Sometimes we think we’re a little too gifted to show up, you know. But none of us truly is…By avoiding risk we really risk what’s most important in life—reaching toward growth, our potential, and a true contribution to a common good.
—Max De Pree
Only a group of people who share a body of knowledge and continually learn together can stay vital and viable.
—Max De Pree
Notice I did not say what people can do—what we can do is merely a consequence of what we can be.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership, Art, Humanity
I don’t come with the wheelchair. The wheelchair comes with me.
—Max De Pree
Channeled correctly and integrated properly, our diversity can be our greatest strength.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership
In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership, Inspirational, Growth, Change
Leaders don’t inflict pain—they share pain.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leaders, Leadership
Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do. The visible signs of artful leadership are expressed, ultimately, in its practice.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership
The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential? Are they learning? Serving? Do they achieve the required results? Do they change with grace? Manage conflict?
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership
We talk about the quality of product and service. What about the quality of our relationships and the quality of our communications and the quality of our promises to each other?
—Max De Pree
The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of an artful leader.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Responsibility, Leadership, Inspirational
A team of giants needs giant pitchers who throw good ideas but every pitcher needs an outstanding catcher. Without giant catchers, the ideas of the giant pitchers may eventually disappear.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Baseball
In the words of Max DePree: “Management has a lot to do with answers. But leadership is a function of questions. And the first question for a leader always is: ‘Who do we intend to be?’ Not ‘What are we going to do?’ but ‘Who do we intend to be?’”
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership, Good, Business, Questions, Management, Sin, Zen
Earning trust is not easy, nor is it cheap, nor does it happen quickly. Earning trust is hard and demanding work. Trust comes only with genuine effort, never with a lick and a promise.
—Max De Pree
We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Growth
Leadership is liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Leadership
We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet; and amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog has made an alliance with us.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Animals, Dogs
The greatest thing is, at any moment, to be willing to give up who we are in order to become all that we can be.
—Max De Pree
Topics: Being True to Yourself
We can teach ourselves to see things the way they ARE. Only with vision can we begin to see things the way they CAN BE.
—Max De Pree
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- Lloyd Alexander American Writer
- Robert Kiyosaki American Businessperson
- A. Alfred Taubman American Businessman
- Tim Ferriss American Self-help Author
- John C. Maxwell American Christian Professional Speaker
- Sheryl Sandberg American Executive, Author
- Jack Welch American Businessperson
- Howard Schultz American Businessman
- Donald Trump American Businessperson, Head of State
- Harold S. Geneen American Businessman
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