Where there is no vision, the people perish.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
In effective personal leadership, visualization and affirmation techniques emerge naturally out of a foundation of well thought through purposes and principles that become the center of a person’s life.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
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.1947) British Diplomat
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
Example is leadership.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
When a customer enters my store, forget me. He is king.
—John Wanamaker (1838–1922) American Merchant, Civil Servant
A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not.
—Unknown
In the great mass of our people there are plenty individuals of intelligence from among whom leadership can be recruited.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the
blame and a little less than his share of the credit.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
When you get right down to it, one of the most important tasks of a leader is to eliminate his people’s excuse for failure.
—Robert C. Townsend (1920–98) American Businessman
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.
—Ken Blanchard (b.1939) American Author, Management Consultant
Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.
—Tom Peters (b.1942) American Management Consultant, Author
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 (1925–2014) American Business Academic, Author
I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a “transformer” in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas.
—Italian Proverb
It takes great goals to lead us out of our everyday limits into accomplishing more than we ever thought we could or would.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
Believing in people before they have proved themselves is the key to motivating people to reach their potential.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you.
—Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British Head of State
When a blind man bears the standard, pity those who follow.
—French Proverb
He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
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, Jr. (1913–70) American Football Player, Coach
The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants them to do, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
What is the main event today? What do you want me to focus on today?
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
To be omnipotent but friendless is to reign.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
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
As Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Nobel laureate, and supporter of the Tibetan people, “We must understand that there can be no life without risk—and when your spirit is strong, everything else is secondary, even the risks.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow small ones.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
No one would have doubted his ability to reign had he never been emperor.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.
—Indian Proverb