--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can teach someone with basic smarts…" description: "\"You can teach someone with basic smarts to be smarter; you can't teach cultural fit or personality. But you also want someone who has a passion to win;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/mellody-hobson-8989_cultural_you-can-teach-someone-with-basic-smarts_1547863.jpg" --- # You can teach someone with basic smarts to be smarter; you… ![“You can teach someone with basic smarts to be smarter; you can't teach cultural fit or personality. But you also want someone who has a passion to win; someone that is all in.” quote by Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/mellody-hobson-8989_cultural_you-can-teach-someone-with-basic-smarts_1547863.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/mellody-hobson-8989_cultural_you-can-teach-someone-with-basic-smarts_1547863.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/mellody-hobson-8989_cultural_you-can-teach-someone-with-basic-smarts_1547863.jpg) > “You can teach someone with basic smarts to be smarter; you can't teach cultural fit or personality. But you also want someone who has a passion to win; someone that is all in.” [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent can be developed through training, but cultural fit and personality are innate; hiring should prioritize passion and commitment. **In simple terms:** Skills can be taught, but fit and drive are innate. Key Takeaway Hire for passion and cultural alignment. Themes hiring talent development culture personality motivation Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice insightful When to use this quote - recruiting - team building - leadership development - performance management Key Concepts growth mindset organizational fit intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess cultural fit without bias? - What signals indicate genuine passion? A Different Perspective Passion may wane without proper support or alignment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basic Smarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-smarts-5778223/) [Cultural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Smarter Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarter-teach-4401200/) [Smarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarts/) [Smarts Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarts-smarter-5778224/) [Teach Cultural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-cultural-3772049/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win/) ## Related quotes > [I still think there is a way to take all the mistakes that we've made as adults and put a little bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-still-think-there-is-a-way-to-take-all-the-mistakes-that-we-ve-made/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“70 percent of international ventures continue to fail because of cultural differences.2 Simplistic approaches that teach cultural practices and taboos aren't sufficient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/70-percent-of-international-ventures-continue-to-fail-because-of/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [We teach in our cultural history that the entire universe is a family. So our association with Nature is much deeper and of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-teach-in-our-cultural-history-that-the-entire-universe-is-a-family/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I seriously feel like the best days are ahead, and I like the idea of getting to do everything I did before but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-seriously-feel-like-the-best-days-are-ahead-and-i-like-the-idea-of/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [“Yet human intelligence has another force, too: the sense of urgency that gives human smarts their drive. Perhaps our intelligence is not just ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/yet-human-intelligence-has-another-force-too-the-sense-of-urgency/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [I was a Sedgewick without the smarts. It infused its way into me and I feel like it formed my character in a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morrow/i-was-a-sedgewick-without-the-smarts-it-infused-its-way-into-me-and-i/) [Rob Morrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morrow/) > [For being book smart, I thought he (A. Barlett Giamatti) had a lot of street smarts, which is tough to find sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/for-being-book-smart-i-thought-he-a-barlett-giamatti-had-a-lot-of/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [There's book smart, there is street smart, there's relationship smart, there's too many different kinds of smarts to know all of them. Everybody doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/there-s-book-smart-there-is-street-smart-there-s-relationship-smart/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [No creature smarts so little as a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/no-creature-smarts-so-little-as-a-fool/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [U gotta wonder about the people cutting themselves do the smarts use the small blade and live or r they the dumb ones do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrcountry/u-gotta-wonder-about-the-people-cutting-themselves-do-the-smarts-use/) [MrCountry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrcountry/) > [Unless and until Barack Obama addresses the full depth of Americans' anger with his full arsenal of policy smarts and political gifts, his presidency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rich/unless-and-until-barack-obama-addresses-the-full-depth-of-americans/) [Frank Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rich/) > [There will be an end point to how good TV pictures can get. The boob tube has hugely benefited from the rapid advance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/there-will-be-an-end-point-to-how-good-tv-pictures-can-get-the-boob/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“I miss you, sister," he say. "I miss me too," she say. Always too clever but not clever enough to know when to blow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-james/i-miss-you-sister-he-say-i-miss-me-too-she-say-always-too-clever-but/) [Marlon James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-james/) > [“She's finding out she don't know much, and that's gonna make her feel lost for a spell. All her book smarts is worth a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-weiss/she-s-finding-out-she-don-t-know-much-and-that-s-gonna-make-her-feel/) [Leah Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-weiss/) > [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) ## More by Mellody Hobson > [I love Obama. And Michelle. I was so grateful for them. They were such stunning people. We were lucky to have them. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-love-obama-and-michelle-i-was-so-grateful-for-them-they-were-such/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [When I think of my career and why I leaned in, it comes down to basic survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/when-i-think-of-my-career-and-why-i-leaned-in-it-comes-down-to-basic/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I can't tell you how many resumes we get from business schools across the country from black women and black men and Hispanic women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-can-t-tell-you-how-many-resumes-we-get-from-business-schools-across/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [Bravery is not the absence of fear, it is overcoming it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/bravery-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-it-is-overcoming-it/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [How many people, though, do I meet that I think have talent? 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I was desperate to be secure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-always-felt-very-insecure-financially-as-a-child-i-was-desperate-to/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I grew up going to a school where there weren't a lot of black kids. And so my mother, from a very, very young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-grew-up-going-to-a-school-where-there-weren-t-a-lot-of-black-kids/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [Now, race is one of those topics in America that makes people extraordinarily uncomfortable. You bring it up at a dinner party or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/now-race-is-one-of-those-topics-in-america-that-makes-people/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I know many members of our community steer clear of Wall Street because of the perception that the stock market is risky, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-know-many-members-of-our-community-steer-clear-of-wall-street/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I've told stories about people coming to my office and giving me their coats and requesting that I hang them up and get coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-ve-told-stories-about-people-coming-to-my-office-and-giving-me/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I found my own orthodontist, my own high school. I set up interviews and did college trips. Despite her incredible concern and caring, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-found-my-own-orthodontist-my-own-high-school-i-set-up-interviews/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I know that my life is a miracle and because of that, I can't think my success is because I was so great at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-know-that-my-life-is-a-miracle-and-because-of-that-i-can-t-think-my/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [We cannot afford to be color-blind, we have to be color-brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/we-cannot-afford-to-be-color-blind-we-have-to-be-color-brave/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) [Explore all 76 Mellody Hobson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) ## More Cultural quotes > [We have never escaped a certain male cultural desire for women's silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/we-have-never-escaped-a-certain-male-cultural-desire-for-women-s/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The world is getting more connected through technology and travel. Cuisines are evolving. Some people are scared of globalization, but I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/the-world-is-getting-more-connected-through-technology-and-travel/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [“It has become a cultural norm in Jewish families for parents to bring up their children to value wealth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-charles/it-has-become-a-cultural-norm-in-jewish-families-for-parents-to-bring/) [H.W. Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-charles/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [While we welcome people of all faiths in America we cannot be so naive as to expect all countries to do the same. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-huffington/while-we-welcome-people-of-all-faiths-in-america-we-cannot-be-so/) [Michael Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-huffington/) > [K-pop itself is not just a music genre, but a whole cultural phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-tae-min/k-pop-itself-is-not-just-a-music-genre-but-a-whole-cultural-phenomenon/) [Lee Tae-min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-tae-min/) > [I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-feel-that-there-are-a-few-things-in-the-world-without-cultural/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [“So, drenched and downing champagne, I danced a rather demented waltz-cum-jig with a young bride I'd never met before in a place I'd never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-irwin/so-drenched-and-downing-champagne-i-danced-a-rather-demented-waltz/) [Colin Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-irwin/) > [I make it my business to see or do something cultural in every place I go to. If you don't, you'll get into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-reynor/i-make-it-my-business-to-see-or-do-something-cultural-in-every-place/) [Jack Reynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-reynor/) > [There are various kinds of savagery: emotional, spiritual, economic, and cultural savagery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/there-are-various-kinds-of-savagery-emotional-spiritual-economic-and/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [The religious imagery and fairytales that formed our shared cultural references have been replaced by the cult of celebrity. 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