150 Decisive Leadership Quotes

Following is our list of decisive leadership quotations and slogans full of insightful wisdom and perspective about decisive action.

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Famous Decisive Leadership Quotes

Strong leaders understand that action cures indecision — Toyotomi Hideyoshi

The one word that makes a good manager - decisiveness. — Lee Iacocca

The one word that makes a good manager -- decisiveness. — Lee Iacocca

Decisiveness is often the art of timely cruelty. — Henry Becque

Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader. — George S. Patton

What is the next thing you need for leadership? It is the ability to make up your mind to make a decision and accept full responsibility for that decision. — Sam Manekshaw

If I had to sum up in a word what makes a good manager, I'd say decisiveness. You can use the fanciest computers to gather the numbers, but in the end you have to set a timetable and act. — Lee Iacocca

Be decisive. A wrong decision is generally less disastrous than indecision. — Bernhard Langer

If I Had To Sum Up In One Word The Qualities That Make Up A Good Manager, I'd Say Decisiveness. — Lee Iacocca

One of the key qualities a leader must possess is the ability to detach from the chaos, mayhem, and emotions in a situation and make good, clear decisions based on what is actually happening. — Jocko Willink

Great leaders are not proverbial fence sitters. They judge. They opine. They challenge. They fight for their vision. — Gad Saad

Decisions! And a general, a commander in chief who has not got the quality of decision, then he is no good. — Bernard Law Montgomery

Leadership requires the courage to make decisions that will benefit the next generation. — Alan Autry

Leaders make decisions that create the future they desire. — Mike Murdock

A great team relies on its leaders and they have to make a difference at key moments. — Kylian Mbappe

Short Decisive Leadership Quotes

  • Leadership is demonstrated at the moment of need. You learn to be a leader by acting, by doing — Carlos Ghosn
  • The only safe ship in a storm is leadership. — Faye Wattleton
  • Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts. — Erskine Bowles
  • Leadership requires belief in the mission and unyielding perseverance to achieve victory. — Jocko Willink
  • The job of the leader is to get the big ideas right. — David Petraeus
  • Leaders make things possible. Exceptional leaders make them inevitable. — Lance Morrow
  • Leadership is not for the faint of heart — Bill Hybels
  • Leaders can be wrong - but they can not be unclear. — Toyotomi Hideyoshi
  • Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy — Sun Tzu
  • The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet. — Theodore Hesburgh
Decisive leadership quote A mistake repeated more than once is a decision.
A mistake repeated more than once is a decision.

Decision Making Leadership Quotes

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. — Douglas MacArthur

I can't make every decision for you. I don't have 14 timeouts. You guys got to get together and talk — Gregg Popovich

Our companies communities and countries don’t necessarily suffer from a shortage of novel ideas. They’re constrained by a shortage of people who excel at choosing the right novel ideas. — Adam Grant

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. - Leonardo da Vinci

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. — Leonardo da Vinci

You make decisions, not suggestions; you know the answer while everyone else is still asking questions. — Tim Grover

One of my big goals professionally is to get more leaders to stop acting on intuition and experience and instead be data-driven. — Adam Grant

Decisive leadership quote A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compas
A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.

When you cannot make up your mind which of two evenly balanced courses of action you should take choose the bolder. — William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim

The road to the head lies through the heart. — American Proverbs

Put your leaders in stressful scenarios. Make them figure out solutions under pressure. See if you can make them frustrated, angry, and flustered, and then demand decisive leadership from them. They will be challenged at first, but they will get better over time. — Jocko Willink

You can't talk about leadership without talking about responsibility and accountability...you can't separate the two. A leader must delegate responsibility and provide the freedom to make decisions, and then be held accountable for the results. — Buck Rodgers

Decisive Action Quotes

The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood. — Voltaire

Love is not words, it's actions, and love isn't feelings, it's a decision. - Steven Furtick

Love is not words, it's actions, and love isn't feelings, it's a decision. — Steven Furtick

Without a standard there is no logical basis for making a decision or taking action. — Joseph M. Juran

Decisive leadership quote One of the most important decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try
One of the most important decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.

The ultimate purpose of collecting the data is to provide a basis for action or a recommendation. — W. Edwards Deming

Make decisions that your 80-year old self and 10-year-old self approve of. The former cares about the long-term compounding of actions, while the latter reminds you to have some fun along the way. — Sahil Bloom

Fish or cut bait. — American Proverbs

Decisive leadership quote Be a leader by example. Be confident and humble. Love the unloved.
Be a leader by example. Be confident and humble. Love the unloved.

Setting goals is important. They bring us focus and order to how you prioritize your resources, allocate your time, and exert your energy. They structure your day and bring intentionality to your actions and decision-making. Plus they're exciting. — Rich Roll

If you have a 2 or 3 year old who is not talking, you must start an early intervention program. The worst thing you can do with an autistic 3 year old is to do nothing. — Temple Grandin

To be productive, the cost of procrastination must be greater than the cost of action. — James Clear

A Cleaner makes decisions because there’s no chance in the world he’s going to let anyone else make a decision for him. — Tim Grover

Strategic Leadership Quotes

You can't blow an uncertain trumpet. - Theodore Hesburgh

You can't blow an uncertain trumpet. — Theodore Hesburgh

A leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there. — David Gergen

The expert in battle seeks his victory from strategic advantage and does not demand it from his men. — Sun Tzu

Decisive leadership quote Leadership is an action, not a position.
Leadership is an action, not a position.

Presenting leadership as a list of carefully defined qualities (like strategic, analytical, and performance-ori ented) no longer holds. Instead, true leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed.... Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection. — Sheryl Sandberg

Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success — Stephen Covey

Don't just let your career happen to you. You need to be strategic about how you define your leadership journey and where that takes you. — Denise Morrison

Decisive leadership quote Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.
Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.

Most leadership strategies are doomed to failure from the outset. As people have been noting for years, the majority of strategic initiatives that are driven from the top are marginally effective - at best. — Peter Senge

So has the strategic decision been made to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction by the leadership in Baghdad? I think our judgment has to be clearly not. — Colin Powell

I have led the way for moving women from traditional roles to strategic positions and inspired girls and women throughout Africa to seek leadership positions. — Dalia Grybauskaite

The conduct of President Bush's war of choice has been plagued with incompetent civilian leadership decisions that have cost many lives and rendered the war on and occupation of Iraq a strategic policy disaster for the United States. — John Olver

Effective Leadership Quotes

Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. — Peter Drucker

Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience. — Colin Powell

The greatness of a leader is measured by the achievements of the led. This is the ultimate test of his effectiveness. — Omar N. Bradley

Decisive leadership quote I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.

Effective leaders help others to understand the necessity of change and to accept a common vision of the desired outcome. — John P. Kotter

To manage a system effectively, you might focus on the interactions of the parts rather than their behavior taken separately. — Russell L. Ackoff

A leader is best when people barely know that he exists. - Witter Bynner

A leader is best when people barely know that he exists. — Witter Bynner

Decisive leadership quote Leadership simply begins with the courage to be yourself. So everyone else can be, too.
Leadership simply begins with the courage to be yourself. So everyone else can be, too.

The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say 'I'. They don't think 'I'. They think 'we'; they think 'team'. — Tom Peters

He who has learned how to obey will know how to command. — Solon

In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. — Harry S. Truman

I can't give you the sunset, but I can give you the night. — Erin McCarthy

Definition Of Leadership Quotes

My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence. — Bernard Law Montgomery

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. — Max De Pree

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. — Grace Hopper

Decisive leadership quote You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage - pleasantly, smilingly, no
You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage - pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically - to say NO to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger YES burning inside.

Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned. — Harold Geneen

A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him. — Lao Tzu

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. — Lao Tzu

To me, a leader is a visionary that energizes others. This definition of leadership has two key dimensions: a) creating the vision of the future, and b) inspiring others to make the vision a reality. — Vince Lombardi

The leader works in the open and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives. — Theodore Roosevelt

Continuing to believe the same thing, even in the face of new evidence to the contrary, is the definition of insanity - except in politics where it's called leadership. — Scott Adams

I definitely wasn’t cool in high school. I really wasn’t. I did belong to many of the clubs and was in leadership on yearbook and did the musical theater route, so I had friends in all areas, but I certainly did not know what to wear, did not know how to do my hair, all those things. — Dianna Agron

Being Decisive Quotes

Decisions made in Washington are more important to us than those made here in Dar es-Salaam. So, maybe my people should be allowed to vote in American presidential elections. — Julius Nyerere

To those of you with your years of service still ahead, the challenge is yours. Stop doubting yourselves. Have the courage to make up your minds and hold your decisions. Refuse to be BOUGHT for a nickel, or a million dollars, or a job! — Mary Mcleod Bethune

There may be some difficulties during a period of adjustment. Specifically, picking up their life again and making their own truly independent decisions. — Rick Ross

It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong. — Thomas Sowell

The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood. — Otto von Bismarck

When children are allowed to help make family decisions, they tend to be much more supportive and happier with family life. Also when allowed to help make rules, they will follow them much closer than if rules are forced on them. All these add up to a happier home for all. — Sayings

If I had to choose between dribbling past 5 players and scoring from 40 yards at Anfield or shagging miss world, it'd be a hard choice. Thankfully, i've done both — George Best

The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it be said, their cowardice at the decisive moment of the struggle will give rise to tragic mishaps. — Frantz Fanon

There is a magic power in your own hands. Take your vital decisions-they may be grave and momentous and far-reaching in their consequences. Think a hundred times before you take any decision, but once a decision is taken, stand by it as one man. — Fatima Jinnah

Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come. — Robert H. Schuller

Leadership Defined Quotes

Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader. — Indra Nooyi

My height doesn't define my skill set. To be a great quarterback, you have to have great leadership, great attention to detail and a relentless competitive nature - and I try to bring that on a daily basis. — Russell Wilson

Great leaders are not defined by the absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths. — John Peter Zenger

Leadership is defined by results not attributes. — Peter Drucker

Leadership can be defined in one word - honesty. You must be honest with the players and honest with yourself. — Earl Weaver

Leadership can be thought of as a capacity to define oneself to others in a way that clarifies and expands a vision of the future. — Edwin H Friedman

The function of a leader within any institution: to provide that regulation through his or her non-anxious, self-defined presence. — Edwin H Friedman

Action will delineate and define you. — Thomas Jefferson

I am defining leadership in terms of the role, not the position. — Edgar Schein

The unique ability to take decisive action while maintainign focus on the ultimate mission is what defines a true leader. — Robert Kiyosaki

Visionary Leadership Quotes

It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs. — Vaclav Havel

The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. — Colin Powell

A great company in the media business needs visionary leaders, not a conglomerate structure headquartered in Columbus Circle that second guesses. — Carl Icahn

A leader is a visionary who successfully carries others along to achieve a particular goal, within a specific time frame. — Folorunsho Alakija

You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. — Steve Jobs

That’s what real leadership is: Creating and clarifying the vision (the “what”), and giving that vision greater context and importance (the “why”) for all Whos involved. — Dan Sullivan

In a climate of uncertainty and fear, without strong and visionary leadership, people panic. — Patrick Dodson

Leaders of the future will have to be visionary and be able to bring people in - real communicators. These are things that women bring to leadership and executive positions, and it's going to be incredibly valuable and incredibly in demand. — Anita Borg

Without strong visionary leadership, no strategy will be executed effectively. — Robert S. Kaplan

In times of change, learners inherit the earth — Erich Fromm

People Writing About Decisive Leadership

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Read quotes by Lee Iacocca

Lee Iacocca
quotes on leadership, family and teachers

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Read quotes by Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi
quotes on friendship, love and leadership

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Read quotes by Jocko Willink

Jocko Willink
quotes on leadership, life and ownership

101 1
Read quotes by George S. Patton

George S. Patton
quotes on leadership

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Read quotes by Sam Manekshaw

Sam Manekshaw
quotes on leadership

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Read quotes by Bernhard Langer

Bernhard Langer

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More Decisive Leadership Quotes

Leaders are decisive without a doubt. — Joko Widodo

While Mayor Daley surprised me today with his decision to not run for reelection, I have never been surprised by his leadership, dedication and tireless work on behalf of the city and the people of Chicago. — Rahm Emanuel

There are six elements of gravitas critical to leadership: grace under fire, decisiveness, emotional intelligence and the ability to read a room, integrity and authenticity (people don't like fakes), a vision that inspires others, and a stellar reputation. — Sylvia Ann Hewlett

As Ive progressed in my career, Ive come to appreciate -- and really value -- the other attributes that define a companys success beyond the P&L: great leadership, long-term financial strength, ethical business practices, evolving business strategies, sound governance, powerful brands, values-based decision-making. — Ursula Burns

It is your decisions, and not your conditions, that determine your destiny. — Tony Robbins

You have to enable and empower people to make decisions independent of you. As I've learned, each person on a team is an extension of your leadership; if they feel empowered by you they will magnify your power to lead. — Tom Ridge

Personally, I like it much better when someone else does the decision making. That way you have legitimate grounds to whine and complain. I tend to find both whining and complaining quite interesting and amusing, though sometimes--unfortunately--it's hard to choose which one of the two I want to do. Sigh. LIfe can be so tough sometimes. — Brandon Sanderson

True Grit is making a decision and standing by it, doing what must be done. No moral man can have peace of mind if he leaves undone what he knows he should have done. — John Wayne

The key is not to call the decision maker. The key is to have the decision maker call you. — Jeffrey Gitomer

We associate leadership with decisiveness. That perception of leadership pushes people to make decisions fairly quickly, lest they be seen as dithering and indecisive. — Daniel Kahneman

The CEO is, by far, the most important decision for a company... The company is going to rise and fall with the CEO. — Carl Icahn

The world is starving for original and decisive leadership. — Bryant H. McGill

True leadership is servanthood. Put the interests of others at the center of your decisions. — Dave Ramsey

Making a true decision means committing to achieving a result, and then cutting yourself off from any other possibility. — Tony Robbins

Another idea that is changing is that the leader must be one who can make quick decisions. The leader to-day is often one who thinks out his decisions very slowly. — Mary Parker Follett

I realised early on that there were two groups of people in the world: those who made the decisions and those who had the decisions made for them. I wanted to be one of the decision-makers. — Bronwyn Bishop

Inability to make decisions is one of the principal reasons executives fail. Deficiency in decision-making ranks much higher than lack of specific knowledge or technical know-how as an indicator of leadership failure. — John C. Maxwell

Successful leaders have the courage to take action while others hesitate. — John C. Maxwell

Decide on what you think is right, and stick to it. — George Eliot

The key to good decision making is not knowledge... It's whether our work fulfills us. — Malcolm Gladwell

My prototypical quarterback is a competitive guy that's a winner, somebody that has great athletic instincts, somebody who is very accurate throwing the football, a quick-minded guy who can think fast on his feet and can make decisions quickly, someone who has leadership ability, an understanding of timing and can make really good decisions. — Jim Harbaugh

As buoyancy is not contrary to other characteristics of leadership, including decisiveness, accountability and performance standards, I don't ever think it can be self-defeating. — Kevin Allen

I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision. Don't allow your mind to become cluttered. — Richard M. Nixon

Level 5 leaders are fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results. They are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the company great, no matter how big or hard the decisions. — James C. Collins

I've never found an important decision made by a great organization that was made at a point of unanimity. Significant decisions carry risks and inevitably some will oppose it. In these settings, the great legislative leader must be artful in handling uncomfortable decisions, and this requires rigor. — James C. Collins

The definition of strong leadership is not about making decisions that are popular. Making popular decisions is easy - you don't need to be a leader to do that. The definition of strong leadership is to make decisions that are unpopular, but are nevertheless sound. — Henry Blodget

My purpose is to help people understand that leadership skills are useful and relevant for pursuing meaningful aspirations in all aspects of life, and that this is a choice, a decision, not a default. — Stewart D. Friedman

Leadership is tested not by one's capacity to survive politically but by the ability to make tough decisions in trying times. — Ehud Olmert

It is an assumption brought forth countless of times in various contexts that the world would be better, drifting slower towards the ruin, if women had the "power"; if political leadership, decision making, government and economic life was in the hands of women. I think reality, the observation material, supports the assumption. — Pentti Linkola

In any case, decisions on troop levels in the American system of government are not made by any general or set of generals but by the civilian leadership of the war effort. — William Kristol

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