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Ten Quotes on Leadership

I se t the o d leade ship i to A azo . o.uk i the Books atego y a d 95,950 esults appear: an endless list of tips and opinions on what makes a successful leader. To capture some

of the key elements that make a great leader, here is a selection of some of my favourite

quotes on leadership together and why I believe they are relevant for today:

. The fi st a gets the oyste , the se o d a gets the shell. A d e Ca egie

Most great leaders are pioneers in their fields; many others will follow in their footsteps but it is

the act of leadership that conquerors new ground and reaps the best rewards. One of the

greatest businessmen and philanthropists was the Scottish American industrialist, Andrew

Carnegie. He led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th

century. He certainly got the oyster (and the pearl too) becoming the richest man in the world.

Importantly he was also the father of modern philanthropy. One of his great innovations was

the cheap and efficient mass production of steel; the second was in changing the supply chain

for all the raw materials used so that it was owned by his company. Carnegie made a global

impact that lives on today.

. E e yo e eeds a oa h. It does t atte hethe you e a asket all playe , a te is playe , a gy ast o a idge playe . Bill Gates

Leadership is about helping others to improve their skills continually. A bridge player may have

a fantastic memory and be a black- elt at statisti s, ut if they ha e t lea t the a t of positi e body language, their chances of success will be reduced. Bill Gates is one of the greatest

business men on earth and this quote captures his collaborative approach to achieving goals.

Th ough his i edi le usi ess a u e , he has e o e o e of the o ld s ealthiest people; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the world. He is

one of the greatest examples of someone who shows true leadership.

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. Go as fa as you a see; he you get the e, you ll e a le to see fathe . J. P. Mo ga

American financier, banker and philanthropist, John Pierpoint Morgan was one of the most

influential people in finance of his generation, best remembered for his role in modernising

banking and American business as a whole. His visionary approach was second to none. He is

another example of an incredibly generous philanthropist.

. Leade ship is the apa ity to t a slate isio i to eality. Wa e Be is

The American scholar and author, Warren Bennis, makes a very important point: leadership is

the ability to make things happen. There are lots of people with lots of great ideas and vision,

but without effective leadership, the winning formula will remain on the page it is written or

the brain in which it was conceived.

. A ge ui e leade is ot a sea he fo o se sus ut a olde of o se sus – Martin

Luther King, Jr.

The civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr, highlights the fact that an effective leadercreates

the way for everyone to agree rather than seeking a way for everyone to agree. Innovation is

the hallmark of great leadership.

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. Di o ed f o ethi s, leade ship is edu ed to a age e t a d politi s to e e

te h i ue. Ja es Ma G ego Bu s

Pulitzer Prize winner, American historian and political scientist, James MacGregor Burns, is

known for his aspirational and visionary theories on leadership. At the heart of this is the way in

which he moved the dial on perceptions of leadership from actions of great men to the

interaction of leaders and their constituencies – at the core of this is ethics which delivers

mutual benefits.

. People ask the diffe e e et ee a leade a d a oss. The leade leads, a d the oss

d i es. Theodo e ‘oose elt

The 26th American President was known for his great personality and leadership skills. He

t a sfo ed the atio s politi al syste a d is the a hite t of ode p eside y. This uote sums up his approach!

. Leade ship is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he

a ts to do it. D ight D. Eise ho e

The 34th President of the United States and first supreme commander of NATO strongly

believed that citizen interaction would promote cultural interaction and world peace. An

essential skill for all leaders is motivation: success is intrinsically linked to the desire and passion

of everyone concerned to do what needs to be done.

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. I o atio disti guishes et ee a leade a d a follo e Ste e Jobs

The late, great Steve Jobs had all the characteristics of a great entrepreneur and leader. He was

also a truly inspirational innovator. His vision led Apple to become one of the biggest

companies in the world, not to mention revolutionising an entire sector. Many others have

since followed in his footsteps.

. Keep fea s to you self, ut sha e you ou age ith othe s ‘o e t Louis Ste e so

Robert Louis Stevenson was the author of some of the greatest novels such as Strange Case of

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Treasure Island and ranks among the 26 most translated authors in

the world. Whilst not a great leader in his own rights, this quote sums up one of the big

challenges for leaders: there are many ups and down on the road to success, the trick is to

display confidence at all times.