--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who work for me are working for…" description: "\"People who work for me are working for what I believe in. The leaders who run our companies do so on the basis of those who came first and who said, \"A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/richard-branson-256_believe_people-who-work-for-me-are-working-for-w_121887.jpg" --- # People who work for me are working for what I believe in… ![“People who work for me are working for what I believe in. The leaders who run our companies do so on the basis of those who came first and who said, "A company is its people." I hope my companies are run on the basis of praising their workers and looking for the best in them, not criticizing them…” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/richard-branson-256_believe_people-who-work-for-me-are-working-for-w_121887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/richard-branson-256_believe_people-who-work-for-me-are-working-for-w_121887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/richard-branson-256_believe_people-who-work-for-me-are-working-for-w_121887.jpg) > “People who work for me are working for what I believe in. The leaders who run our companies do so on the basis of those who came first and who said, "A company is its people." I hope my companies are run on the basis of praising their workers and looking for the best in them, not criticizing them. In the same way that you water a plant and it sprouts leaves, people flourish when you praise them.” [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Branson argues that companies succeed when leaders value and praise employees, likening encouragement to watering a plant that then flourishes. **In simple terms:** Praise nurtures employee growth. Key Takeaway Positive reinforcement drives performance. Themes leadership employee engagement culture Mood inspirational optimistic Type speech motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - performance reviews - startup culture Key Concepts psychology of motivation organizational health Practical Applications - implement regular recognition programs - train managers in appreciative feedback Questions to Reflect On - When does praise become empty? - How can leaders balance praise with constructive critique? A Different Perspective Over‑praise can dilute its impact if not paired with accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basis Praising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basis-praising-1419576/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Companies Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies-run-955339/) [Company People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company-people-472094/) [Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Praising Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praising-workers-1419575/) [Run Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-companies-758721/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [I may be a businessman in that I set up and run companies for profit, but when I try to plan ahead and dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-may-be-a-businessman-in-that-i-set-up-and-run-companies-for-profit/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [A company is people … employees want to know… am I being listened to or am I a cog in the wheel? People really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/a-company-is-people-employees-want-to-know-am-i-being-listened-to-or/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I have started or run several companies and spent time with dozens of entrepreneurs over the years. Virtually none of them, in my experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/i-have-started-or-run-several-companies-and-spent-time-with-dozens-of/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I've always said that the better off you are, the more responsibility you have for helping others. Just as I think it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-slim/i-ve-always-said-that-the-better-off-you-are-the-more-responsibility/) [Carlos Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-slim/) > [“People who run companies are faced with important choices every day. How they make those choices determines the character of the company, the quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/people-who-run-companies-are-faced-with-important-choices-every-day/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Well, well-run companies always have a focus on growth and the two lines, which includes profit. The key thing during, I think, tough times,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/well-well-run-companies-always-have-a-focus-on-growth-and-the-two/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I'd like to see women get on to boards and run companies despite the fact that men occupy the citadels of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/i-d-like-to-see-women-get-on-to-boards-and-run-companies-despite-the/) [Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/) > [I don't run any of my companies. I always partner with somebody who wants to operate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mckelvey/i-don-t-run-any-of-my-companies-i-always-partner-with-somebody-who/) [Jim McKelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mckelvey/) > [European and American companies companies do create jobs for some people but what they're mainly going to do is make an already wealthy elite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/european-and-american-companies-companies-do-create-jobs-for-some/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [About half the people at Valve have run their own companies, so they always have the option not just to take a job at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-newell/about-half-the-people-at-valve-have-run-their-own-companies-so-they/) [Gabe Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-newell/) > [I may be a douche to some people, but I actually do run companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-disick/i-may-be-a-douche-to-some-people-but-i-actually-do-run-companies/) [Scott Disick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-disick/) > [Now, I will say, most American companies - most are run by honorable patriotic people who care about their employees and communities. But there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/now-i-will-say-most-american-companies-most-are-run-by-honorable/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [For so long, companies were run using a command-and-control, 'top down' hierarchical method that involved dictating down the command chain and maintaining order. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-allen/for-so-long-companies-were-run-using-a-command-and-control-top-down/) [Kevin Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-allen/) > [Many Chinese companies are run like military camps with military discipline. We do not run a company that way. It does not help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-xin/many-chinese-companies-are-run-like-military-camps-with-military/) [Zhang Xin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-xin/) > [I believe that software, and in fact entire companies, should be run in a way that assumes that the sum of the talent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/i-believe-that-software-and-in-fact-entire-companies-should-be-run-in/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) ## More by Richard Branson > [Lavish praise on people and people will flourish; criticize people and they'll shrivel up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/lavish-praise-on-people-and-people-will-flourish-criticize-people-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Fantasizing about the future is one of my favorite pastimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/fantasizing-about-the-future-is-one-of-my-favorite-pastimes/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Tough times are inevitable in life and in business. 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That has definitely transformed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-love-the-freedom-of-movement-that-my-phone-gives-me-that-has/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Everything in your business can be outsourced... if you're not emotionally attached to doing it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/everything-in-your-business-can-be-outsourced-if-you-re-not/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [People have to decide on priorities if they want to get anywhere. 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You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People who work for me are working for what I believe in. The leaders who run our companies do so on the basis of those who came first and who said, \"A company is its people.\" I hope my companies are run on the basis of praising their workers and looking for the best in them, not criticizing them. 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