Leadership QuotesWe've organized our collection of leadership quotes in sections: Leadership and self, Leadership qualities, What is leadership?, Leadership and organizations, Leadership and Learning and Leadership and Change.You might find this extensive list helpful ... if you're planning a talk ... looking for inspiration ... or as a stimulus for reflection. Click to go to the leadership quotes section that most interests you:
Leadership quotes: Leadership and SelfLeadership quotes that focus on how the leaders have perceived themselves.“Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is that simple. It is that difficult.” Warren Bennis “I often say that leadership is deeply personal and inherently collective. That’s a paradox that effective leaders have to embrace. It does depend on them. It does depend on their convictions, their clarity, their personal commitment to their own cultivation. And on the other hand, it doesn’t depend on them. It’s an inherently collective phenomenon.” Peter Senge (from "Changing How We Work Together”, January 2001) “Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy.” Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf "Intellect alone won't lead you to make the right choices - won't, in fact, take you down the right path. You have to master not only the art of listening to your head, you must also master listening to your heart." Carly Fiorina (HP CEO, in her MIT commencement speech, 2000) "It's surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves. If you're not comfortable within yourself, you can't be comfortable with others." Sydney J. Harris "We must become the change we want to see." Mahatma Gandhi O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see ourselves as other see us! Robert Burns "Those who preserve their integrity remain unshaken by the storms of daily life. They do not stir like the leaves of a tree or follow the herd where it runs. In their mind remains the ideal attitude and conduct of living. This is not something given to them by others. It is their roots...it is a strength that exists deep within them." Anonymous Native American “Only after you challenge your biases and stereotypes - what Francis Bacon called the 'idols which beset men's minds' - can you help others do the same.” Carlo Brumat “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken “Perennial joy or passing pleasure? This is the choice one is to make always. The wise recognize these two, but not The ignorant. The first welcome what leads To abiding joy, though painful at the time. The latter run, goaded by their senses, After what seems immediate pleasure.” Katha Upanishad - from Beliefnet Leadership quotes: Qualities of a leaderThese leadership quotes refer to the inner life, values and sense of self and of purpose.“...leaders are people who are able to express themselves fully...they know who they are, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to fully deploy their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. They also know what they want, why they want it, and how to communicate what they want to others, in order to gain compensation and support. Finally, they know how to achieve their goals. The key to full self-expression is understanding one's self and the world, and the key to understanding is learning - from one's own life and experience.” Warren Bennis ("On Becoming a Leader") “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 “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?” Rabbi Hillel, 12th Century “Little pot, do not call the kettle black until you have been in the fire as long as he has!” Sequichie grandmother from "A Cherokee Feast of Days: Daily Meditations" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler. "Women have for centuries been recognized as talented listeners, nurturers, motivators, excellent communicators. These very qualities that we once were told were unbusinesslike are precisely the qualities that business needs most to tap human potential." Mary Cunningham Agee “Courage is not limited to the battlefield or to the Indianapolis 500 or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are ... the inner tests, like remaining faithful when nobody's looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you're misunderstood.” Charles R. Swindoll in Growing Strong In The Seasons Of Life “You cannot be a leader, and ask other people to follow you, unless you know how to follow, too.” Sam Rayburn "The world of the 1990s and beyond will not belong to 'managers' or those who can make the numbers dance. The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders - people who not only have enormous amounts of energy but who can energize those whom they lead." Jack Welch, ex-CEO of General Electric “The best leader is the one who has the sense to surround himself with outstanding people and self-restraint not to meddle with how they do their jobs.” Author Unknown “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 “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” Max DePree “A leader is best when he is neither seen nor heard, Not so good when he is adored and glorified, Worst when he is hated and despised. "Fail to honor people, they will fail to honor you." But of a good leader, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, The people will say, "We did this ourselves." Lao-Tse “Perspective/Strong Relationship Building Skills = +50 IQ points.” Michael Porter, Harvard Business School Professor "A new leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless ... someone's got to make a wake up call." Warren Bennis “Incrementalism is innovation's worst enemy." Nicholas Negroponte “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” Andrew Carnegie “Everyone wishes to have truth on his side, but not everyone wishes to be on the side of truth.” Richard Whately “He who cannot agree with his enemies is controlled by them.” Chinese proverb “In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.” Tao Te Ching "The leaders I met, whatever walk of life they were from, whatever institutions they were presiding over, always referred back to the same failure, something that happened to them that was personally difficult, even traumatic, something that made them feel that desperate sense of hitting bottom - as something they thought was almost a necessity. It's as if at that moment the iron entered their soul; that moment created the resilience that leaders need." Warren Bennis Leadership quotes: What is Leadership?These leadership quotes may help you to define leadership in different contexts."Leadership is not the private reserve of a few charismatic men and women. It is a process ordinary people use when they are bringing forth the best from themselves and others." Author unknown “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 DePree “...leadership is power to endure an ongoing quest for information or influence...not just actual triumphs like making profits or achieving stated objectives.” Marsha Sinetar - "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love: The Spiritual Dimension of Entrepreneuring" "The leadership that frees people to be their best, affirms them in their diversity and includes them in the dreams, decisions and benefits of the organization is a servant leader." James M. Childs, Jr. “A different understanding of leadership has emerged recently. Leaders are being encouraged to include stakeholders, to evoke followship, to empower others. We cannot help to influence any situation without respect for the complex network of people who contribute to our organizations.” Meg Wheatley, Leadership and the New Science. "Effective leadership is the only competitive advantage that will endure. That's because leadership has two sides - what a person is (character) and what a person does (competence)." Stephen Covey, author of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead “The leader innovates; the manager administrates. The leader focuses on people; the manager focuses on systems and structure. The leader inspires; the manager controls. The leader is his own person; the manager is a good soldier. The leader sees the long-term; the manager sees the short-term. The leader asks "what and why?"; the manager asks "how and when?" The leader does the right thing; the manager does things right.” Warren Bennis “A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. A boss is interested in himself or herself, a leader is interested in the group.” Russell H. Ewing Leadership quotes: Leadership and OrganizationsLeaders - in the main - define themselves in relationn to followers. These leadership quotes place the leader between followers, or reports, and the organization."Corporations have gone through a radical revolution within this century, and with this has come a corresponding transformation of the emotional landscape. There was a long period of managerial domination of the corporate hierarchy when the manipulative, jungle-fighter boss was rewarded. But that rigid hierarchy started breaking down in the 1980s under the twin pressures of globalization and information technology. "The jungle fighter symbolizes where the corporations have been; the virtuoso in interpersonal skills is the corporate future." Shoshona Zuboff, Harvard Business School, author of In the Age of Smart Machines. “More than ever, senior executives know they cannot command commitment, for the generation now entering the workforce is the most authority adverse than any in history.” Gary Hamel, Leading the Revolution “If you want to know the temperature of your organization, put a thermometer in the leader's mouth.” Rick Warren “I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” Ralph Nader “No executive has ever suffered because his subordinates were strong and effective.” Peter Drucker Leadership quotes: Leadership and LearningLeaders are - or should be - the consummate life long learners! These leadership quotes describe the relationship between leadership and learning."We should be careful to get out of an experience all the wisdom that is in it - not like the cat that sits on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot lid again - and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore." Mark Twain "While great leaders may be as rare as great runners, great actors, or great painters, everyone has leadership potential, just as everyone has some ability at running, acting, and painting." Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus in Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge, p. 222. “The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born. Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led.” Warren G. Bennis "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved." Helen Keller Leadership quotes: Leadership and ChangeLeadership quotes that relate to leading change.“There is nothing more difficult and dangerous, or more doubtful of success, than an attempt to introduce a new order of things in any state. For the innovator has for enemies all those who derived advantages from the old order of things while those who expect to be benefited by the new institutions will be but lukewarm defenders.” Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince “What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools predicted has come to pass.” Lord Melbourne, Queen Victoria's first prime minister "Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times." Niccolo Machiavelli Your favourite leadership quotes ...That all from us for now, folks!!But if you have favourite leadership quotes, we'd love to hear them ... especially if you can tell us where and how you used them - and what difference they made. If you're interested in the "jazz as leadership" metaphor, you might like to read our ideas about jazz and leadership. We've lined up quotes about jazz with corresponding leadership quotes.
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