We only have one future, and it will be made of our dreams, if we have the courage to challenge convention.
If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don't particularly like.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Hiring should prioritize diverse talents over personal preferences, as great potential often lies outside one's comfort zone.
This quote by Soichiro Honda emphasizes the importance of looking beyond personal biases when hiring employees. It suggests that if you only recruit individuals who mirror your own understanding and preferences, your company may miss out on exceptional talent. True leadership involves recognizing and valuing the strengths of diverse individuals, even if their personalities or viewpoints differ from your own, as they can bring unique perspectives and innovations that can elevate the organization.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a business seminar discussing effective hiring practices.
More from Soichiro Honda
All quotes →Instead of being afraid of the challenge and failure, be afraid of avoiding the challenge and doing nothing
There is a Japanese proverb that literally goes 'Raise the sail with your stronger hand,' meaning you must go after the opportunities that arise in life that you are best equipped to do.
Success is ninety-nine percent failure.
What we learn through failure becomes a precious part of us, strengthening us in everything we do. So let the tough things make you tougher.
Each individual should work for himself. People will not sacrifice themselves for the company. They come to work at the company to enjoy themselves.
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I purposely try to hire people who are really self-motivated and good at what they do, and then I just leave them alone.
The measure of a leader is not the number of people who serve him, but the number of people he serves.
If you hire people just because they can do a job, they'll work for your money, but if they believe what you believe, they'll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.
We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers