Path to follow thats intresting
Crocodile thought Pluton was the "tool" to be the King.
Moriah thought with the power of someone else he would be the king.
Big mom thought the giants or germa were her way to be the king.
And Kaido choose Haki his own strenght to build itt up and become eventually the King .
He reliaed on his own strenght in my opinion more than others
Crocodile,Moriah,Big Mom all reliaed on others to reach their goals and Kaido built himself up over the last years on wano ,and no he didn't needed the smiles in my opinions because they are not the strongest more like animalisic fodder.