An ounce of loyalty is better than a pound of cleverness

Sure, it was all well and good for Genghis Khan, but when we discuss the modern employer/employee, the loyalty expected is a bit one-sided. The employee is supposed to work as much overtime as the company wants, yet the company can fire/lay off the employee with nary a warning. Where's the loyalty in that?

In the context of starting a company, this is pretty wise advice. <p>Do you hire people who are brilliant but ethically questionable (and might stab you in the back one day for an advantage), or do you hire people who are merely great ... but will stay and struggle with you when the inevitable hard times come?