Great leaders understand that historical success tends to produce stable and inwardly focused organizations, and these outfits, in turn, reinforce a feeling of contentment with the status quo.
John P. KotterRead
Those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies and for themselves.
Interpretation
Effective leaders must understand and leverage storytelling to succeed.
This quote highlights the importance of storytelling in leadership. John P. Kotter emphasizes that leaders who do not recognize the power of narratives in influencing others and driving engagement may ultimately lead their teams and organizations toward failure, as stories help convey vision, values, and inspire action among followers.
In practice
During a keynote speech at a leadership conference to emphasize the role of storytelling.
Great leaders understand that historical success tends to produce stable and inwardly focused organizations, and these outfits, in turn, reinforce a feeling of contentment with the status quo.
We are always creating new tools and techniques to help people, but the fundamental framework is remarkably resilient, which means it must have something to do with the nature of organizations or human nature.
Managers are trained to make incremental, programmatic improvements. They aren't trained to lead large-scale change.
Because management deals mostly with the status quo and leadership deals mostly with change, in the next century we are going to have to try to become much more skilled at creating leaders.
Outsiders have the intuitive ability to continually view problems in fresh ways and to identify ineffective practices and traditions.
Many years ago, I think I got my first insight on how an incredibly diverse team can work together and do astonishing things, and not just misunderstand each other and fight.
The great illusion of leadership is to think that man can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.
My idea of management is that what your job is as the boss is to find really good people and empower them and leave them alone.
Leaders are those who empower others.
Rule a kingdom as though you were cooking a small fish - don't overdo it.
A lot of people ask what it takes to move from being a creative to a leader: Take everyone's career personally. People will work hard for you if you work hard for them. Any idiot can be a boss; all you need is a title. But to be a leader, you need to earn respect and have an opinion you stand by.
With opportunity comes responsibility.
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