--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has been said that after meeting with…" description: "\"“It has been said that after meeting with the great British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, you left feeling he was the smartest person in the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/liz-wiseman-4720_prime-minister_it-has-been-said-that-after-meeting-with_263158.jpg" --- # It has been said that after meeting with the great British… ![“It has been said that after meeting with the great British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, you left feeling he was the smartest person in the world, but after meeting with his rival Benjamin Disraeli, you left thinking you were the smartest person.1 —BONO” quote by Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/liz-wiseman-4720_prime-minister_it-has-been-said-that-after-meeting-with_263158.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/liz-wiseman-4720_prime-minister_it-has-been-said-that-after-meeting-with_263158.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/liz-wiseman-4720_prime-minister_it-has-been-said-that-after-meeting-with_263158.jpg) > ““It has been said that after meeting with the great British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, you left feeling he was the smartest person in the world, but after meeting with his rival Benjamin Disraeli, you left thinking you were the smartest person.1 —BONO”” [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meeting a charismatic leader can boost your confidence, while meeting a rival can make you doubt your own abilities, highlighting how perception is shaped by comparison. **In simple terms:** Comparing yourself to others changes how you view your own intelligence. Key Takeaway Recognize the influence of comparison on self‑esteem. Themes confidence perception leadership comparison self‑esteem Mood reflective analytical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - networking events - leadership conferences - team meetings - personal development workshops Key Concepts psychology social influence ego confidence bias Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess your own abilities independent of others? - What strategies help maintain realistic self‑assessment? A Different Perspective The effect may be temporary and depend on personal insecurities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prime minister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime-minister/) ## Related quotes > [Teachers shouldn't make the mistake of always thinking they're the smartest person in the room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-mali/teachers-shouldn-t-make-the-mistake-of-always-thinking-they-re-the/) [Taylor Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-mali/) > [“I had never really stopped thinking of how the smartest person I knew had, after much thought, decided that life was not worth it—that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/i-had-never-really-stopped-thinking-of-how-the-smartest-person-i-knew/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [William Ewart Gladstone is credited with the credo that a prime minister must be a "good butcher." 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