Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.
—Warren Bennis (b.1925) American Scholar, Management Consultant, Academic
I am a leader by default, only because nature does not allow a vacuum.
—Desmond Tutu (b.1931) South African Anglican Priest, Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Activist
Leaders need to provide strategy and direction and to give employees tools that enable them to gather information and insight from around the world. Leaders shouldn’t try to make every decision.
—Bill Gates (b.1955) American Businessperson, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Author
Right or wrong, the customer is always right.
—Marshall Field (1834–1906) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson, Philanthropist
No man has ever risen to the real stature of spiritual manhood until he has found that it is finer to serve somebody else than it is to serve himself.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State, Academic
One concept corrupts and confuses the others. I am not speaking of the Evil whose limited sphere is ethics; I am speaking of the infinite.
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) Argentine Writer, Essayist, Poet
Not everyone will become a great leader, but everyone can become a better leader.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.
—Marian Anderson (1897–1993) American Singer
I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together.
—George W. Bush (b.1946) American Head of State, Businessperson
GOD, give us men! A time like this demands|Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;|Men whom the lust of office does not kill;|Men whom the spoils of office can not buy;|Men who possess opinions and a will;|Men who have honor; men who will not lie;|Men who can stand before a demagogue|And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!|Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog|In public duty, and in private thinking;|For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,|Their large professions and their little deeds,|Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,|Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.
—Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819–81) American Novelist, Poet
The art of leadership, as displayed by really great popular leaders in all ages, consists in consolidating the attention of the people against a single adversary and taking care that nothing will split up that attention into sections. The more the militant energies of the people are directed towards one objective the more will new recruits join the movement, attracted by the magnetism of its unified action, and thus the striking power will be all the more enhanced. The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to the one category; for weak and wavering natures among a leader’s following may easily begin to be dubious about the justice of their own cause if they have to face different enemies.|As soon as the vacillating masses find themselves facing an opposition that is made up of different groups of enemies their sense of objectivity will be aroused and they will ask how is it that all the others can be in the wrong and they themselves, and their movement, alone in the right.
—Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) Hungarian-born German Political leader, Military Leader
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.
—Sam Walton (1918–92) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
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 Depree
There are no warlike people, just warlike leaders.
—Ralph Bunche (1903–71) American Political Scientist, Diplomat
In the great mass of our people there are plenty individuals of intelligence from among whom leadership can be recruited.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) American Head of State, Engineer, Businessperson, Humanitarian
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.
—Richard Nixon (1913–94) American Head of State, Lawyer
Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men — the other 999 follow women.
—Groucho Marx (1890–1977) American Actor, Comedian, Singer
The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest thing is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate.—When people ask you to tell them what to do, resist.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
In order to be a leader a man must have followers. And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence, the supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man’s associates find him guilty of being phony, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore is integrity and high purpose.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
Those who can command themselves command others.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist, Literary Critic, Painter, Philosopher
That perfect bliss and sole felicity, the sweet fruition of an earthly crown.
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–93) English Playwright, Poet, Translator
To lead the people, walk behind them.
—Laozi (b.604BCE–d:Unknown) Chinese Philosopher
Leadership is based on a spiritual quality; the power to inspire, the power to inspire others to follow.
—Vince Lombardi (1913–70) American Sportsperson
Leadership is not magnetic personality–that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not making friends and influencing people—that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.
—Peter Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-born Management Consultant, Academic, Writer
Life is too short for theatrics, for face time, for jumping through hoops, for excuses, for blaming, for trying too hard to please others, or for chasing society’s illusion of distant riches or fame.
—Robert Cooper (b.1968)
Great leadership does not mean running away from reality. Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better.
—John Kotter (b.1947) American Academic, Management Consultant
I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.
—Indira Gandhi (1917–84) Indian Head of State, Politician
I am not a labor leader. I don’t want you to follow me or anyone else. If you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of the capitalist wilderness you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you into this promised land if I could, because if I could lead you in, someone else could lead you out.
—Eugene V. Debs (1855–1926) American Socialist, Union Leader
He led his regiment from behind -|He found it less exciting.|But when away his regiment ran,|His place was at the fore, O.
—W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) English Dramatist, Librettist, Poet, Illustrator
Leaders must encourage their organizations to dance to forms of music yet to be heard.
—Warren Bennis (b.1925) American Scholar, Management Consultant, Academic
Give me a child and I’ll shape him into anything.
—B. F. Skinner (1904–90) American Psychologist, Social Philosopher, Inventor, Author
It often happens that I wake 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 (1881–1963) Italian Catholic Religious Leader, Pope
You can get anything you want if
you help enough people get what they want
—Zig Ziglar (b.1926) American Author, Motivational Speaker, Author
The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to one category.
—Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) Hungarian-born German Political leader, Military Leader
Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.
—Niccolo Machiavelli
Next to doing a good job yourself, the greatest joy is
in having someone else do a first-class job under your direction.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
No one’s a leader if there are no followers.
—Malcolm Forbes (1919–90) American Publisher
The minute a person whose word means a great deal to others dare to take the open-hearted and courageous way, many others follow.
—Marian Anderson (1897–1993) American Singer
Leaders must live by higher standards than their followers.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.
—Tom Landry (1924–2000) American Sportsperson
It is a great pity when the one who should be the head figure is a mere figure head.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) British Baptist Preacher, Theologian, Hymn writer
A chief is a man who assumes responsibility. He says, “I was beaten”. He does not say, “My men were beaten”. Thus speaks a real man.
—Antoine De Saint-Exupery (1900–44)
If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur, Management Consultant, Public Speaker
Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose.
—Tom Landry (1924–2000) American Sportsperson
Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.
—Vince Lombardi (1913–70) American Sportsperson
Leadership is getting players to believe in you. If you tell a teammate you’re ready to play as tough as you’re able to, you’d better go out there and do it. Players will see right through a phony. And they can tell when you’re not giving it all you’ve got. Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It’s being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you’re going to get respect from the players.
—Larry Bird (b.1956) American Sportsperson
Tell a person they are brave and you help them become so.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Writer, Essayist, Historian