Greetings All!
This
week's post is a collection of 25 quotes relating to leadership. I post
them for three reasons. First, because it is my
conviction that no matter who we are, someone is looking up to us as an
example, or for guidance of one sort of another, which makes us a leader of
sorts even when we don't have the title and didn't ask for the
responsibility. One does not have to be delegated the authority to carry
out the role, and we can inadvertently carry out the role without even knowing
we are! The person simply trying to be an example to others is being a
leader in their own right.
The second reason
I post them is because we can all gain insight and wisdom from leaders of the
past who have shared what guided their leadership -- even if we don't consider
ourselves to be one. And last, I share it because as I
looked hem over I was amazed how much current thought of leadership is little
more than a confirmation (plagiarization of sorts) of the teaching of Jesus on
the topic, or practical insights gained from His words and example, even when
those giving the advice are not themselves Christians. I had many more than
listed. I paired them down to 25. I offer them as the best of what I
found. If you have a favorite (or favorites) and have a chance, let me
know which ones. Enjoy.
Thoughts on Leadership
1. "The true test of a leader is this: A respect for
that person that is so deep that people will continue following their lead even
when the official title and delegated authority have been taken away."
2. “I start with the premise
that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more
followers.” Ralph Nader
3. “Leaders must possess
courage. Yet do not be mistaken: Courage is not the
absence of fear; courage is the determination not to let our very real fears
paralyze us, hold us back, or scare us into silence and inactivity when words
and actions are what is needed.”
4. “You aren’t fit
to lead until you know how to follow. If you want to become a remarkable
leader, follow a leader of character, conviction, and vision. Don’t ask people
to follow you until you’ve humbly followed someone else. Following is
perhaps the most neglected development principle of remarkable leadership…
Follow advice from those more knowledgeable. Follow a vision bigger than
yourself. Follow someone you respect. Follow the most noble person
available. Follow someone who is going somewhere. Remarkable
leaders are remarkable followers. Admiration of big-egoed-leaders degrades us
all. Worry less about becoming a remarkable leader and more about
becoming a remarkable follower.” Dan Rockwell
5. “The chief
characteristic of Christian leaders, Jesus insisted, is humility not authority,
and gentleness not power… The authority by which the Christian leader leads is
not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned
persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those
who humble themselves to serve.” John Stott
6. “A leader is
one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” John C.
Maxwell
7. “Perfection is not
attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
Vince Lombardi
8. “When everything
seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the
wind, not with it... I never failed, I just learned 10,000 ways that
won't work.” Henry Ford
9. “According to
Scripture, virtually everything that truly qualifies a person for leadership is
directly related to character. It’s not about style, status, personal
charisma, clout, or worldly measurements of success. Integrity is the main
issue that makes the difference between a good leader and a bad one.” John
MacArthur
10. “Be strong enough to
stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask
for it.” Unknown
11. “True greatness, true
leadership, is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or
inducing others to serve you.” J. Oswald Sanders
12. "My research
debunks the myth that many people seem to have… that you become a leader by
fighting your way to the top. Rather, you become a leader by
helping others to the top. Helping your employees is as
important as, and many times more so than, trying to get the most work out of
them." William
Cohen
13. "The first and
most important choice a leader makes is the choice to serve, without which
one's capacity to lead is severely limited." Robert
Greenleaf
14. “The ability to
learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” Sheryl
Sandberg
15. "We must
be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn.
We must learn before we can prepare. We must prepare before we can
serve. We must serve before we can lead." William Arthur
Ward
16. “To change your life,
you have to admit what’s not working. You have to humble yourself. You have to
ask for help. You have to learn... Your ego will defend your current
circumstances, but you cannot allow a fleeting feeling of shame to eclipse
reason. You cannot live the rest of your life as you are just because you are
too prideful to admit something isn’t right.” Brianna
Wiest
17. “If your objective is
to be as good as you can be, then you’re going to want criticism.” Ray Dalio
18. "If
leadership serves only the leader, it will fail. Ego satisfaction,
financial gain, and status can all be valuable tools for a leader, but if they
become the only motivations, they will eventually destroy a leader. Only when
service for a common good is the primary purpose are you truly leading."
Sheila
Murray Bethel
19. “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
20. "People do
not care how much you know until they know how much you care." John C.
Maxwell
21. "When you
get to be the president, there are the honors, the 21-gun salutes, all those
things. You have to remember it’s not for you. It’s for the
presidency… It's amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who
gets the credit.” President Harry S. Truman
22. "Be more
concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is
what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you
are."
John Wooden
23. “A man who wants to
lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” Max
Lucado
24. "Do the
thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain." Ralph
Waldo Emerson
25. "Servant
leadership is all about making the goals clear and then rolling your sleeves up
and doing whatever it takes to help people win. In that situation, they
don't work for you; you work for them." Ken
Blanchard
So,
what are the key characteristics of good leadership? Humility, learning
to be a follower, the heart of a servant, integrity, character, love,
determination, a desire to see others excel, pushing beyond our fears, and many
more. They are all virtues that anyone can apply to their lives. And when
we do, we may in some cases find people following our lead -- even when that
wasn't our objective.
Living
in His Grace, Pastor Jeff
