When you hire, look for attitude first… it’s a game-changing mindset that flips traditional hiring on its head. I’ve seen it transform teams from mediocre to unstoppable. Forget just checking skills boxes; this is about finding the people who will actually grow with you.
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Meaning
The core idea is simple but profound: a candidate’s inherent enthusiasm, coachability, and mindset are a more valuable long-term asset than their current technical skills, which can be taught.
Explanation
Let me break this down from hard-won experience. Skills are table stakes, right? You need someone who can *do* the job. But attitude… that’s the engine. I’ve hired incredibly skilled people who ended up poisoning the team culture, and I’ve hired passionate, hungry people with a 70% skill match who became absolute superstars in six months. The thing is, you can train skills. You can send someone on a course. But you can’t train someone to care, to be resilient, to have a growth mindset. That has to come from within. It’s the difference between a short-term hire and a long-term investment.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Business (233) |
| Topics | attitude (43), hiring (17), skill general (17) |
| Literary Style | memorable (234) |
| Emotion / Mood | realistic (354) |
| Overall Quote Score | 82 (297) |
Origin & Factcheck
This wisdom comes straight from Brian Tracy’s 2001 book, Hire and Keep the Best People. It’s a cornerstone of his philosophy on building A-player teams. You’ll sometimes see this sentiment attributed to other gurus or even to the old “hire for attitude, train for skill” adage, but Tracy really codified and popularized it in the modern business context.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Brian Tracy (375) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Hire and Keep the Best People (56) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Brian Tracy, a prolific author gained global reputation because of his best seller book list such as Eat That Frog!, Goals!, and The Psychology of Selling, and created influential audio programs like The Psychology of Achievement. He is sought after guru for personal development and business performance. Brian Tracy International, coaches millions of professionals and corporates on sales, goal setting, leadership, and productivity.
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | When you hire, look for attitude first, skill second |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2001; ISBN: 978-1576751275; Last edition: 2001, Berrett-Koehler Publishers; Number of pages: 112. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: Hiring Criteria; Approximate page from 2001 edition |