Explore Quotes by Marcus Buckingham

"Freedom, individualism, authenticity and being yourself so long as you don't hurt another's physical person or property: Sustained success comes only when you take what's unique about you and figure out how to make it useful!"

Every time you make a rule you take away a choice, and choice, with all of its illuminating repercussions, is the fuel for learning.

No idea will work if people don't trust your intentions toward them.

Great leaders rally people to a better future.

Clarity is the answer to anxiety. Effective leaders are clear.

Clarity is the preoccupation of the effective leader. If you do nothing else as a leader, be clear.

The best strategy for building a competitive organization is to help individuals become more of who they are.

Leaders are fascinated by future. You are a leader if and only if, you are restless for change, impatient for progress and deeply dissatisfied with status quo. Because in your head, you can see a better future. The friction between 'what is' and 'what could be' burns you, stirs you up, propels you. This is leadership.

The secret to living a strong life is right in front of you, calling to you every day. It can be found in your emotional reaction to specific moments in your life.

Sustained success means making the greatest possible impact over the longest period of time

Define excellence vividly, quantitatively. Paint a picture for your most talented employees of what excellence looks like. Keep everyone pushing and pushing toward the right-hand edge of the bell curve.

There has to be a way to redirect employee's driving ambition and to channel it more productively. There is. Create heroes in every role. Make every role, performed at excellence, a respected profession.

As with all catalysts, the manager's function is to speed up the reaction between two substances, thus creating the desired end product. Specifically, the manager creates performance in each employee by speeding up the reaction between the employee's talent and the company's goals, and between the employee's talent and the customer's needs.

In most cases, no matter what it is, if you measure it and reward it, people will try to excel at it

You cannot learn very much about excellence from studying failure.

Spend the most time with your best people. ... Talent is the multiplier. THe more energy and attention you invest in it, the greater the yield. The time you spend with your best is, quite simply, your most productive time. ... Persistence directed primarily toward your non-talents is self-destructive. ... You will reprimand yourself, berate yourself, and put yourself through all manner of contortions in an attempt to achieve the impossible.

Focusing on strengths is the surest way to greater job satisfaction, team performance and organizational excellence.

You shouldn't take pride in your natural talents any more than you should take pride in your sex, your race or color of your hair

If you want to be clear, act.

A note of caution: We can never achieve goals that envy sets for us. Looking at your friends and wishing you had what they had is a waste of precious energy. Because we are all unique, what makes another happy may do the opposite for you. That's why advice is nice but often disappointing when heeded.

If you want execution, hail only success. If you want creativity, hail risk, and remain neutral about success.