If freedom makes social progress possible, so social progress strengthens and enlarges freedom. The two are inseparable partners in the great adventure of humanity.
Robert KennedyRead
People say I am ruthless. I am not ruthless. And if I find the man who is calling me ruthless, I shall destroy him.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the misunderstood perception of ruthlessness and addresses the consequences of labeling someone unfairly.
Robert Kennedy's quote reflects a common misinterpretation of strong leadership as ruthlessness. He defends himself against this label, emphasizing that what may be perceived as a lack of compassion is often a determination to stand firm in one's beliefs, suggesting that those who label him are themselves undermining his integrity and resolve.
In practice
This quote can be shared in a leadership seminar to discuss the challenges of being misunderstood.
If freedom makes social progress possible, so social progress strengthens and enlarges freedom. The two are inseparable partners in the great adventure of humanity.
Elections remind us not only of the rights but the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.
Within the United States, we have put great emphasis upon political freedoms. Because it has been our experience that these freedoms can lead to others.
It is one thing to open job opportunities. It is another to train people to fill them, or to persuade American enterprise to seek Negro as well as white applicants.
Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.
The Gross National Product measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, and it can tell us everything about America - except whether we are proud to be Americans.
My bosses cautioned me about my candor. Now my GE career is over, and I'm telling you that it was my candor that helped make it work.
As God can send a nation or people no greater blessing than to give them faithful, sincere and upright ministers, so the greatest curse that God can possibly send upon a people in this world is to give them over to blind, unregenerate, carnal, lukewarm and unskilled guides.
Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team.
There are blessed intervals when I forget by one means or another that I am President of the United States.
Women in leadership roles can help restore balance and wholeness to our communities.
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.
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