Quotes on Leader

...perhaps the most distinguishing trait of visionary leaders is that they believe in a goal that benefits not only themselves, but others as well. It is such vision that attracts the psychic energy of other people, and makes them willing to work beyond the call of duty for the organization.

A leader will find it difficult to articulate a coherent vision unless it expresses his core values, his basic identity...one must first embark on the formidable journey of self-discovery in order to create a vision with authentic soul.

There are no warlike people, just warlike leaders.

There is no such thing as a perfect leader either in the past or present, in China or elsewhere. If there is one, he is only pretending, like a pig inserting scallions into its nose in an effort to look like an elephant.

Courage is the enforcing virtue, the one that makes possible all the other virtues common _x000D_ _x000D_ to exceptional leaders: honesty, integrity, confidence, compassion and humility

A leader's job is to look into the future and see the organization, not as it is, but as it should be

Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry.

Those who try to lead the people can only do so by following the mob.

To lead people, walk beside them ... As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate ... When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves!

It is impossible to imagine anything which better becomes a ruler than mercy.

Leadership rests not only upon ability, not only upon capacity; having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to use it. His leadership is then based on truth and character. There must be truth in the purpose and will power in the character.

I am not blind to the shortcomings of our own people. I am not unaware that leaders betray, and sell out, and play false. But this knowledge does not outweigh the fact that my class, the working class, is exploited, driven, fought back with the weapon of starvation, with guns and with venal courts whenever they strike for conditions more human, more civilized for their children, and for their children's children.

A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, _x000D_ _x000D_ a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.

Personal leadership is the process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with them.

A good leader can't get too far ahead of his followers.

A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops.

The greatest leaders mobilize others by coalescing people around a shared vision.

A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible.

A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward.

The nation will find it very hard to look up to the leaders who are keeping their ears to the ground.

You manage things, you lead people. We went overboard on management and forgot about leadership. It might help if we ran the MBAs out of Washington.