Motivational Quotes

Leadership

I don't think that a leader can control to any great extent his destiny. Very seldom can he step in and change the situation if the forces of history are running in another direction.

- Nixon, Richard M.

Best Quotes about Leadership

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

Disraeli, Benjamin

Great leaders understand human behavior rather than the cybernetics of any function.

Schorr, James

The wealth of kings is in the affections of their subjects.

Motto

It is very comforting to believe that leaders who do terrible things are, in fact, mad. That way, all we have to do is make sure we don't put psychotics in high places and we've got the problem solved.

Wolfe, Thomas

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

The right man comes at the right time.

Proverb, Italian

Leaders don't inflict pain -- they share pain.

Depree, Max

I don't think that a leader can control to any great extent his destiny. Very seldom can he step in and change the situation if the forces of history are running in another direction.

Nixon, Richard M.

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

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

10.

Ronald Reagan has held the two most demeaning jobs in the country; President of the United States and radio broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs.

Will, George F.

11.

I've always found that the speed of the boss is the speed of the team.

Iacocca, Lee

12.

Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.

Rohn, Jim

13.

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.

14.

A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of the people. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the world.

Updike, John

15.

The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive.

Batten, Joe

16.

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

Wanamaker, John

17.

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

Azai, Rabbi Ben

18.

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

19.

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

Ward, Ted

20.

Leadership appears to be the art of getting others to want to do something you are convinced should be done.

Packard, Vance

21.

Skill in the art of communication is crucial to a leader's success. He can accomplish nothing unless he can communicate effectively.

Allen, Norman

22.

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.

Rohn, Jim

23.

I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.

Lao-Tzu

24.

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.

Roosevelt, Theodore

25.

All business success rests on something labeled a sale, which at least momentarily weds company and customer.

Peters, Thomas J.

26.

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

27.

The lead dog gets the best view. The rest of the dogs view is butt ugly. Of course, the lead dog is also the first to fall into the ravine.

Saunders, Richard

28.

Those who can command themselves command others.

Hazlitt, William

29.

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

Lincoln, Abraham

30.

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

31.

Every leader needs to look back once in a while to make sure he has followers. Source Unknown Effective leaders are known by the questions they ask rather than the statements they make.

32.

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.

33.

It's important for the explorer to be willing to be led astray.

Oech, Roger Von

34.

The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer's place.

Marden, Orison Swett

35.

True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.

Townsend, Robert

36.

Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.

Lombardi, Vince

37.

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.

Roosevelt, Theodore

38.

The most important quality in a leader is that of being acknowledged as such.

Maurois, Andre

39.

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

40.

You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.

Knox, John

41.

It is a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead -- and find no one there.

Roosevelt, Franklin D.

42.

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

Schwarzkopf, Norman

43.

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

Churchill, Winston

44.

Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm.

Syrus, Publilius

45.

Leadership is the activity of influencing people to cooperate towards some goal which they come to find desirable and which motivates them over the long haul.

Tead, Orway

46.

It is time for a new generation of leadership, to cope with new problems and new opportunities. For there is a new world to be won.

Kennedy, John F.

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.

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

Ovid

49.

Do what is right, not what you think the high headquarters wants or what you think will make you look good.

Schwarzkopf, Norman

50.

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

Hoover, Herbert Clark