A proverb meaning that when undertaking a great task one should begin with the nearest or simplest step; start with what you can do immediately.
新しいプロジェクトを前にして不安があるが、上司は『隗より始めよ』と言ってまず簡単な作業から始めさせた。
Facing a new project and feeling anxious, the boss said 'start with the nearest step' and had us begin with simple tasks.
大きな目標も、結局は小さな一歩の積み重ねだ。隗より始めよ、だね。
Big goals are ultimately a build-up of small steps. It's the 'start with the nearest step' idea.
A proverb meaning that the person who proposes an idea should be the first to act on it; the proposer should lead by example.
会議で改善案を出した部長が自ら動き始めた。『隗より始めよ』の精神だ。
The manager who proposed the improvement started to act himself. It's the spirit of 'the proposer should start'.
人に任せるだけでなく、言った人がまずやるべきだ。隗より始めよ、ということだ。
Rather than just leaving it to others, the person who said it should do it first. That's what '隗より始めよ' means.