--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At a high level, we look for people who…" description: "\"“At a high level, we look for people who think independently, argue open-mindedly and assertively, and above all else value the intense pursuit of trut..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/ray-dalio-299_high-level_at-a-high-level-we-look-for-people-who-t_2931586.jpg" --- # At a high level, we look for people who think… ![“At a high level, we look for people who think independently, argue open-mindedly and assertively, and above all else value the intense pursuit of truth and excellence, and through it, the rapid improvement of themselves and the organization. Because we treat work as more than just what we do to…” quote by Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/ray-dalio-299_high-level_at-a-high-level-we-look-for-people-who-t_2931586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/ray-dalio-299_high-level_at-a-high-level-we-look-for-people-who-t_2931586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/ray-dalio-299_high-level_at-a-high-level-we-look-for-people-who-t_2931586.jpg) > ““At a high level, we look for people who think independently, argue open-mindedly and assertively, and above all else value the intense pursuit of truth and excellence, and through it, the rapid improvement of themselves and the organization. Because we treat work as more than just what we do to make a living, we look at every potential hire not just as an employee but as someone we’d want share our lives with. We insist that the people we work with are considerate and have a high sense of personal accountability to do the difficult, right things. We look for people with generous natures and high standards of fairness.”” [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hire people who think independently, value truth, and act with fairness and accountability. **In simple terms:** Value independent thinkers who pursue truth and fairness. Key Takeaway Prioritize integrity and curiosity in hiring. Themes leadership integrity teamwork Mood professional inspirational Type leadership organizational When to use this quote - recruitment - team building - performance reviews Key Concepts organizational behavior ethical standards Questions to Reflect On - How do you foster open debate without conflict? - What systems ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Balancing independence with teamwork can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [High standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-standards/) [Personal accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-accountability/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“if you can recognize that you have blind spots and open-mindedly consider the possibility that others might see something better than you—and that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/if-you-can-recognize-that-you-have-blind-spots-and-open-mindedly/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [You know I don't care if it's you know an intern or a full-time employee. I want to help them arrive at who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-friedman/you-know-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-you-know-an-intern-or-a-full-time/) [Carol Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-friedman/) > [When you work for a company you always, well I know, I try to give advice to young kids and other peers that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redman/when-you-work-for-a-company-you-always-well-i-know-i-try-to-give/) [Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redman/) > [“Avoid the anonymous “we” and “they,” because they mask personal responsibility. Things don’t just happen by themselves—they happen because specific people did or didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/avoid-the-anonymous-we-and-they-because-they-mask-personal/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I believe the time will come when the whole definition of pop music will change. It will get to the point where a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-believe-the-time-will-come-when-the-whole-definition-of-pop-music/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [“Remember that everyone must be overseen by a believable person who has high standards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/remember-that-everyone-must-be-overseen-by-a-believable-person-who/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Because of my upbringing, I believe in things like limited government, fiscal responsibility and personal accountability. I believe in the wisdom of our founders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thune/because-of-my-upbringing-i-believe-in-things-like-limited-government/) [John Thune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thune/) > [“Taking personal accountability is a beautiful thing because it gives us complete control of our destinies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-schuck/taking-personal-accountability-is-a-beautiful-thing-because-it-gives/) Heather Schuck > [I was very fortunate growing up because I always felt I was dealt with directly and honestly. A lot of those things I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/i-was-very-fortunate-growing-up-because-i-always-felt-i-was-dealt/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [“Existential anguish derives from the human freedom to think and act, experience love for life, and fear death. We must decide whether we wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/existential-anguish-derives-from-the-human-freedom-to-think-and-act/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [The evil of technology was not technology itself, Lindbergh came to see after the war, not in airplanes or the myriad contrivances of modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-evil-of-technology-was-not-technology-itself-lindbergh-came-to/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“He didn't look back, the cold-blooded little prick. That's when I realized what I should have realized years ago: that there were people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/he-didn-t-look-back-the-cold-blooded-little-prick-that-s-when-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [“...We are reviled, much like black conservatives and any other minority group that says ‘no’ to the Left’s victimhood politics…It’s amazing that being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-moore/we-are-reviled-much-like-black-conservatives-and-any-other-minority/) Chadwick Moore > [The choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-choices-we-make-are-ultimately-our-responsibility/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“By the time I graduated, I knew that the confidence I'd managed to develop didn't come from a perfect family or God-given talent. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goggins/by-the-time-i-graduated-i-knew-that-the-confidence-i-d-managed-to/) [David Goggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goggins/) ## More by Ray Dalio > [“Slow down your thinking so you can note the criteria you are using to make your decision. 2. Write the criteria down as a principle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/slow-down-your-thinking-so-you-can-note-the-criteria-you-are-using-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Having a process that ensures problems are brought to the surface, and their root causes diagnosed, assures that continual improvements occur.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/having-a-process-that-ensures-problems-are-brought-to-the-surface-and/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“If you can’t successfully do something, don’t think you can tell others how it should be done”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/if-you-can-t-successfully-do-something-don-t-think-you-can-tell/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Remember that a good plan should resemble a movie script.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/remember-that-a-good-plan-should-resemble-a-movie-script/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“I believe that the key to success lies in knowing how to both strive for a lot and fail well. By failing well, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-believe-that-the-key-to-success-lies-in-knowing-how-to-both-strive/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I'm scared of one man, one vote because it suggests that everybody has an equal ability at making decisions, and I think that's dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-m-scared-of-one-man-one-vote-because-it-suggests-that-everybody-has/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“A manager’s ability to recognize when outcomes are inconsistent with goals and then modify designs and assemble people to rectify them makes all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/a-manager-s-ability-to-recognize-when-outcomes-are-inconsistent-with/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“So I learned to be radically open-minded to allow others to point out what I might be missing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/so-i-learned-to-be-radically-open-minded-to-allow-others-to-point-out/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“During those terrible days after 9/11, when the whole country was being whipsawed by emotion, or the weeks between September 19 and October 10,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/during-those-terrible-days-after-9-11-when-the-whole-country-was/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“is more effective to train that subconscious, emotional you the same way you would teach a child to behave”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/is-more-effective-to-train-that-subconscious-emotional-you-the-same/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I think that the first thing is you should have a strategic asset allocation mix that assumes that you don't know what the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-think-that-the-first-thing-is-you-should-have-a-strategic-asset/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Life is like a game where you seek to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving your goals. You get better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/life-is-like-a-game-where-you-seek-to-overcome-the-obstacles-that/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“when we look down on ourselves through the eyes of nature we are of absolutely no significance. It is a reality that each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/when-we-look-down-on-ourselves-through-the-eyes-of-nature-we-are-of/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Great questions are a much better indicator of future success than great answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/great-questions-are-a-much-better-indicator-of-future-success-than/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Georgi Plekhanov’s classic On the Role of the Individual in History.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/georgi-plekhanov-s-classic-on-the-role-of-the-individual-in-history/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) [Explore all 716 Ray Dalio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) ## More High level quotes > [“Normally, I’d lie and connive and do whatever necessary to make you take me into the south.” “But …” More tears began to flow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/normally-i-d-lie-and-connive-and-do-whatever-necessary-to-make-you/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [We cannot deal with people like human beings, we cannot deal with them on the high level of true humanity, unless we really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-cannot-deal-with-people-like-human-beings-we-cannot-deal-with-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the way to maximize not just your leadership but your ability to influence your team is whatever you can do that helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-whitworth/i-think-the-way-to-maximize-not-just-your-leadership-but-your-ability/) [Andrew Whitworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-whitworth/) > [Descrimate between persons who are interacting with you in your personal life on regular basis, and treat them accordingly. A high level of circumspection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandrababu-vs/descrimate-between-persons-who-are-interacting-with-you-in-your/) [Chandrababu VS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandrababu-vs/) > [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) > [The challenge always is can we sustain a high level of competitiveness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/the-challenge-always-is-can-we-sustain-a-high-level-of-competitiveness/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [There is no roles. No one is keeping any roles. The drummer is also answering everybody and everything. So it is a constant conversation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-vitous/there-is-no-roles-no-one-is-keeping-any-roles-the-drummer-is-also/) [Miroslav Vitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-vitous/) > [I think naturally, if you're an actor, there's a high level of assertiveness that you need to have to survive this business. There's boldness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/i-think-naturally-if-you-re-an-actor-there-s-a-high-level-of/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [ Skilled shortages in America exist because we are shielding our skilled labor force from world competition. \[Visa quotas\] have been substituted for the wage… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/skilled-shortages-in-america-exist-because-we-are-shielding-our/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [You've got organizations out there that are consistently at a high level. They're known to play the right way at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/you-ve-got-organizations-out-there-that-are-consistently-at-a-high/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [“One of the reasons for the high level of happiness in Denmark is the good work–life balance, which allows people to make time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meik-wiking/one-of-the-reasons-for-the-high-level-of-happiness-in-denmark-is-the/) [Meik Wiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meik-wiking/) > [“If someone with a high level of authority were to ask me, "Suzy, how can we make people so incredibly stupid and apathetic, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/if-someone-with-a-high-level-of-authority-were-to-ask-me-suzy-how-can/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [I always enjoyed the training more than I did the racing. There was a high level of anxiety in racing that I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-lindgren/i-always-enjoyed-the-training-more-than-i-did-the-racing-there-was-a/) [Gerry Lindgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-lindgren/) > [As long as I'm playing at a high level, and I deserve to be out there, then I'll always put that U.S.A. jersey on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-taurasi/as-long-as-i-m-playing-at-a-high-level-and-i-deserve-to-be-out-there/) [Diana Taurasi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-taurasi/) > [For musical compositions to reach a high level and to derive from spontaneity, of course, one has to do the necessary steps to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/for-musical-compositions-to-reach-a-high-level-and-to-derive-from/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) Browse all 637 High level quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“At a high level, we look for people who think independently, argue open-mindedly and assertively, and above all else value the intense pursuit of truth and excellence, and through it, the rapid improvement of themselves and the organization. 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