To recruit elite talent capable of running major corporations into public service, the UAE government pays its ministers salaries comparable to the private sector. The rationale is simple: if you want the best talent, you must compete for it financially. As they say, "if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys."

The most motivated employees ("freedom fighters") offer unparalleled commitment, but only if the company's mission is authentic. Unlike mercenaries (paid) or conscripts (obligated), they demand integrity and will quickly expose any disconnect between the stated mission and reality, making them a high-reward but high-maintenance talent segment.

To lure senior talent from giants like SpaceX, Base Power pitched more than equity. It offered a chance to work on humanity's hardest problems (energy), promising a continuous stream of complex challenges that top performers crave, alongside massive economic upside.

Citing economist Ed Glaeser's 'capacity eats policy for a light snack,' the core argument is that the government's ability to execute—having the right people with the right skills—is a far greater determinant of success than the policy itself. Lacking execution capacity dooms even the best-laid plans.

To compete with high private sector salaries, the U.S. Tech Force frames its roles as a service to the country, akin to the Peace Corps. This reframes the value proposition away from pure compensation and towards civic duty and resume prestige, making it more appealing to mission-driven talent who might otherwise not consider public sector work.

To attract Silicon Valley talent, the DoD is framing two-year government tours as a new form of national service for technologists. The goal is to make it a "badge of honor" that provides valuable experience and credibility upon returning to the private sector.

The traditional value proposition of government work, lifetime employment, is described as a "myth" and the "least compelling narrative" for a younger generation. A more effective pitch focuses on solving significant, complex challenges and building a versatile skill set that provides future career options, both public and private.

The CHIPS program director was chosen for the ability to 'get something done in government,' not for a background in semiconductors. For a massive federal startup, navigating bureaucracy and building processes from scratch is a more critical leadership skill than pre-existing industry knowledge, which can be hired onto the team.

The very best engineers optimize for their most precious asset: their time. They are less motivated by competing salary offers and more by the quality of the team, the problem they're solving, and the agency to build something meaningful without becoming a "cog" in a machine.