Government is like an onion. To understand it, you have to peel through many different layers. Most outsiders never get beyond the first or second layer.
Warren G. BennisRead
If I had to reduce the responsibilities of a good follower to a single rule, it would be to speak truth to power.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A good follower should always have the courage to tell the truth, especially to those in power.
Warren G. Bennis emphasizes the importance of speaking up and being honest in the face of authority. This idea reflects the critical role that integrity and courage play in leadership and followership, suggesting that even those who are not in charge must contribute to accountability by challenging the status quo when necessary.
Themes
TruthPowerLeadershipIntegrityCourage
In practice
Example use cases
During a company meeting when discussing a controversial policy, you can use this quote to encourage team members to express their honest opinions.
More from Warren G. Bennis
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To be authentic is literally to be your own author... to discover your own native energies and desires, and then to find your own way of acting on them.
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The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
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Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work.
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People who cannot invent and reinvent themselves must be content with borrowed postures, secondhand ideas, fitting in instead of standing out.
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