163 True Leader Quotes

Following is our list of true leader quotations and slogans full of insightful wisdom and perspective about inspiring true leader.

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Famous True Leader Quotes

The best leader brings out the best in those he has stewardship over. — J. Richard Clarke

A leader is a man who can adapt principles to circumstances. — George S. Patton

A person always doing his or her best becomes a natural leader, just by example. — Joe Dimaggio

A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done. — Ralph Lauren

A leader has been defined as one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. — Unknown

Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity. — A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Every great leader knows that his or her role comes with responsibility for those who follow him or her, and in ensuring they provide value in return for their loyalty. — Lewis Howes

A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind. — Nelson Mandela

A leader is a dealer in hope. - Napoleon Bonaparte

A leader is a dealer in hope. — Napoleon Bonaparte

A true leader is one who designs the cathedral and then shares the vision that inspires others to build it. — Jan Carlzon

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

The true leader makes each team member twice the person they were before. — Leonard Sweet

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. — Tacitus

Strong leaders understand that action cures indecision — Toyotomi Hideyoshi

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

Short True Leader Quotes

  • A leader leads by example not by force. — Sun Tzu
  • A good leader has a compass in their head and a magnet in their heart. — Howard G. Hendricks
  • Leaders make things possible. Exceptional leaders make them inevitable. — Lance Morrow
  • A leader is a person you will follow to a place you wouldn't go by yourself. — Joel A. Barker
  • True leadership has people who follow when they have the freedom not to. — James C. Collins
  • If your leadership is ample, you will be a great example. — Daniel Evans
  • To be able to lead others, a man must be willing to go forward alone. — Harry S. Truman

True Leader Image Quotes

True leader 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.

You Are A True Leader Quotes

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. — Leymah Gbowee

These are the days in which a true leader wants to live. These are days when opportunities to change lives and even destinies are nearly endless. You are running the anchor leg of the relay because you were born to lead. You were born for glory. — Sheri L. Dew

The true measure of a successful leader is their ability to discover the hidden talent in those they lead and challenge them to achieve greatness. If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you are right. — Henry Ford

True leader quote You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. Tru
You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing everything with logic. If words control your that means everyone can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.

When you focus on how people feel about what they are saying, you increase the level of true concern you have for others. You actually start to become the person you thought you were pretending to be: a true leader! — Garrison Wynn

My point is that true leaders...understand the possible consequences of their decisions, and are willing to bear that weight. The question is whether that's a step you're willing to take." -Carlist Rieekan — Timothy Zahn

If you are a leader, the true measure of your success is not getting people to work. It's not getting people to work hard. It is getting people to work hard together. That takes commitment. — John C. Maxwell

Inspiring True Leader Quotes

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

He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander. — Aristotle

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

True leader quote Two things you will never have to chase: true friends and true love.
Two things you will never have to chase: true friends and true love.

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. — Haile Selassie

The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born. — Warren G. Bennis

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. — Zig Ziglar

True leader 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.

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

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

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

A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position. — John C. Maxwell

Being A True Leader Quotes

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. — Henry Mintzberg

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. — Sayings

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. — Eugene Habecker

True leader quote Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom.

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

Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Leadership is defined by results not attributes. — Peter Drucker

True leader quote Travel and tell no one, live a true love story and tell no one, live happily and tell no one, people
Travel and tell no one, live a true love story and tell no one, live happily and tell no one, people ruin beautiful things.

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. — David Niven

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

Leadership is not a matter of authority, it is a matter of influence. A true leader teaches others to understand more, motivates them to be more and inspires them to become more. — Michael Josephson

Leaders are not born, they're made. — Vince Lombardi

True Leadership Quotes

The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence. — Walt Disney

Freedom, by definition, is people realizing that they are their own leaders. — Diane Nash

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. — Warren G. Bennis

True leader quote True love has a habit of coming back.
True love has a habit of coming back.

True leadership is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you. — J. Oswald Sanders

It's true that charisma can make a person stand out for a moment, but character sets a person apart for a lifetime. — John C. Maxwell

Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others. — Rick Warren

True leader quote Kindness is not a business. True kindness expects nothing in return and should never act with condit
Kindness is not a business. True kindness expects nothing in return and should never act with conditions.

In the name of all competitors I promise that we will take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by all the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams. — Pierre de Coubertin

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

Enduring setbacks while maintaining the ability to show others the way to go forward is a true test of leadership. — Nitin Nohria

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. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Good Leader Quotes

A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed. — Nelson Mandela

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

He who neither drinks, nor smokes, nor dances, he who preaches & even occasionally practice piety, temperance and celibacy, is generally a saint, or a mahatma or more likely a humbug but he certainly won't make a leader or for that matter a good soldier — Sam Manekshaw

Good leaders must first become good servants. - Robert K. Greenleaf

Good leaders must first become good servants. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Good leaders must first become good servants. — Robert Greenleaf

The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them. — John C. Maxwell

True leader quote The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sa
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.

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

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

Hate is too great a burden to bear. - Coretta Scott King

Hate is too great a burden to bear. — Coretta Scott King

Good leaders don’t make excuses. Instead, they figure out a way to get things done. — Jocko Willink

Qualities Of A Leader Quotes

If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. — Jim Rohn

A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of the people. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the world. — John Updike

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

True leader quote True friendship isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated
True friendship isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated

There are many qualities that make a great leader. But having strong beliefs, being able to stick with them through popular and unpopular times, is the most important characteristic of a great leader. — Rudy Giuliani

The leader is one who can organize the experience of the group ... and thus get the full power of the group. The leader makes the team. This is pre-eminently the leadership quality - the ability to organize all the forces there are in an enterprise and make them serve a common purpose. — Mary Parker Follett

The quality of a leader cannot be judged by the answers he gives, but by the questions he asks. — Simon Sinek

True leader quote A friend is not a true friend unless he protects his friend in his misfortune, in his absence, and a
A friend is not a true friend unless he protects his friend in his misfortune, in his absence, and at his death.

A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten. — John F. Kennedy

Preparedness and punctuality are two of the most important qualities of a leader. — John Andreas Widtsoe

One of the qualities that all the leaders have is a voracious appetite to learn whatever they do not as yet know and understand, coupled with an openness to new experiences. — Warren G. Bennis

One quality of leaders and high achievers in every area seems to be a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development. — Brian Tracy

Strong Leaders Quotes

A country without a strong leader will go down. — Recep Tayyip Erdogan

My theory is, strong people don't need strong leaders. — Ella Baker

You didn't see me on television, you didn't see news stories about me. The kind of role that I tried to play was to pick up pieces or put together pieces out of which I hoped organization might come. My theory is, strong people don't need strong leaders. — Ella Baker

Producing major change in an organization is not just about signing up one charismatic leader. You need a group - a team - to be able to drive the change. One person, even a terrific charismatic leader, is never strong enough to make all this happen. — John P. Kotter

Leaders must be tough enough to fight, tender enough to cry, human enough to make mistakes, humble enough to admit them, strong enough to absorb the pain, and resilient enough to bounce back and keep on moving. — Jesse Jackson

Women are leaders everywhere you look - from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes. — Nancy Pelosi

Strong leaders engage their critics and make themselves stronger. Weak leaders silence their critics and make themselves weaker. — Adam Grant

Internationally, President Obama has adopted an appeasement strategy. He believes America's role as leader in the world is a thing of the past. I believe a strong America must - and will - lead the future. — Mitt Romney

A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit. — John Wooden

By the time I stepped down as Xerox's CEO in 2009 - and as chairman in January 2010 - Xerox had become the vibrant, profitable and revitalized company that it still is today. What made the difference was a strong turnaround plan, dedicated people and a firm commitment from company leaders. — Anne M. Mulcahy

Being A Leader Quotes

A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be. — Rosalynn Carter

You see things and you say, 'Why?'. But I dream things and I say, 'Why not?'. — George Bernard Shaw

He who finds a new path is a pathfinder, even if the trail has to be found again by others; and he who walks far ahead of his contemporaries is a leader, even though centuries pass before he is recognized as such. — Ibn Khaldun

If I have any merit, it is getting along with individuals, according to their ways and characteristics. At times it involves suppressing yourself. It is painful, but necessary. To be a leader you have got to lead human beings with affection. — J. R. D. Tata

Be with a leader when he is right, stay with him when he is still right, but, leave him when he is wrong. — Abraham Lincoln

If you're going to be thinking anyway, think big! — Donald Trump

All of us, who are members of the Germanic peoples, can be happy and thankful that once in thousands of years fate has given us, from among the Germanic peoples, such a genius, a leader, our Fuehrer Adolf Hitler, and you should be happy to be allowed to work with us. — Heinrich Himmler

As worship leaders we might use music as a tool, but music is only ever just that - a tool with which to encourage lives to be renewed and awakened to God. — Reuben Morgan

If you think you are leading and turn around to see no one following, then you are just taking a walk. — Benjamin Hooks

I don't want to be a great leader; I want to be a man who goes around with a little oil can and when he sees a breakdown, offers his help. To me, the man who does that is greater than any holy man in saffron-colored robes. The mechanic with the oil can: that is my ideal in life. — Baba Amte

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

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

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

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

Bad Leader Quotes

We [Israel people] always blame Moses, that he was our greatest leader and one of the most gifted people in the world. He brought us the moral code and so on, belief in one God, but then he was a bad navigator. He brought us to the only part of the Middle East without any gas, without any oil. — Benjamin Netanyahu

A leader's job is to develop committed followers. Bad leaders destroy their followers' sense of commitment. — Dean Smith

Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team. — John C. Maxwell

The best thing you can give as a leader is a reason to trust. People want to trust. They're hungry for it. But they're selective. They'll only give it to a motivator, a communicator, a teacher, a real person. Someone who in good times and bad always does the right thing. — Jeffrey R. Immelt

Nothing will undermine your effectiveness as a leader faster than a bad marriage. — Michael Hyatt

The Muslim leaders swallow the advice of the Western powers and bodies like the IMF and World Bank, even when it is bad for their countries and they know this. — Abu Bakar Bashir

A good leader is someone who knows what he's bad at, and hires someone who's good at it to take care of it for him. — John Flanagan

I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics. — Barack Obama

A strong leader is not necessarily a bad leader. — Paul Kagame

Bosses and leaders everywhere should cherish the people who bring them bad news, disappointing data or hard problems. — Margaret Heffernan

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More True Leader Quotes

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. — Rudolf Hess

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. — Agnes Repplier

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. — Rumi

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. — Luis J. Rodriguez

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. — Wilferd Peterson

True leadership is when you are willing to risk your power and voice so that all of ours can be heard. — Justin Timberlake

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. — Simon Sinek

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. — Sheri L. Dew

Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position. — Brian Tracy

A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader. — Daisaku Ikeda

Leaders who want to show sensitivity should listen often and long and talk short and seldom. Many so-called leaders are too busy to listen. True leaders know that time spent listening is well invested. — J. Oswald Sanders

True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders. — Robert Townsend

True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from Influence. — John C. Maxwell

Leaders who fail to appreciate this fundamental precept of accountability must also fail to muster the profound commitment true leadership demands. — Peter Cosgrove

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

A true Leader asks advice, when he has time to think; but he never asks advice in a crisis. He acts. — Herbert Newton Casson

True leadership is serving God and not looking for the glory that might come from it. You don't do it for the glory or personal benefit but for God's glory. You don't take credit for anything that is done, but praise God for everything that He has done through you. — Vonette Bright

It remains true that great managers recognize individualities and focus on developing strengths rather than weaknesses. Great leaders, in sharp contrast, recognize what is (or could be) shared in common - a vision, a dream, a mission, whatever - and inspire others to join them in the given enterprise. — Marcus Buckingham

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