Motivational Quotes

Leadership

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

Best Quotes about Leadership

The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack.

Lukas, Wayne

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.

Schwarzkopf, Norman

The person who renders loyal service in a humble capacity will be chosen for higher responsibilities, just as the biblical servant who multiplied the one pound given him by his master was made ruler over ten cities...

Forbes, B. C.

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

It is the Vague and Elusive. Meet it and you will not see its head. Follow it and you will not see its back.

Lao-Tzu

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

The leader can never close the gap between himself and the group. If he does, he is no longer what he must be. He must walk a tightrope between the consent he must win and the control he must exert.

Lombardi, Vince

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

To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn't know where he is going.

Namath, Joe

10.

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!

11.

Public sentiment is everything, with it nothing can fail, without it nothing can succeed.

Lincoln, Abraham

12.

When placed in command -- take charge.

Schwarzkopf, Norman

13.

Keep cool and you will command everyone.

Justinian

14.

Leadership is a serving relationship that has the effect of facilitating human development.

Ward, Ted

15.

I was not the lion, but it fell to me to give the lion's roar.

Churchill, Winston

16.

Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.

Ward, William A.

17.

A leader is someone who helps improve the lives of other people or improve the system they live under.

Ervin, Sam

18.

When a customer enters my store, forget me. He is king.

Wanamaker, John

19.

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

20.

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

Disraeli, Benjamin

21.

Certainly a leader needs a clear vision of the organization and where it is going, but a vision is of little value unless it is shared in a way so as to generate enthusiasm and commitment. Leadership and communication are inseparable.

Taylor, Claude

22.

A leader knows what's best to do; a manager knows merely how best to do it.

Adelman, Ken

23.

The first thing a great person does, is make us realize the insignificance of circumstance.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

24.

Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.

Walton, Sam

25.

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

26.

The well being of the people is the supreme law.

27.

There is great force hidden in a gentle command.

Herbert, George

28.

A prince should be slow to punish, and quick to reward.

Ovid

29.

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

Bonaparte, Napoleon

30.

He who dreads hostility too much is unfit to rule.

Seneca

31.

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

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

32.

The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.

Bennis, Warren

33.

Justice is the first virtue of those who command, and stops the complaints of those who obey.

Diderot, Denis

34.

Leadership is the wise use of power. Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it.

Bennis, Warren

35.

There are many elements to a campaign. Leadership is number one. Everything else is number two.

Brecht, Bertolt

36.

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.

37.

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

38.

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

Machiavelli, Niccolo

39.

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

Perot, H. Ross

40.

The right man comes at the right time.

Proverb, Italian

41.

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

Caine, Mark

42.

Wise leaders generally have wise counselors because it takes a wise person themselves to distinguish them.

Diogenes of Sinope

43.

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

44.

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

Half, Robert

45.

Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance.

Walters, J. Donald

46.

Morale is faith in the man at the top.

Johnston, Albert Sidney

47.

Leaders create an environment which everyone has the opportunity to do work which matches his potential capability and for which an equitable differential reward is provided.

Jaques, Elliott

48.

A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.

Glasgow, Arnold H.

49.

Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.

Rohn, Jim

50.

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

George Goethals