BEST EVER QUOTES ON LEADERSHIP | Exemplary Business Ethics & Leadership

Michael Josephson has curated below this list of Best Ever Quotes on Leadership in hopes of inspiring great and ethical leaders.

WHO IS A LEADER?

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. —John Quincy Adams
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way – John C. Maxwell
Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. . . I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow-men and by rendering myself worthy of this esteem. Abraham Lincoln
A leader is anyone who uses authority, reason, inspiration, charisma or personal example to influence the behavior or beliefs of others. – Michael Josephson
Leadership consists not in degrees of technique but in traits of character. — Lewis H. Lapham
Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. – H. Norman Schwarzkopf
Leadership is action, not position. Donald H. McGannon
Leadership is influence. — John C. Maxwell
Leadership is the ability to decide what is to be done and then to get others to want to do it. –Dwight D. Eisenhower

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD AND GREAT LEADERS

If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Abraham Lincoln
The Guidebook for Marines, (15th revised edition, 1st September 1986) in it’s section on leadership, includes unselfishness in the list of character traits applicable to good leaders. In that section is included: . . . Give credit where credit is due. Don’t grab the glory for yourself. Recognize the hard work and good ideas of your subordinates and be grateful you have such . . . . . . Your leader will look after your in the same way. . . . Share your subordinates hardships. then the privileges that go with your rank will have been earned.
A leader must be patient enough to listen,/ wise enough to learn from mistakes and criticism, /courageous enough to admit errors and weaknesses/ and committed enough to change his mind or actions to get better results. – Michael Josephson
Great leaders are both idealistic and realistic. They have a grand vision and great goals. They seek to close the gap between what is and what can be but they have no illusions that success is either certain or simple. – Michael Josephson
The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad./The nobler sort of man . . . is anxious to see clearly, to hear distinctly, to be kindly, respectful in demeanor, conscientious in speech, earnest in affairs. When in doubt, he is careful to inquire; when in anger, he thinks of the consequences; when offered an opportunity for gain, he thinks only of his duty. -Confucius
A good leader thinks seriously about both the integrity of management and the management of integrity. — Michael Josephson
Good leaders earn the confidence of others; great leaders inspire others with confidence in themselves. – Michael Josephson
Good leaders care more about getting something done than getting credit for doing it. – Michael Josephson
Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. – General Colin Powell
Great leaders have the ability and confidence to listen to criticism, even if it is harsh or unfair, and extract from it information or insights that they can use. – Michael Josephson
Good leaders listen. “None is so perfect that he does not need at times the advice of others. He is an incorrigible ass who will never listen to any one”. -Gracian
All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. — John Kenneth Galbraith
Duty, honor, country; those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn . . . they build your basic character. Douglas MacArthur
Every leader needs to have experienced and grown through following — learning to be dedicated, observant, and capable of working with and learning from others, never servile, always truthful. Having located these qualities in himself, he can encourage them in others. – Warren G. Bennis
I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men. -Lao-Tzu
Good leaders must first become good servants. — Robert Greenleaf
If there is a trait which characterizes leaders it is opportunism. Successful people are very often those who steadfastly refuse to be daunted by disadvantage and have the ability to turn disadvantage to good effect. They are people who seize opportunity and take risks. Leadership then seems to be a matter of personality and character.” – John Viney

WHAT GOOD AND GREAT LEADERS DO

An officer should make it a cardinal principle of life that by no act of commission or omission on his part will he permit his immediate superior to make a mistake. — Gen. Malin Craig
A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be. — Rosalynn Carter
Example is leadership. ¾ Albert Schweitzer
Good executives never put off until tomorrow what they can get someone else to do today. — John C. Maxwell

WISDOM AND ADVICE FOR LEADERS

Be Accountable.

Oftentimes, excusing of a fault Doth make the fault worse by the excuse. William Shakespeare, King John, I
Failure to adhere to [an ethical principle] cannot be justified by saying one’s senior is unethical. This is to imply that ethics is someone else’s problem. Ethics involves everyone. Competent service to society means risk to career as well as to life. – Major Thomas C. Linn
Individuals are responsible for their own integrity. They will be influenced by many people and events but, in the end, their integrity quotient is of their own making. People are responsible for establishing their own standards, and their choices determine the kind of person they will be. Admiral Arleigh A. Burke
The man who is worthy of being “a leader of men” will never complain about the stupidity of his helpers, the ingratitude of mankind nor the inappreciation of the public. These are all a part of the great game of life. To meet them and overcome them and not to go down before them in disgust, discouragement or defeat – that is the final proof of power. – Wm. J. H. Boetcker
Hold Others Accountable. You don’t punish the culprit for his own good; you punish him for the good of the command. The men in your unit, collectively and individually, demand justice. Anyone who gets away with something is a chink in your armor, your authority, and your image. Gen. Robin Olds

Maintain Integrity.

Integrity is better than any career. ¾ Ralph Waldo Emerson
If corrupt behavior continues, honest people believe they are being taken advantage of, and the weaker ones abandon integrity and begin to look out for themselves dishonestly. Organizational erosion occurs as more and more people join the ranks of marginal cheaters. The self-oriented, careerist model subtly becomes more prevalent and acceptable. The strengths of a once honest organization languish and those members whose integrity remains intact leave. — Major General Richard C. Schulz
Character, not education, is man’s greatest need and man’s greatest safeguard; for character is higher than energy in the strong will and the skilled purpose. This takes a special meaning for those of us who have chosen a military career; it equates to self-discipline, integrity, loyalty, selflessness, and a willingness to accept responsibility and to be held accountable for our action. – General Bennie L. Davis
Integrity is the fundamental premise of military service in a free society. Without integrity, the moral pillars of our military strength — Public Trust and Self-Respect — are lost. General Charles A. Gabriel

Be Bold and Courageous

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. — Muriel Strode
Let nothing be done in your life which will cause you fear if it becomes known. Epicurus
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin
Fearful conduct often generates the consequences we most fear. – Unknown
More harm has been done by weak persons than wicked persons. The problems of the world are caused by the weakness of goodness rather than the strength of evil. ¾ Harry S. Kennedy, DD

Show You care

Leaders must show they care. A leader is like a battalion commander who isn’t content to read the menus but insists on going into the mess hall to taste the food himself. Not only does he know more about what’s being fed to his subordinates, but he’s considered a better leader by his troops. —Peter Drucker
If you are really concerned about the welfare of the people who work for you, it shows in every act you do. Really try to put yourself in their place and encourage them to get something out of their jobs. Make them part of the whole–make them understand their jobs are important in the total picture of government. There are very few people who don’t want to do a good job. There are very few people who don’t go home at night feeling better if they’ve done a good job. But they need to be assured that their jobs are important. Gen. Verne Orr, Secretary of the Air Force

Be Decisive, Take Action

Commitment and dedication to purpose does not require blind faith that you will succeed, only a willingness to exhaust your energy and imagination to avoid failure. – Michael Josephson
Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you. –Margaret Thatcher
Leaders are not afraid to act because they know there is often more risk in doing nothing. – Michael Josephson

Be Purposeful. Conscious purpose leads to goals. / Goals lead to intention. / Intention leads to commitment. / Commitment generates enthusiasm. / Enthusiasm produces energy. / Energy leads to achievement. – Michael Josephson
Be Accessible. Every leader should be accessible to friends and advisors who can give honest counsel without fear or the need to soften it with flattery. – Michael Josephson
Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them. – John Maxwell
For most men, the matter of learning is one of personal preference. But for officers, the obligation to learn, to grow in their profession, is clearly a public duty. – Gen. Omar N. Bradley
Be Humble. Being in power is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t. –Margaret Thatcher
Tell the truth. I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell. President Harry S. Truman
Guard Your Good Name. Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,/Is the immediate jewel of their souls;/ Who steals my purse steals trash; ‘tis something, nothing; / ‘Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands; /But he that filches from me my good name/ Robs me of that which not enriches him / And makes me poor indeed. — William Shakespeare, Othello
The challenge for all people of ambition is to recognize that the pursuit of success creates constant temptations to sacrifice integrity and that there is a point at which the price of success makes its fulfillment worthless. —Michael Josephson
During the battle of Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington sat on his horse, watching a local fracas to decide whether to launch his cavalry. The cavalry commander sat nearby and both were under heavy shelling from French Artillery. Suddenly the cavalry man stiffened. `What’s the matter Ned?’ asked the Duke. `I think, Sir, I have lost my leg, `he replied. the Duke looked down. `By God Sir!’ he cried, `So you have,’ and immediately resumed his careful scrutiny of the battle. Gen. Sir Frank Ing
Leaders who worry more about their reputation than their character will eventually lose their character. – Michael Josephson.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEADERS AND MANAGERS

A leader knows what’s best to do; a manager knows merely how best to do it. -Ken Adelman
Great merit, or great failings, will make you respected or despised; but trifles, little attentions, mere nothings, either done or neglected, will make you either liked or disliked in the general run of the world. Lord Chesterfield
Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led. — Warren G. Bennis
Man” is the principal syllable in Management. T. McKenzie
If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his true friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart, the greatest highroad to his reason, and which when once gained, you will find but little trouble in convincing his judgment of the justice of your cause. On the contrary, assume to dictate to his judgment, or to command his action, and he will retreat within himself and close all the avenues to his head and heart. Abraham Lincoln
Anything worth doing, is worth doing now! – Ralph Stayer
In Aristotelian terms, the good leader must have ethos, pathos and logos. The ethos is his moral character, the source of his ability to persuade. The pathos is his ability to touch feelings, to move people emotionally. The logos is his ability to give solid reasons for an action, to move people intellectually. Mortimer J. Adler
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Desiderius Erasmus
It is the privilege of greatness to confer intense happiness with insignificant gifts. Nietzsche
It isn’t the people you fire who make your life miserable, it’s the people you don’t. — Harvey Mackay
Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. –General George S. Patton
Let him that would move the world, first move himself. – Socrates
Lives of great men all remind us/ We can make our lives sublime,/ And, departing, leave behind us/ Footprints on the sands of time. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Making sure the work is done is the accomplishment of a manager. Inspiring others to do better work is the accomplishment of a leader.
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall. – Stephen R. Covey
Management is getting things done through other people. -unknown
Never try to teach a pig to sing: it wastes your time and it annoys the pig. – Paul Dickson
No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the success of those under him. – A. Nance
Noblesse oblige. Nobility [or rank] has its obligations. Duc De Levis
Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. – James Baldwin
Nothing more impairs authority than a too frequent or indiscreet use of it. If thunder itself was to be continual, it would excite no more terror than the noise of a mill. –A. Kingston
Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself. — Thomas J. Watson
One of man’s greatest failings is that he looks almost always for an excuse, in the misfortune that befalls him through his own fault, before looking for a remedy—which means he often finds the remedy too late. — Cardinal De Retz,
A leader recognizes problems before they become emergencies. –Arnold Glasow
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. – Robert Francis Kennedy
Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. — Sam Walton
People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision. — John C. Maxwell
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men. — Lord Acton
Principled leaders adhere to moral and ethical principles in the formulation of their objectives their use of the methods of influence. – Michael Josephson
Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed. Consequently, he who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enact statutes or pronounces decisions. -Abraham Lincoln
Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility. –Peter Drucker
Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deep valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death. -Sun Tzu
Safety first”‘ has been the motto of the human race for half a million years; but it has never been the motto of leaders. A leader must face danger. He must take the risk and the blame, and the brunt of the storm. Herbert N. Casson
Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of a man you are, for it shows me what your ideal of manhood is, and what kind of a man you long to be. -Carlyle
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. -Shakespeare
Some of life’s greatest opportunities are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems. – John Gardner
Taken as a whole, men will only devote their enthusiasm, their time, and their energy to matters in which their passions have a personal interest. But their personal interests, however powerful they may be, will never carry them very far or very high unless they can be made to seem noble and legitimate in their own eyes by being allied to some great cause in which the whole human race can join. -Alexis de Tocqueville
The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are true marks of leadership. -R. Shannon
The Armed Services [have] traditionally enjoyed its greatest success when its members concentrated on doing the right things instead of doing things right. There is a big difference between the two: Specifically, there is widespread concern that some of us are more interested in looking good than being good, that some of us never stick our necks out for fear they’ll be chopped off, that being a steeple-shaker is not the road to advancement. . . . We need to reinforce the value of moral courage within our ranks. -Col. Charles C. Krulak
The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it. — Theodore Roosevelt
The boss drives his men; the leader coaches them. / The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. /The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. /The boss says “I”: the leader “we.” /The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. / The boss says “go”; the leader says “let’s go!” -H. Gordon Selfridge
The courage to speak on moral or ethical issues, and to take an ethical position becomes a greater imperative every day. With demonstrated commitment and a sense of ethics that works full time, ethical behavior must be exemplified and modeled by the leader. —Frances Hesselbein, former Chair, Josephson Institute of Ethics
The effective impact upon us of men of honor, rectitude and goodwill is to arouse kindred impulses within us. We begin to detect in ourselves undeveloped capacities. The touch of the heroic awakens in us the slumbering hero. Charles M. Douglas, D.D.
The founders of America assumed that men of character would share Washington’s commitment to statesmanship, allowing them to rise above self-interest and to act in the public interest with wisdom and even with courage. They believed further that those empowered to vote would be able to recognize these qualities in others. -Charles Perry
The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. — Ralph Nader
The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. -Sun Tzu
The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own. Benjamin Disraeli
The greatest humiliation in life, is to work hard on something from which you expect great appreciation, and then fail to get it. Edgar Howe
The higher men climb the longer their working day. There are no office hours for leaders. -Cardinal Gibbons
The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority. — Kenneth Blanchard
The leader can enlist cooperation and respect, without having to pull rank, has power of the most positive kind. —David Crawley
The less people speak of their greatness the more we think of it. Francis Bacon
The manager administers, the leader innovates, /the manager maintains, the leader develops. /The manager counts on controls, the leader counts on trust. /The manager does things right, the leader does the right thing. —Fortune Magazine
The money you have gives you freedom, but the money you pursue enslaves you.—Jean Jacques Rousseau
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. — Warren G. Bennis
The only way to mold moral people is to stand up ourselves and be counted for what we believe in, and to have the courage to hold ourselves and others accountable . . . We cannot legislate morality. . . . we teach morality by personal word and example. R.A. Stratton
The only way to mold moral people is to stand up ourselves and be counted for what we believe in, and to have the courage to hold ourselves and others accountable . . .We teach morality by personal word and example. — Capt. R.A. Stratton
The person who knows how will always have a job. But the person who knows why will be his boss.-Carl C. Wood
The pessimist complains about the wind. /The optimist expects it to change./ The leader adjusts the sails. – John Maxwell
The ready back gets all the loads. – Latvian proverbs
The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interest and his own are the same. Stendhal
The supreme quality for leadership 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. – Dwight D. Eisenhower*
The test of effective leadership: have you influenced others to make things better? – Michael Josephson
The truly great leader overcomes all difficulties, and campaigns and battles are nothing but a long series of difficulties to be overcome. The lack of equipment, the lack of food, the lack of this or that are only excuses; the real leader displays his quality in his triumphs over adversity, however great it may be. — Gen. George C. Marshall
The tyrant dies and his rule is over; the martyr dies and his rule begins. -Kierkegaard 9
The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they surpass him or her in knowledge and ability. — Fred A. Manske, Jr.
The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement. — Charles Schwab Porcius Cato
There are two ways to shine…You can be the candle or, the mirror that reflects it.
There is a great deal of talk about loyalty from the bottom to the top. Loyalty from the top down is even more necessary and much less prevalent. George S. Patton
There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that once unleashed can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality. – Anthony Robbins
There is plenty of room at the top – but no place to sit down.” – Unknown
There is something that is much more scarce, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability. Robert Half
Try not to become a man of success but rather a man of value. Albert Einstein
Two good rules of thumb: (1) if everyone did what I am about to do, what would be the consequences? (2) if all my respected colleagues knew what I am about to do, would I still do it? -Colonel John H. Johns
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. -Shakespeare, Henry IV
When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened. —Billy Graham
When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself public property. -Thomas Jefferson
When compulsion is used, only resentment is aroused, and the end is not gained. Only through moral suasion and appeal to man’s reason can a movement succeed. -Samuel Gompers
When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble, delegate; when in charge, ponder. -James H. Boren
When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses. — Shirley Chisholm (b. 1924), American politician.
When people complain–no matter how many times–listen patiently and attentively. Wear them out with your patience and good nature, don’t let them wear you out. -Arthur F. Lenehan
When self-interest is involved, we tend to exaggerate what’s at stake and thereby justify doing things we would never do in if we kept the matter in perspective.— Michael S. Josephson
When you choose the lesser of two evils, always remember that it is still an evil. — Max Lerner, Politics and the Connective Tissue,” Actions and Passions (1949).
When you decide your life is your own, it becomes so. No excuses, no one to rely on, no one to blame. You can’t control all your circumstances but you can control your reactions and what you learn. – Michael Josephson
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 Townsend
When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that in itself is a choice. ¾ William James.
When you hire people who are smarter than you are, you prove you are smarter than they are. -R. H. Grant
While courage is often thought of as an unselfish willingness to confront physical dangers, equally important–and more likely to be tested on a daily basis–is the moral courage a leader needs to make difficult decisions rather than avoiding them by passing the buck to someone else.” S. Air Force Leadership Manual (AFP 35-49, Sept., 1985)
You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do. -Henry Ford
You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time. S. Knox
You don’t get to choose how or when you die. You can only decide how you are going to live. – Joan Baez
You don’t punish the culprit for his own good; you punish him for the good of the command. The men in your unit, collectively and individually, demand justice. Anyone who gets away with something is a chink in your armor, is a chink in your authority, is a chink in your image. — Brig. Gen. Robin Olds
You may proclaim, good sirs, your fine philosophy/ But till you feed us, right and wrong can wait.! ¾ Bertolt Brecht
You’re only as good as the people you hire. — Ray Kroc

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. —Lao Tzu
Where there is no vision, the people perish. —Proverbs 29:18

I must follow the people. Am I not their leader? —Benjamin Disraeli
You manage things; you lead people. —Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper
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
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. —Warren Bennis
Before you are a leader, success is about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch
A leader is a dealer in hope. —Napoleon Bonaparte
You don’t need a title to be a leader. – unknown
Leadership is the capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence. —General Montgomery
Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations. —Peter Drucker
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has. —Margaret Mead
To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less. —Andre Malraux
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander. —Aristotle
Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position. —Brian Tracy
Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. —Peter Drucker
Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm. —Publilius Syrus
A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together. —Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case. —Ken Kesey
Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. —Harry S. Truman
People buy into the leader before they buy into the

The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes. —Tony Blair
The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. —Reverend Theodore Hesburgh

A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position. —John Maxwell
A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. —Rosalynn Carter
A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward. —Ovid

No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it. – unknown
Leaders think and talk about the solutions. Followers think and talk about the problems. —Brian Tracy

A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. —Max Lucado
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. —General George Patton
As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. —Bill Gates
Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. —Donald Rumsfeld

Great leaders are not defined by the absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths. —John Zenger
He who has great power should use it lightly. —Seneca
He who has learned how to obey will know how to command. —Solon
I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody. —Herbert Swope
If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing. —Benjamin Franklin

It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself. —Latin Proverb
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership. —Nelson Mandela
Lead and inspire people. Don’t try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead. —Ross Perot
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
Leadership cannot just go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenge of the day. —Jesse Jackson
Leadership does not always wear the harness of compromise. —Woodrow Wilson
Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing. —Tom Peters
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall. —Stephen Covey
Never give an order that can’t be obeyed. —General Douglas MacArthur
No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent. —Abraham Lincoln
Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow. —Chinese Proverb

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. —Harvey Firestone
To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult. —Friedrich Nietzsche
We live in a society obsessed with public opinion. But leadership has never been about popularity. —Marco Rubio
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. —Eleanor Roosevelt
A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops. —Gen. John J Pershing
There are three essentials to leadership: humility, clarity and courage. —Fuchan Yuan

I am endlessly fascinated that playing football is considered a training ground for leadership, but raising children isn’t. —Dee Dee Myers
A cowardly leader is the most dangerous of men. —Stephen King
My responsibility is getting all my players playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back. –Unknown
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. – Gen. George Patton
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out. —Stephen Covey The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. –Pres. Dwight Eisenhower
What you do has far greater impact than what you say. —Stephen Covey
The greatest leaders mobilize others by coalescing people around a shared vision. —Ken Blanchard
The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on. —Walter Lippman
True leadership lies in guiding others to success. In ensuring that everyone is performing at their best, doing the work they are pledged to do and doing it well. —Bill Owens
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 Maxwell
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. —Colin Powell
A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. —Douglas MacArthur
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. —Thomas Jefferson
The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly. —Jim Rohn
Do what you feel in your heart to be right–for you’ll be criticized anyway. —Eleanor Roosevelt
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. —John F. Kennedy
Too many military professionals have lost sight of their purpose and altruism has been subverted by self-interests. For some, contributing to issues that require moral courage and conviction has come to mean risk to such self-interests as promotion, career survival, and image. — Major Thomas C. Linn
The leader has to be practical and a realist yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist. —Eric Hoffer
There is no room for the individual who demonstrates a lack of integrity–in any form. With absolute integrity as our line of departure, we need to move forward on a wide variety of fronts and ensure that our actions in every area meet the highest standards. Each of us needs to make a personal decision that he or she will not join the ranks of the marginal cheaters–the self-oriented careerists. After making this solemn commitment, we need to emblazon on our souls the concept of doing the right things and then go forth and spread the word. Colonel Charles C. Krulak
Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. —Bill Bradley
You don’t lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership. – Pres. Dwight Eisenhower
A good leader takes a little more than his share of blame, a little less than his share of credit. –Arnold Glasow
A good boss is one who makes his men think they have more ability than they have, so they consistently do better work than they thought they could. Charles E. Wilson (1890-1961)
A big man is one who makes us feel bigger when we are with him. — John C. Maxwell
I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among men the greatest asset I possess. The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement. — Charles Schwab
Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. — Sam Walton
The primary job of the manager is to remove obstacles. — Scott Adams
A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves. — Unknown
You’re only as good as the people you hire. — Ray Kroc
A leader is a person who gets someone to do something they otherwise would not have done.
Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led. — Warren G. Bennis
A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be. — Rosalynn Carter
The manager administers, the leader innovates, the manager maintains, the leader develops. The manager counts on controls, the leader counts on trust. The manager does things right, the leader does the right thing. –Fortune Magazine
Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can. Ralph Waldo Emerson
A visionary is one who can find his way by moonlight, and see the dawn before the rest of the world. — Oscar Wilde
Lives of great men all remind us/ We can make our lives sublime,/ And, departing, leave behind us/ Footprints on the sands of time. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. — Kenneth Blanchard
Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility. — Peter Drucker
Every great man is always being helped by everybody; for his gift is to get good out of all things and all persons. — John Ruskin
Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. — General George S. Patton
A great leader is the one who can show people that their self-interest is different from that which they perceived. — Barney Frank
A leader is a dealer in hope. — Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
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
A leader knows what’s best to do; a manager knows merely how best to do it. — Ken Adelman
Lots of folks confuse bad management with destiny. –Kin Hubbard
The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate. — Harry A. Overstreet
The more people talk about their greatness the less great they appear. — Michael Josephson
Qualities of successful leadership: decisive, tenacious (fighter), speak openly, plainly, frankly, cooperate, coordinate, honest, have a high, intelligent, worthy purpose and ideal. — Michael Josephson
The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. When in doubt, he is careful to inquire; when in anger, he thinks of the consequences; when offered an opportunity for gain, he thinks only of his duty. — Confucius
There are two ways to shine…You can be the candle or, the mirror that reflects it.
Leadership is influence. — John C. Maxwell
The only way to mold moral people is to stand up ourselves and be counted for what we believe in, and to have the courage to hold ourselves and others accountable .We teach morality by personal word and example. — R.A. Stratton
Leadership is the ability to decide what is to be done and then to get others to want to do it. –Dwight D. Eisenhower
What is of concern is that too many military professionals have lost sight of their purpose and altruism has been subverted by self-interests. For some, contributing to issues that require moral courage and conviction has come to mean risk to such self-interests as promotion, career survival, and image. — Major Thomas C. Linn, U.S. Marine Corps
If you are really concerned about the welfare of the people who work for you, it shows in every act you do. Really try to put yourself in their place and encourage them to get something out of their jobs. Make them part of the whole–make them understand their jobs are important in the total picture. Everybody wants to do a good job. But they need to be assured that their jobs are important. — Verne Orr, Secretary of the Air Force
It isn’t the people you fire who make your life miserable, it’s the people you don’t. — Harvey Mackay
A good leader has antennae, not horns. — Unknown
While courage is often thought of as an unselfish willingness to confront physical dangers, equally important–and more likely to be tested on a daily basis–is the moral courage a leader needs to make difficult decisions. It requires courage and strength of character to confront a tough situation head-on rather than avoiding it by passing the buck to someone else. — S. Air Force Leadership Manual (AFP 35-49, Sept., 1985)
There is no room for the individual who demonstrates a lack of integrity–in any form. With absolute integrity as our line of departure, we need to move forward on a wide variety of fronts and ensure that our actions in every area meet the highest standards. Each of us needs to make a personal decision that he or she will not join the ranks of the marginal cheaters–the self-oriented careerists . After making this solemn commitment, we need to emblazon on our souls the concept of doing the right things and then go forth and spread the word. — Colonel Charles C. Krulak, United States Marine Corps Marine Corps Gazette (July 1987) MLAPD3
The person who knows how will always have a job. But the person who knows why will be his boss. –Carl C. Wood
The boss drives his men; the leader coaches them. The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says “I”: the leader “we.” The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss says “go”; the leader says “let’s go!” — Gordon Selfridge (1858-1947)
The starting point of leadership is to believe in yourself. The ending point is to get others to believe in you. — Michael Josephson
A man who enjoys responsibility usually gets it. A man who merely likes exercising authority usually loses it. — Malcolm S. Forbes
The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are true marks of leadership. — Shannon
The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own. — Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)
Failure to adhere to an ethical principle cannot be justified by saying one’s senior is unethical. This is to imply that ethics is someone else’s problem. Ethics involves everyone. Competent service to society means risk to career as well as to life. Should we fail to internalize this ethic in our ranks, the consequences may be severe. We may be forced to accept externally-inspired reforms, while our ethical commitment may still remain in doubt. — Major Thomas C. Linn
If corrupt behavior continues, honest people believe they are being taken advantage of, and the weaker ones abandon integrity and begin to look out for themselves dishonestly. Organizational erosion occurs as more and more people join the ranks of marginal cheaters. The self-oriented, careerist model subtly becomes more prevalent and acceptable. The strengths of a once honest organization languish and those members whose integrity remains intact leave. — Major General Richard C. Schulz
Remember this: the truly great leader overcomes all difficulties, and campaigns and battles are nothing but a long series of difficulties to be overcome. The lack of equipment, the lack of food, the lack of this or that are only excuses; the real leader displays his quality in his triumphs over adversity, however great it may be. — Gen. George C. Marshall
One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency. — Arnold Glasow
A man who has reformed himself has contributed his full share towards the reformation of his neighbor. — Norman Douglas
A politician thinks of the next election–a statesman, of the next generation. — James Freeman Clarke (1810-1888)