The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.
— Ronald Reagan
Surprising True Leader quotations
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.
Freedom, by definition, is people realizing that they are their own leaders.
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.
The true leader is a different sort; he seeks effective activity which has a truly beneficient purpose. He inspires others to follow in his wake, and holding aloft the torch of wisdom, leads the way for society to realize its genuinely great aspirations.
Woe to the people that fails to honor its heroes! It will cease producing them, cease knowing them. Heroes spring from the essence of their people. A people without heroes is a people without leaders, for only a heroic leader is a true leader able to withstand the challenge of difficult times.
The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born.
A leader has to be one of two things: he either has to be a brilliant visionary himself, a truly creative strategist, in which case he can do what he likes and get away with it; or else he has to be a true empowerer who can bring out the best in others.
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. Our dogs will love and admire the meanest of us, and feed our colossal vanity with their uncritical homage.
The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.
Be strong, but not rude; Be kind, but not weak; Be bold, but not bully; Be humble, but not timid; Be prooud, but not arrogant.
Leadership is standing with your people.
People say you have to live to fight another day, but sometimes you have to show you are a true leader.
If in the darkness of ignorance, you don’t recognize a person’s true nature, look to see whom he has chosen for his leader.
In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still.
True leadership is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you.
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.
Players that aren't true leaders but try to be, always bash other players after a mistake. True leaders on the pitch already assume others will make mistakes.
The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.
A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.
The true leader serves. Serves people. Serves their best interests, and in doing so will not always be popular, may not always impress. But because true leaders are motivated by loving concern than a desire for personal glory, they are willing to pay the price.
True leadership has people who follow when they have the freedom not to.
We need more leaders among our gente - more teachers, politicians, businesspeople, organizers, and such. Turn the energy that many young people are putting into "war" and "death" and put it into life and true justice.
A true leader is one who designs the cathedral and then shares the vision that inspires others to build it.
The leader sees things through the eyes of his followers.
He puts himself in their shoes and helps them make their dreams come true. The leader does not say, "Get going!" Instead he says, "Let's go!" and leads the way. He does not walk behind with a whip; he is out in front with a banner.
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.
A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible.
Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
Leadership is defined by results not attributes.
It is not wise, or even possible, to divorce private behavior from public leadership.... By its very nature, true leadership carries with it the burden of being an example.
The true leader makes each team member twice the person they were before.
True leadership is when you are willing to risk your power and voice so that all of ours can be heard.
True #leadership isn't the bastion of a few who sit at the top .
.. We all need to step up, take the risk and put our interests second-not always-but when it counts.
True leaders understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve. It is not about exalting themselves but about lifting others up.
True leadership strengthens the followers.
It is a process of teaching, setting an example, and empowering others. If you seek to lead, your ability will ultimately be measured in the successes of those around you.
Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily;
even if you had no title or position.