Leadership flows from inner character and integrity of ambition, which inspires others to lend themselves to your organization's mission.
Interpretation
True leadership is rooted in personal integrity and character, inspiring others to commit to a shared vision.
In this quote, Frances Hesselbein emphasizes that effective leadership is not merely about authority or position, but about the depth of one's character and the integrity that drives their ambition. A leader who embodies these qualities can motivate others to embrace and support the goals of the organization, establishing a culture of trust and shared purpose.
In practice
During a team meeting, you can use this quote to emphasize the importance of character in leadership.
When people are speaking, they require our undivided attention. We focus on them; we listen very carefully. We listen to the spoken words and the unspoken messages. This means looking directly at the person, eyes connected; we forget we have a watch, just focusing for that moment on that person.
It takes courage for a leader to identify and confront self-imposed barriers, to put in place the personal strategies required to unleash the energy, innovation, and commitment to self-development.
Women are working for part or all of their adult lives now. The possibilities are limitless, but you need to prepare.
The real leader redefines or defines the mission in a very powerful way so that people understand it; it permeates the organization.
Leadership is not a basket of tricks or strategies or skills that you pull out. Leadership begins with the quality of the person.
Social-sector organizations have to be better managed than for-profit organizations... because they have no margin of error.
The men who have guided the destiny of the United States have found the strength for their tasks by going to their knees. This private unity of public men and their God is an enduring source of reassurance for the people of America.
The applause of list'ning senates to command, The threats of pain and ruin to despise, To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land, And read their history in a nation's eyes.
You've got to coach worrying about your entire team: whether that gets you a championship or whether that gets you fired. I think it allows you to coach free. You're coaching with freedom because you know you're doing what you think is right.
The reality is that the United States military alone cannot be all things to all nations. We will sharpen the application of our resources, better deploy our forces in the world and share our burdens more and more effectively with our partners. And frankly, all our allies need to do the same.
No one is bigger than the team. You're going to be on time, you're going play hard, you're going to know your job and you're going to know when to pass and shoot. If you can't do those four things you're not getting time here and we don't care who you are.
Working together on solving something requires a high level of humility and a high level of self-awareness.
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