LEADERSHIP QUOTES VII

quotations about leadership

There is no such thing as a perfect leader.... If there is one, he is only pretending, like a pig inserting scallions into its nose in an effort to look like an elephant.

LIU SHAOQI

attributed, Mao and China: From Revolution to Revolution


That's the first rule of command; be consistent! You can be sadistic, you can be lazy, you can be stupid, but if you're consistent the crew will still let you sit in when they play dominoes.

JAMES ALAN GARDNER

Expendable

Tags: James Alan Gardner


To be a leader of men one must turn one's back on men.

HAVELOCK ELLIS

introduction, Against the Grain

Tags: Havelock Ellis


The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist.

ERIC HOFFER

The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements

Tags: Eric Hoffer


Leadership is a form of captivity, in which one is both separated from others and exposed to their judgment.

JOSHUA ROTHMAN

"Shut Up and Sit Down", The New Yorker, February 29, 2016


Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.

COLIN POWELL

"10 Leadership Tenets from Colin Powell", Stanford Graduate School of Business


If you command wisely, you'll be obeyed cheerfully.

THOMAS FULLER

Gnomologia

Tags: Thomas Fuller


I am a leader by default, only because nature does not allow a vacuum.

DESMOND TUTU

The Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 20, 1984


Leadership is not just one quality, but rather a blend of many qualities; and while no one individual possesses all the needed talents to go into leadership, each man can develop a combination to make him a leader.

VINCE LOMBARDI

attributed, Run to Win: Vince Lombardi on Coaching and Leadership

Tags: Vince Lombardi


What was leadership, after all, but the blind choice of one route over another and the confident pretense that the decision was based on reason.

ROBERT HARRIS

Pompeii


Leadership is understanding people and involving them to help you do a job. That takes all of the good characteristics, like integrity, dedication of purpose, selflessness, knowledge, skill, implacability, as well as determination not to accept failure.

ARLEIGH BURKE

attributed, Naval Leadership: Voices of Experience


The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.

TONY BLAIR

Mail on Sunday, Oct. 2, 1994

Tags: Tony Blair


Bad leadership is an oxymoron.

JOSEPH CLARENCE ROST

Leadership for the Twenty-first Century


Good leadership is largely invisible. When everything runs smoothly, no one notices.

BRIAN HERBERT & KEVIN J. ANDERSON

Dune: House Harkonnen


'Tis a dainty thing to command, though 'twere but a flock of sheep.

MIGUEL DE CERVANTES

Don Quixote

Tags: Miguel de Cervantes


Leadership is about mobilising people to tackle tough changes and thrive, while authority simply looked at protection, direction and order and can be a strait jacket if not used correctly.

KIRK HUMPHREY

"The Time for Adaptive Leadership is Right Now", Barbados Advocate, April 24, 2016


True leadership strengthens the followers. It is a process of teaching, setting an example, and empowering others. If you seek to lead, your ability will ultimately be measured in the successes of those around you.

DAVID NIVEN

100 Simple Secrets of Successful People


I see [it said that] leaders should keep their ears to the ground. All I can say is that the ... nation will find it very hard to look up to leaders who are detected in that somewhat ungainly posture.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

speech in House of Commons, Sep. 30, 1941

Tags: Winston Churchill


The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.

SETH GODIN

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us


The best boss is the one who bosses the least.

RALPH MOODY

Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers