--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of one thing be certain: if a CEO is…" description: "\"Of one thing be certain: if a CEO is enthused about a particularly foolish acquisition, both his internal staff and his outside advisors will come up w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/warren-buffett-183_acquisition_of-one-thing-be-certain-if-a-ceo-is-enth_2795435.png" --- # Of one thing be certain: if a CEO is enthused about a… ![“Of one thing be certain: if a CEO is enthused about a particularly foolish acquisition, both his internal staff and his outside advisors will come up with whatever projections are needed to justify his stance. Only in fairy tales are emperors told that they are naked.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/warren-buffett-183_acquisition_of-one-thing-be-certain-if-a-ceo-is-enth_2795435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/warren-buffett-183_acquisition_of-one-thing-be-certain-if-a-ceo-is-enth_2795435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/warren-buffett-183_acquisition_of-one-thing-be-certain-if-a-ceo-is-enth_2795435.png) > “Of one thing be certain: if a CEO is enthused about a particularly foolish acquisition, both his internal staff and his outside advisors will come up with whatever projections are needed to justify his stance. Only in fairy tales are emperors told that they are naked.” [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a CEO is overly enthusiastic about a poor acquisition, staff and advisors will fabricate supporting projections. **In simple terms:** Leaders' bias can distort reality. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and demand evidence. Themes leadership bias decisionmaking corporategovernance accountability Mood cautious critical analytical Type advisory warning When to use this quote - board meetings - investment committees - strategic planning - risk assessment Key Concepts confirmation bias groupthink overconfidence Questions to Reflect On - How can you create checks against biased enthusiasm? - What evidence would change your view? A Different Perspective Overreliance on optimism can blind to risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquisition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquisition/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emperor/) [Fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy/) [Fairy tale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tale/) [Fairy tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tales/) [Projection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projection/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) ## Related quotes > [There is no question that an important service is provided to investors by investment companies, investment advisors, trust departments, etc. This service revolves around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/there-is-no-question-that-an-important-service-is-provided-to/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. 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His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-iger/steve-jobs-was-a-great-friend-as-well-as-a-trusted-advisor-his-legacy/) [Bob Iger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-iger/) > [He was a volatile mixture of confidence and vulnerability. 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What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [We set no volume goals in our insurance business generally-and certainly not in reinsurance-as virtually any volume can be achieved if profitability standards are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-set-no-volume-goals-in-our-insurance-business-generally-and/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. 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We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-common-cause-of-low-prices-is-pessimism-some-times-pervasive/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [What you really want to do in investments is figure out what's important and knowable. If it's unimportant or unknowable you forget about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/what-you-really-want-to-do-in-investments-is-figure-out-what-s/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I don't measure my life by the money I've made. Other people might, but certainly don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-don-t-measure-my-life-by-the-money-i-ve-made-other-people-might-but/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I mean the truth is, I've never had it so good in terms of taxes. I am paying the lowest tax rate that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-mean-the-truth-is-i-ve-never-had-it-so-good-in-terms-of-taxes-i-am/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. 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