China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine gun unit, that's a very tricky business. We've got to know his background... I'm saying these things because they are real, and if I don't think that, and I think even if today the Prime Minister doesn't think carefully about this, we could have a tragedy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding the complexities of personal backgrounds in leadership roles is crucial to prevent potential conflicts.
Lee Kuan Yew emphasizes the importance of being aware of an individual's cultural and personal background when assigning them to sensitive positions, especially in contexts where their beliefs and ties could impact their decision-making. He warns that neglecting this understanding could lead to dire consequences, indicating the weight of leadership responsibilities and the need for careful consideration in political and military appointments.
Themes
LeadershipBackgroundResponsibilityCultural AwarenessDecision Making
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on military leadership dynamics.
More from Lee Kuan Yew
All quotes →I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality. And I mean generally, every year, when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that's life.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Political reform need not go hand in hand with economic liberalization.. I hold unconventional views about this.. I do not believe if you are a libertarian, full of diverse opinions, full of competing ideas in the market place, full of sound and fury, therefore you will succeed.
Lee Kuan YewRead
The human being is an unequal creature. That is a fact. And we start off with the proposition. All the great religions, all the great movements, all the great political ideology, say let us make the human being as equal as possible. In fact, he is not equal, never will be.
Lee Kuan YewRead
They say, oh, let’s have multiparty politics. Let’s have different parties change and be in charge of the Government. Is it that simple? You vote in a Division Three government, not a Division One government, and the whole economy will just subside within three, four years. Finished.
Lee Kuan YewRead
America's greatest long-term influence on China comes from playing host to the thousands of students who come from China each year, some of the ablest Chinese scholars and scientists. They will be the most powerful agents for change in China.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Similar quotes
People have come to me over the years and said to me: 'I admire the culture of Starbucks. Can you come give a speech and help us turn our culture around?' I wish it were that easy. Turning a culture around is very difficult to do because it's based on a series of many, many decisions, and the organization is framed by those decisions.
Howard SchultzRead
If government is to serve any purpose it is to do for others what they are unable to do for themselves.
Lyndon B. JohnsonRead
I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.
Barack ObamaRead
Team members have to hold each other accountable. If there's a meeting, all members have to commit to be present and to help one another; they can't just check out when they feel they're not getting any benefits.
Patrick LencioniRead
I think over time I've learned to stop being a screamer and get interactive; otherwise, you get killed in Hollywood. I stopped being a screamer shortly after 'Blade Runner,' kicking doors and things like that, because I wasn't actually getting anywhere.
Ridley ScottRead
The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds.
Sun TzuRead