Leadership Quotes

Would you make men better - set them an example. The millenium will never come until governments cease from governing, and the meddler is at rest.

Sometimes, I think my most important job as a CEO is to listen for bad news. If you don't act on it, your people will eventually stop bringing bad news to your attention and that is the beginning of the end.

The problem facing our people here in America is bigger than all other personal or organizational differences. Therefore, as leaders, we must stop worrying about the threat that we seem to think we pose to each other's personal prestige, and concentrate our united efforts toward solving the unending hurt that is being done daily to our people here in America.

What great cause would have been fought and won under the banner 'I stand for consensus'?

My power vanishes into thin air the instant that my fellow citizens, who are straight and honest, cease to believe that I represent them and fight for what is straight and honest. That is all the strength that I have.

Our responsibility is one of decision, for to govern is to choose.

To me, a leader is a visionary that energizes others. This definition of leadership has two key dimensions: a) creating the vision of the future, and b) inspiring others to make the vision a reality.

A prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers.

The best leaders realize their success depends on their people.

Every great institution is the lengthened shadow of a single man. His character determines the character of the organization.

The people know that they need in their representative much more than talent, namely, the power to make his talent trusted.

I think right now, the focus has got to be on how we hold [Donald] Trump accountable.

My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility.

Leadership rests not only upon ability, not only upon capacity; having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to use it. His leadership is then based on truth and character. There must be truth in the purpose and will power in the character.

In Great Britain, governments often change their policies without changing their men. In France, they usually change their men without changing their policy.

A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is the only art befitting one who commands.

The sage acts without taking credit. He accomplishes without dwelling on it. He does not want to display his worth.

Leadership involves the heavy burden of responsibility, and the fear of getting it wrong can paralyze a leader.

We should not mourn for men of high ideals. Rather we should rejoice that we had the privilege of having had them with us, to inspire us by their radiant personalities.

When others spoke of the fear of war, you spoke of the need for warriors and peace through strength. When others bewailed the failure of big government to provide for the collective good, you spoke of self-reliance, of personal responsibility, of individual pride and integrity. When others preached compromise - when others demanded compromise, you, Ronald Reagan, preached conviction.

My job is exhilarating. It's challenging. I find that the governance part of it, the decision making part of it - actually comes - comes pretty naturally. I think I've got a great team. I think we're making good decisions. The the hardest thing about the job is staying focused. Because there's so many demands and decisions that are pressed upon you.

In war, three-quarters turns on personal character and relations; the balance of manpower and materials counts only for the remaining quarter.

I'd almost prefer [Richard] Nixon. I'd say [Bill] Clinton is every bit as corrupt as Nixon, but a lot smoother.

Leadership is not only having a vision, but also having the courage, the discipline, and the resources to get you there.

Directing is more like you're being a psychologist and you're kind of analyzing the situation and evaluating each person for their idiosyncrasies.

I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.”

I believe that we are going to get along very well with him [Josef Stalin] and the Russian people - very well indeed.

The man of upright life is obeyed before he speaks.

To lead uninstructed people to war is to throw them away.

Wise kings wear shabby clothes, and leave the gold lace to the drum major.

My mentor said, 'Let's go do it', not 'You go do it'. How powerful when someone says, 'Let's!'

In general I esteem it a good maxim, that the best way to preserve the confidence of the people durably is to promote their true interest

When you give power to an executive you do not know who will be filling that position when the time of crisis comes.

It's not just a matter of whether you support Obama or Romney. It's who they have coming with them. I always keep my powder dry, as they say in the military.

This is the part of a great man, after he has maturely weighed all circumstances, to punish the guilty, to spare the many, and in every state of fortune not to depart from an upright, virtuous conduct.

By over-all planning, we mean planning which takes into consideration the interests of the 600 million people of our country. In drawing up plans, handling affairs or thinking over problems, we must proceed from the fact that China has a population of 600 million people, and we must never forget this fact.

The only persons who really changed history are those who changed men's thinking about themselves.

I am convinced more than ever that good communication and leadership are all about connecting. If you can connect with others at every level -one-on-one, in groups, and with an audience-your relationships are stronger, your sense of community improves, your ability to create teamwork increases, your influence increases, and your productivity skyrockets.

Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less...titles don't have much value when it comes to leading. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned, it comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned.

When a leader is upbeat in the face of discouraging circumstances, others admire that quality and want to be like her.

Men of energy of character must have enemies; because there are two sides to every question, and taking one with decision, and acting on it with effect, those who take the other will of course be hostile in proportion as they feel that effect.

The challenge of statesmanship is to have the vision to dream of a better, safer world and the courage, persistence, and patience to turn that dream into reality.

Authority and example lead the world.

A dollar put into a book and a book mastered might change the whole course of a boy's life. It might easily be the beginning of the development of leadership that would carry the boy far in service to his fellow men.

Personal and organizational effectiveness is proportionate to the strength of leadership.

An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic.

I think leadership is both a trained thing and a natural gift.

What you want to do with your best players is, it doesn't matter how many goals and assists they get, but when they get goals and assists. The best players get them at the most important times, and that's when we need those guys to come through.

Rebels and non-conformists are often the pioneers and designers of change.

Since I will be no one's slave, I will be no one's master.

I'm going to try to unite all Americans.

I don't employ Talleyrand when I want a thing done, but only when I want to have the appearance of wanting to do it.

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

I do things differently, because I don't go by a rule book, because I lead from the heart, not the head, and albeit that's got me into trouble in my work, I understand that.

All leaders make mistakes. They are a part of life. Successful leaders recognize their errors, learn from them, and work to correct their faults.

While President, I have been President - emphatically.

Whatever success I have achieved, whatever positions of leadership I have held have depended less on Ivy League degrees or SAT scores or GPAs and have instead been due to that sense of connection and empathy, the special obligation I felt as a black man like you to help those who need it most, people who didn't have the opportunities that I had because there, but for the grace of God go I. I might have been in their shoes. I might have been in prison. I might have been unemployed. I might not have been able to support a family. And that motivates me.

They should rule who are able to rule best.

Produce great men, the rest follows.

At the meeting I argued that the state had given us no alternative to violence. I said it was wrong and immoral to subject our people to armed attacks by the state without offering them some kind of alternative. I mentioned again that people on their own had taken up arms. Violence would begin whether we initiated it or not. Would it not be better to guide this violence ourselves, according to principles where we saved lives by attacking symbols of oppression, and not people? If we did not take the lead now, I said, we would soon be latecomers and followers to a movement we did not control.