It's said that a wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from others' mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others's successes.
John C. MaxwellRead
Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less...titles don't have much value when it comes to leading. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned, it comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True leadership is about influence rather than titles, which need to be earned through trust and respect.
In this quote, John C. Maxwell emphasizes that leadership is fundamentally about the ability to influence others rather than merely holding a position of authority or a title. He asserts that genuine leadership is not something that can be assigned or given; it must be cultivated and earned through the trust and respect of those being led. This perspective challenges the conventional notion of leadership tied to formal titles, highlighting the importance of personal connection and moral authority in effective leadership.
Themes
LeadershipInfluenceTrustRespectAuthority
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting, a manager could quote this when discussing the importance of building relationships with team members.
More from John C. Maxwell
All quotes βCourage and initiative come when you understand your purpose in life.
John C. MaxwellRead
Integrity is important in building relationships. And is the foundation upon which many other qualities for success are built, such as respect, dignity, and trust.
John C. MaxwellRead
Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved.
John C. MaxwellRead
Big-picture thinkers broaden their outlook by striving to learn from every experience. They don't rest on their successes, they learn from them.
John C. MaxwellRead
In most cases, those who want power probably shouldn't have it, those who enjoy it probably do so for the wrong reasons, and those who want most to hold on to it don't understand that it's only temporary.
John C. MaxwellRead
Similar quotes
One of the problems in the biotech world is the lack of women in leadership roles, and I'd like to see that change by walking the walk.
Jennifer DoudnaRead
Strong countries and strong presidents talk to their adversaries. That's what Kennedy did with Khrushchev. That's what Reagan did with Gorbachev. That's what Nixon did with Mao. I mean think about it. Iran, Cuba, Venezuela - these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us. And yet we were willing to talk to the Soviet Union at the time when they were saying we're going to wipe you off the planet.
Barack ObamaRead
If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him. Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.
William PennRead
If you believe in a security strategy - a strategy of more friends and fewer enemies, a strategy of greater cooperation and a strategy of keeping America better at home as we grow more diverse - we have to build the minds and hearts to build this kind of world.
William J. ClintonRead
It's about communication. It's about honesty. It's about treating people in the organization as deserving to know the facts. You don't try to give them half the story. You don't try to hide the story. You treat them as - as true equals, and you communicate and you communicate and communicate.
Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.Read
I don't think any of us should forget that the security of America is our highest responsibility.
Ronald ReaganRead