Quotes about Leaders

Leaders come in many forms, with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county. Some find strength in eloquence, some in judgment, some in courage.

A leader leads from in front, by the power of example. A ruler pushes from behind, by means of the club, the whip, the power of fear.

Is the Archbishop's blessing any more meaningful than the Politician's handshake? They come, they go, with bigger things than us on their minds.

Grown men do not need leaders.

Do you seek the truth?  There is nothing worthy of being followed except your own heart; no one to teach you except life's experiences; and no one for you to lead except yourself.

Of the 50 largest companies in the United States, you are the only woman CEO. Why?

That’s a good question. I think there should be many other women CEO s. It feels natural to be a CEO of WellPoint, and part of the reason may be that women may be drawn to healthcare as a profession. Women make 70 percent of all healthcare decisions. Women are currently available—ready, willing, and able—to be CEOs of major Fortune 50 or 500 companies. And I expect them to emerge as such over the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Without a terrific leader, you're not going to have a Great Group. But it is also true that you're not going to have a great leader without a Great Group.

Leaders' careers will usually be determined by their handling of one or two critical events that no one could possibly anticipate or plan for.

It's common to say that trees come from seeds. But how can a tiny seed create a huge tree? Seeds do not contain the resources need to grow a tree.  These must come from the medium or environment within which the tree grows.  But the seed does provide something that is crucial : a place where the whole of the tree starts to form.  As resources such as water and nutrients are drawn in, the seed organizes the process that generates growth.  In a sense, the seed is a gateway through which the future possibility of the living tree emerges.

Level 5 leaders are differentiated from other levels of leaders in that they have a wonderful blend of personal humility combined with extraordinary professional will. Understand that they are very ambitious; but their ambition, first and foremost, is for the company's success. They realize that the most important step they must make to become a Level 5 leader is to subjugate their ego to the company's performance. When asked for interviews, these leaders will agree only if it's about the company and not about them.

Average leaders take care of themselves and their families. Good leaders take care of themselves, their families, and some of the community. Great leaders—and great companies—not only take care of these stakeholders but also want to change the world. They want to leave the world better than they found it.

I am often asked if leaders are born or made. The answer, of course, is both. Some characteristics, like IQ and energy, seem to come with the package. On the other hand, you learn some leadership skills, like self-confidence, at your mother's knee, and at school, in academics and sports. And you learn others at work—trying something, getting it wrong and learning from it, or getting it right and gaining the self-confidence to do it again, only better.

Successful leaders don't start out asking, "What do I want to do?" They ask, "What needs to be done?" Then they ask, "Of those things that would make a difference, which are right for me?" They don't tackle things they aren't good at. They make sure other necessities get done, but not by them. Successful leaders make sure that they succeed! They are not afraid of strength in others. Andrew Carnegie wanted to put on his gravestone, "Here lies a man who knew how to put into his service more able men than he was himself."

"To win, you have to believe you can do it. You have to be passionate about it. You have to really "want" the result - even if this means years of work. The hardest part of any big project is to begin. We have begun - we are underway - we have a passion. We want to make a difference."

Last log book entry of legendary yachtsman Sir Peter Blake, winner of the Around the World Whitbred race, America's Cup winner 1995 & 2000 for New Zealand, and previously head of Jacques Cousteau foundation.

Any leaders who disappoint the people, ideals and promises by which they were appointed are by definition themselves dis-appointed.

Why should we follow ANY RULES of society, when the GLOBAL LEADERS of the WORLD are BLATANTLY BREAKING every MORAL and LAW known to MAN...?

The leader is a person who has the possibility through destiny to know the people, to recognize their capacities, and to bring them to bear on the problem.

A true Master is not the one with the most students, but one who creates the most Masters.

A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but one who creates the most leaders.

A true king is not the one with the most subjects, but one who leads the most to royalty.

A true teacher is not the one with the most knowledge, but one who causes the most others to have knowledge.

And a true God is not One with the most servants, but One who serves the most, thereby making Gods of all others.
For this is both the goal and the glory of God: that His subjects shall be no more, and that all shall know God not as the unattainable, but as the unavoidable.

The ultimate competitive advantage of your enterprise comes down to a single imperative--your ability to grow and develop leaders as fast as your competition.

When most are asked to quote their "I AM's," usually they come up with such things as: I am a farther, a male, an engineer, six-foot one, 160 pounds; or, a mother, wife, secretary, and so on. They have limited themselves to exactly what they are. Where are the men and women of today who will shout: I AM GREAT...I AM A LEADER? Where are the leaders of today? What has become of them? Why is this world made up of so many followers?

When you study the lives of all great achievers--those who have had the greatest influence on others, those who have made things happen--you will find a pattern. Through their persistent efforts and inner struggle, they have greatly expanded their four native human intelligences or capacities. The highest manifestations of these four intelligences are: for mental, vision; for the physical, discipline; for the emotional, passion; for the spiritual, conscience. These manifestations also represent our highest means of expressing our voice.

...the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to greater danger.

Effective leaders have the ability to consistently move themselves and others to action because they understand the "invisible forces" that shape us.

Great leaders are paradoxical. They catalyze, rather control, the work of their teams. They have an overarching vision for the team but are not autocratic in the realization of this vision. Their eyes are open to whatever results occur--not just planned goals, because serendipity is a great innovator.

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.

...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.