I have long had dreams to be a great leader like my school friend Marc Hagins, ever since I have known him he has had a certain air about him which screamed leadership and I have never quite understood how I can be like that. You probably know somebody similar in your family or friendship circle, people who just lead, they do it unknowingly and it is as though they were born with the ability to take others with them.
I am a good leader but I have had to work hard on it, I know that becoming a great leader is possibly beyond my grasp but these quotes which I wanted to share with you still give me hope, and if you have dreams of being a leader, perhaps they will for you too.
Barry Rafferty, Ketchum North America
“A leader instills confidence and ‘followership’ by having a clear vision, showing empathy and being a strong coach. As a female leader, to be recognized I feel I have to show up with swagger and assertiveness, yet always try to maintain my Southern upbringing, which underscores kindness and generosity. The two work well together in gaining respect.”
Gunnar Lovelace, Thrive Market
“Our employees are a direct reflection of the values we embody as leaders. If we’re playing from a reactive and obsolete playbook of needing to be right instead of doing what’s right, then we limit the full potential of our business and lose quality talent. If you focus on becoming authentic in all your interactions, that will rub off on your business and your culture, and the rest takes care of itself.”
Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur and Author
“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
Martin Luther King Jnr, Politician and Activist
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Noah Porter, Academic, Philosopher and Author
“Rely on your own strength of body and soul. Take for your star self-reliance, faith, honesty, and industry. Don’t take too much advice — keep at the helm and steer your own ship, and remember that the great art of commanding is to take a fair share of the work. Fire above the mark you intend to hit. Energy, invincible determination with the right motive, are the levers that move the world.”
Theodore Roosevelt, President
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
What are your favorite quotes on leadership? Let us know in the comments section below this post.