Success Quote by Lee Iacocca

Power, in Iacocca's telling, is best exercised by giving it away. “I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way” reads like a humility flex, but it’s also a hard-nosed management doctrine forged in the high-stakes theater of American corporate revival. Coming from the auto executive who became a public face for Chrysler’s near-collapse and comeback, the line isn’t just about enlightened leadership; it’s about survival under scrutiny, deadlines, and national economic anxiety.

The first clause flatters talent while quietly recentering the leader as the ultimate judge of “bright.” He’s not diminishing himself so much as asserting confidence: only someone secure (or politically savvy) can publicly admit they need smarter people. The second clause is the real weapon. “Get out of their way” signals a rejection of bureaucratic drag and ego-driven meddling, the kind of corporate behavior that turns expertise into paperwork. It’s a subtle rebuke of the command-and-control boss who demands loyalty over competence.

The subtext is transactional and strategic: hire exceptional specialists, empower them, and you get speed, accountability, and better decisions - plus a shield. When outcomes are good, the leader looks visionary for assembling the team; when outcomes are bad, there’s implied insulation (“they were the experts”). In an era that rewarded charismatic CEOs as celebrity saviors, Iacocca’s line sells a modern myth: the strongest leader is the one who builds the system where brilliance can operate without permission.