--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision…" description: "\"Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision and a mission. Surround yourself with talented people. Rely on effective coaching, not managing of employees.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg" --- # Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision and a mission… ![“Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision and a mission. Surround yourself with talented people. Rely on effective coaching, not managing of employees.” quote by Tom Gegax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg) > “Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision and a mission. Surround yourself with talented people. Rely on effective coaching, not managing of employees.” [Tom Gegax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gegax/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective leadership relies on vision, mission, talent, and coaching rather than micromanagement. **In simple terms:** Lead with vision and coach, not control. Key Takeaway Focus on vision and coaching. Themes leadership vision coaching team building Mood motivational strategic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - startup teams - corporate departments - nonprofits - project groups Key Concepts Strategic alignment empowerment talent development Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance coaching with accountability? - What vision inspires your team? A Different Perspective Coaching alone may not address performance issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching/) [Coaching Managing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching-managing-4453607/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Employee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employee/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Managing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/managing/) [Managing Employees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/managing-employees-4453608/) [Managing Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/managing-job-4453606/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Managing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-managing-4453605/) [Surround](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surround/) [Surround yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surround-yourself/) [Talented people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented-people/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [I say this all the time: I've always been really good at managing my expectations so that I'm not let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-say-this-all-the-time-i-ve-always-been-really-good-at-managing-my/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [Basically, managing is about influencing action. Managing is about helping organizations and units to get things done, which means action. Sometimes, managers manage actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/basically-managing-is-about-influencing-action-managing-is-about/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [“In many ways, life is about managing your delusions; keeping the ones that nourish and eliminating the ones that poison.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/in-many-ways-life-is-about-managing-your-delusions-keeping-the-ones/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [The secret of successful managing is to keep the five guys who hate you away from the four guys who haven't made up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/the-secret-of-successful-managing-is-to-keep-the-five-guys-who-hate/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [Football management is about managing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/football-management-is-about-managing-people/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I've been asked to interview for many managing jobs, and I never said yes because I was never serious about it, and I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/i-ve-been-asked-to-interview-for-many-managing-jobs-and-i-never-said/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Managing a league club is like making love to a mermaid... you should always be aiming for a top half finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-holloway/managing-a-league-club-is-like-making-love-to-a-mermaid-you-should/) [Ian Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-holloway/) > [Transparency is not about restoring trust in institutions. Transparency is the politics of managing mistrust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/transparency-is-not-about-restoring-trust-in-institutions/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [“If you can’t actually take time off without having to make sure everything is going right at the office, the thinking goes, you aren’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sutherland/if-you-can-t-actually-take-time-off-without-having-to-make-sure/) [Jeff Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sutherland/) > [The world isn't fast-paced, it's frenetic. People have to be managers of themselves. Time has been managing itself for 15 billion years; we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-buzan/the-world-isn-t-fast-paced-it-s-frenetic-people-have-to-be-managers/) [Tony Buzan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-buzan/) > [I've seen people be effective, even among local teams, by offering something that improves wellbeing in a small way - people who get passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-ve-seen-people-be-effective-even-among-local-teams-by-offering/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [My eight years in Detroit, obviously, were my most successful years managing. I think that Pittsburgh and Detroit are probably very, very similar. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-leyland/my-eight-years-in-detroit-obviously-were-my-most-successful-years/) [Jim Leyland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-leyland/) > [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [Don't allow old traditions to become permanent mental scripts for managing your life in the present. Reason: you will not be able to transform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-l-johnson/don-t-allow-old-traditions-to-become-permanent-mental-scripts-for/) [Darren L Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-l-johnson/) ## More by Tom Gegax > [Given the challenges and adversity we face in business and life today, Jon Gordon provides a clear road map to navigate the negativity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gegax/given-the-challenges-and-adversity-we-face-in-business-and-life-today/) [Tom Gegax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gegax/) > [Leaders must attend to one key growth question: How authentically am I showing up in the world and my organization?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gegax/leaders-must-attend-to-one-key-growth-question-how-authentically-am-i/) [Tom Gegax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gegax/) [Explore all 3 Tom Gegax quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gegax/) ## More Coaching quotes > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [There's not one year to the next that you don't go through a number of changes, whether it's personnel, whether it's coaching, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/there-s-not-one-year-to-the-next-that-you-don-t-go-through-a-number/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [It's not that easy for some of these players in China to get the coaching they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chang/it-s-not-that-easy-for-some-of-these-players-in-china-to-get-the/) [Michael Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chang/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [You never want to go through a coaching change mid-cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/you-never-want-to-go-through-a-coaching-change-mid-cycle/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would have my very own school - no way. And I had no idea I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liang-chow/i-never-thought-in-my-wildest-dreams-that-i-would-have-my-very-own/) [Liang Chow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liang-chow/) > [The only thing I pay attention to with free throws is what a guy does in the final four minutes of a game. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/the-only-thing-i-pay-attention-to-with-free-throws-is-what-a-guy-does/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [Set goals - high goals for you and your organization. When your organization has a goal to shoot for, you create teamwork, people working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/set-goals-high-goals-for-you-and-your-organization-when-your/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [From a player's standpoint, it's on you to make sure that you're watching the film, you're doing everything during the week necessary to improve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kelce/from-a-player-s-standpoint-it-s-on-you-to-make-sure-that-you-re/) [Jason Kelce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kelce/) > [For most of the projects I've worked on, I've been entrusted with some degree of musical responsibility, even if it's just like coaching for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robbins/for-most-of-the-projects-i-ve-worked-on-i-ve-been-entrusted-with-some/) [J. Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robbins/) > [Coaching is very complex: it's like a puzzle, and many things need to come together to make it work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-wawrinka/coaching-is-very-complex-it-s-like-a-puzzle-and-many-things-need-to/) [Stan Wawrinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-wawrinka/) [Browse all 1,416 Coaching quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision and a mission. Surround yourself with talented people. Rely on effective coaching, not managing of employees.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Gegax" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gegax/self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-and-a-mission-surround/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coaching" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gegax/self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-and-a-mission-surround/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/tom-gegax-78578_coaching_self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-a_1329132.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Self-managing is Job One. Have a vision and a mission. Surround yourself with talented people. Rely on…” — Tom Gegax", "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": "Tom Gegax", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gegax/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Self-managing is Job One. Have a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gegax/self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-and-a-mission-surround/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gegax/self-managing-is-job-one-have-a-vision-and-a-mission-surround/#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 } } ] } ```