QuoteProject
I believe that no man who holds a leader's position should ever accept favors from either side. He is then committed to show favors. A leader must stand alone.
Mother Jones
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

A true leader should remain impartial and not accept favors, ensuring fair decision-making.

This quote emphasizes the importance of integrity and impartiality in leadership roles. It suggests that a leader who accepts favors from others may compromise their ability to act fairly and without bias, as they could feel indebted to those who offered assistance. Thus, true leadership requires standing firm and independent, making decisions based on what is right rather than what is advantageous.

Themes

LeadershipIntegrityImpartialityFavoritismIndependence

In practice

Example use cases

In a corporate meeting discussing ethical practices, I highlighted this quote to emphasize the need for integrity in leadership.

More from Mother Jones

I went West and took part in the strike of the machinists - the Southern Pacific Railroad, the corporation that swung California by its golden tail, that controlled its legislature, its farmers, its preachers, its workers.
Mother JonesRead
Out of labor's struggle in Arizona came better conditions for the workers, who must everywhere, at all times, under advantage and disadvantage work out their own salvation
Mother JonesRead
Some day the workers will take possession of your city hall, and when we do, no child will be sacrificed on the altar of profit!
Mother JonesRead
Injustice boils in men's hearts as does steel in its cauldron, ready to pour forth, white hot, in the fullness of time.
Mother JonesRead
I believe that movements to suppress wrongs can be carried out under the protection of our flag.
Mother JonesRead
Your ancestors fought for you to have a share in that institution over there. It's yours. See the school board, and every Friday night hold your meetings there. Have your wives clean it up Saturday morning for the children to enter Monday. Your organization is not a praying institution. It's a fighting institution. It's an educational institution along industrial lines. Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living!
Mother JonesRead

Similar quotes

Women have made tons of progress. But we still have a small percentage of the top jobs in any industry, in any nation in the world. I think that's partly because from a very young age, we encourage our boys to lead and we call our girls bossy.
Sheryl SandbergRead
When management owns stock, then rewarding the shareholders becomes a first priority, whereas when management simply collects a paycheck, then increasing salaries becomes a first priority.
Peter LynchRead
After years of telling corporate citizens to 'trust the system,' many companies must relearn instead to trust their people - and encourage their people to use neglected creative capacities in order to tap the most potent economic stimulus of all: idea power.
Rosabeth Moss KanterRead
I think the most effective way to run a kitchen is to teach, not to just yell.
Tom ColicchioRead
The greatest ally you have to get things working well and the players performing as a team is the bench. Don't be afraid to use it, either for the star player or anyone else.
John WoodenRead
He was the editor of our paper. He created the publishing house in Hebrew. He was - I wouldn't say the 'guru' - but really he was our teacher and a most respected man. I wrote for the paper of the youth movement.
Shimon PeresRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.