Motivational Quotes

Leadership

Those that rule must hear and be deaf, must see and be blind.

- Proverb, German

Best Quotes about Leadership

So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.

Peter Drucker

The highest of distinctions is service to others.

King George VI

The high sentiments always win in the end, the leaders who offer blood, toil, tears, and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.

Orwell, George

I'm their leader, I've got to follow them.

Ledru-Rollin, Alexandre

There is no such thing as a perfect leader either in the past or present, in China or elsewhere. If there is one, he is only pretending, like a pig inserting scallions into its nose in an effort to look like an elephant.

Liu Shao-Ch'I

Most of the ladies and gentlemen who mourn the passing of the nation's leaders wouldn't know a leader if they saw one. If they had the bad luck to come across a leader, they would find out that he might demand something from them, and this impertinence would put an abrupt and indignant end to their wish for his return.

Lapham, Lewis H.

When placed in command -- take charge.

Schwarzkopf, Norman

I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.

Gandhi, Mahatma

If you want to be comfortable -- take an easy job. If you aspire to leadership, take off your coat.

10.

Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too.

Half, Robert

11.

He is the richest man who enriches his country most; in whom the people feel richest and proudest; who gives himself with his money; who opens the doors of opportunity widest to those about him; who is ears to the deaf; eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. Such a man makes every acre of land in his community worth more, and makes richer every man who lives near him.

Marden, Orison Swett

12.

People try so hard to believe in leaders now, pitifully hard. But we no sooner get a popular reformer or politician or soldier or writer or philosopher --a Roosevelt, a Tolstoy, a Wood, a Shaw, a Nietzsche, than the cross-currents of criticism wash him away. My Lord, no man can stand prominence these days. It's the surest path to obscurity. People get sick of hearing the same name over and over.

13.

If you lead the people with correctness, who will dare not be correct?

Confucius

14.

In the great mass of our people there are plenty individuals of intelligence from among whom leadership can be recruited.

Hoover, Herbert Clark

15.

The chief executive who knows his strengths and weaknesses as a leader is likely to be far more effective than the one who remains blind to them. He also is on the road to humility -- that priceless attitude of openness to life that can help a manager absorb mistakes, failures, or personal shortcomings.

Adair, John

16.

Education is the mother of leadership.

Willkie, Wendell L.

17.

In really good companies, you have to lead. You have to come up with big ideas and express them forcefully. I have always been encouraged -- or sometimes forced -- to confront the very natural fear of being wrong. I was constantly pushed to find out what I really thought and then to speak up. Over time, I came to see that waiting to discover which way the wind was blowing is an excellent way to learn how to be a follower.

Enrico, Roger

18.

No one would have doubted his ability to reign had he never been emperor.

Tacitus, Publius Cornelius

19.

Every private in the French army carries a Field Marshall wand in his knapsack.

Bonaparte, Napoleon

20.

Leadership is like the old galley ships. 100s are rowing, but only one (the captain) knows where they are going

21.

It is a characteristic of all movements and crusades that the psychopathic element rises to the top.

Lindner, Robert

22.

The successful man doesn't use others, other people use the successful man, for above all the success is of service.

Caine, Mark

23.

When a blind man bears the standard, pity those who follow.

Proverb, French

24.

Perhaps in His wisdom the Almighty is trying to show us that a leader may chart the way, may point out the road to lasting peace, but that many leaders and many peoples must do the building.

Roosevelt, Eleanor

25.

It often happens that I wake up at night and begin to think about a serious problem and decide I must tell the Pope about it. Then I wake up completely and remember that I am the Pope.

Pope John XXIII

26.

That is no use at all. What I want is men who will support me when I am in the wrong.

Melbourne, Lord

27.

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.

Maxwell, John C.

28.

Eagles don't flock, you have to find them one at a time.

Perot, H. Ross

29.

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.

John F. Kennedy

30.

A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. A boss is interested in himself or herself, a leader is interested in the group.

Ewing, Russell H.

31.

A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.

Lauren, Ralph

32.

Faith in the ability of a leader is of slight service unless it be united with faith in his justice.

George Goethals

33.

The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. The boss depends on authority; the leader on good will. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says I; The leader says WE. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss says, GO; the leader says lets, GO!

Selfridge, H. Gordon

34.

Who has not served cannot command.

Florio, John

35.

Leadership must be established from the top down.

Nunn, Sam

36.

There is great force hidden in a gentle command.

Herbert, George

37.

The world of the 90s and beyond will belong to managers or those who make the numbers dance, as we used to say, or those who are conversant with all the business jargon we used to sound smart. The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders -- people who not only have an enormous amount of energy but who can energize those whom they lead.

Welch, John

38.

The nation will find it very hard to look up to the leaders who are keeping their ears to the ground.

Churchill, Winston

39.

We are reformers in the spring and summer, but in autumn we stand by the old. Reformers in the morning, and conservers at night.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

40.

'Tis a dainty thing to command, though 'twere but a flock of sheep.

Cervantes, Miguel De

41.

We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.

Patton, George S.

42.

No affection and a great brain, these are the people to command the world.

Disraeli, Benjamin

43.

If you have fear of those that command you, spare those that obey you.

Azai, Rabbi Ben

44.

If I advance, follow me! If I retreat, kill me! If I die, avenge me!

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

45.

The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, We did it ourselves.

Lao-Tzu

46.

The leader seeks to communicate his vision to his followers. He captures their attention with his optimistic intuition of possible solutions to their needs. He influences them by the dynamism of his faith. He demonstrates confidence that the challenge can be met, the need resolved, the crisis overcome.

Haggai, John

47.

Leadership has to do with direction. Management has to do with the speed, coordination and logistics in going in that direction. The WORKERS are chopping their way through the jungle. The MANAGERS are coordinating, making sure the tools are sharp, etc. The LEADERS climb a tree and shout Wrong jungle!! The MANAGERS shout back Be quiet! We're making progress!

48.

He who dreads hostility too much is unfit to rule.

Seneca

49.

We will make them think it's their idea. That's how all great leaders fool people.

Laura Preble

50.

Popularity is not leadership.

Marcinko, Richard