The Philosophy of “Find the Right People, Not the Best People”
The Origin of This Powerful Advice
Jack Ma, the visionary founder of Alibaba Group, has become one of the world’s most influential business leaders and philosophers. His path to prominence was anything but conventional. Born Ma Yun in Hangzhou, China, in 1964, Ma came of age during significant social and economic transformation in China. He grew up in a modest household and was an ordinary student who failed his college entrance examination twice. He finally gained admission to Hangzhou Normal University, where he studied English. This early struggle with academic achievement shaped his later philosophy about identifying potential in people that others might overlook. His journey from a rejected college applicant and failed entrepreneur to the architect of one of the world’s largest e-commerce empires makes him uniquely qualified to speak about choosing people based on character and fit rather than pedigree or credentials alone.
Before founding Alibaba in 1999 with eighteen co-founders working from his apartment, Ma worked as an English teacher. This profession deeply influenced his worldview and communication style. He launched a failed online directory service called China Pages in 1995 and struggled for years in China’s early internet economy. These formative experiences taught Ma that business success relies less on hiring Harvard graduates or industry veterans. Instead, it depends on assembling people who align in vision, remain humble in approach, and willingly learn together.
The quote “Find the right people, not the best people” emerged from this philosophy and appeared frequently in interviews and company culture discussions from the early 2000s onward. This was particularly true as Alibaba began its explosive growth. Ma often emphasized this principle when discussing how Alibaba competed against and eventually surpassed international e-commerce giants like eBay in the Chinese market. Alibaba lacked the venture capital resources and technical expertise that seemed standard for such an ambitious undertaking.
Find the Right People, Not the Best People
This quote particularly strikes because it challenges a prevailing assumption in academic and corporate circles. That assumption is that organizations achieve excellence through pure meritocracy by recruiting the most accomplished and credentialed individuals. Ma’s philosophy suggests instead that cultural fit, shared values, and the right attitude matter significantly more than titles, degrees, or previous accolades. This perspective was especially revolutionary in the Chinese business context of the late 1990s. Family connections and government relationships were often considered the primary determinants of business success.
By explicitly rejecting the notion that the “best people” in conventional terms were necessary, Ma did two things. First, he practically built a company culture that could adapt and learn quickly. Second, he philosophically questioned what “best” even means in an organizational context. He believed that intellectually humble people would outperform those with fixed expertise. He valued people who were willing to be wrong and capable of rapid personal transformation over those with established ways of doing things.
Lesser-known aspects of Ma’s personality and approach reveal just how deeply he embodied this philosophy. Despite becoming extraordinarily wealthy, Ma has always maintained unusual humility and willingness to admit mistakes. In 2008, when Alibaba faced criticism over marketplace fraud, Ma took personal responsibility rather than defensively protecting his reputation. He acknowledged failures in the company’s oversight systems. Many people don’t realize that Ma practiced Tai Chi regularly and studied philosophy extensively. He spent significant time reading fiction—practices he credited with keeping his mind flexible and open to unconventional thinking.
He was also famously theatrical and unconventional in his personal presentation. He often appeared at company events in elaborate costumes or wigs, which humanized him to employees. This demonstrated that success didn’t require conforming to traditional notions of corporate respectability. These quirky character traits were not separate from his business philosophy. Rather, they expressed his belief that organizations thrive when they embrace authenticity and individual personality rather than enforcing conformity.
Why Team Fit Matters More Than Talent
Alibaba built its organizational culture by applying Ma’s principle practically. The company selected leaders throughout its growth stages by focusing on the right fit. Rather than recruiting exclusively from prestigious universities or established tech companies, Alibaba actively sought talented individuals from unconventional backgrounds. These candidates demonstrated hunger, humility, and alignment with the company’s mission to empower small businesses. Many of Alibaba’s early executives and department heads came from teaching backgrounds, modest family circumstances, or careers in completely different industries. This approach extended to international recruitment as well.
Ma’s company brought in people from diverse countries and cultures. It based selection on their understanding of and commitment to Alibaba’s vision, not on their credentials at previous multinational corporations. The company’s famous value system emphasized customer focus, integrity, and embracing change. These values became the true interview criteria. Ma himself often participated in discussions about whether candidates embodied these values regardless of their professional background.
The quote has resonated across cultures and industries far beyond Alibaba’s walls. It has influenced management philosophy in Silicon Valley, traditional corporations, and startups worldwide. Entrepreneurs and CEOs from various sectors have cited Ma’s principle when explaining why they successfully hired people who lacked obvious credentials. These individuals brought irreplaceable cultural fit and growth mindset to their organizations. In the age of artificial intelligence and automation, the quote has taken on renewed significance. Many business leaders have begun recognizing that specific technical skills can become obsolete relatively quickly. Adaptability, collaborative spirit, and shared values remain perpetually valuable. Business schools and leadership development programs have increasingly incorporated Ma’s philosophy into their curriculum. They use it to challenge students’ assumptions about meritocracy and talent identification. The quote has become particularly relevant in discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion. It implicitly critiques the homogenizing effects of credential-based hiring that has historically