour to cross even the most difficult terrain with railway lines has produced some of the most stunning marvels of engineering of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prashant-bhushan/man-s-endeavour-to-cross-even-the-most-difficult-terrain-with-railway/) [Prashant Bhushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prashant-bhushan/) > [Of course design is about problem solving, but I cannot resist adding something personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/of-course-design-is-about-problem-solving-but-i-cannot-resist-adding/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) [Browse all 3,003 Engineering quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What you have to have is very smart, motivated, dedicated, and focused engineers and focus them on the right goal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lisa Su" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-motivated-dedicated-and-focused/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Engineering" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-motivated-dedicated-and-focused/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/lisa-su-9120_engineering_what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-moti_1433531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What you have to have is very smart, motivated, dedicated, and focused engineers and focus them on the right…” — Lisa Su", "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": "Lisa Su", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What you have to have is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-motivated-dedicated-and-focused/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/what-you-have-to-have-is-very-smart-motivated-dedicated-and-focused/#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 } } ] } ```