"When one is building a ship, one..." - Quote by Antoine De Saint Exupery
When one is building a ship, one does not begin with gathering timber and cutting planks, but rather by arousing in people the yearning for the great wide sea.
More by Antoine De Saint Exupery
More on Leadership
“Leaders have followers. The primary role of a leader is to convey to those followers a sense of purpose, vision, and mission.”
“If the prince of a State love benevolence, he will have no opponent in all the empire.”
“The proper study of Man is anything but Man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.”
More on Vision
“If you want to build a ship, teach the men to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
“There are times when a leader must move out ahead of the flock, go off in a new direction, confident that he is leading his people the right way.”
“Mistakes can be corrected by those who pay attention to facts but dogmatism will not be corrected by those who are wedded to a vision.”