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Picture a leader in your mind. What qualities come to mind? Someone charismatic? Someone fearless? Someone who tells others what to do? If these are the type of people who come to mind, then it’s time to reassess who you’re following.
True leaders are self-aware, courageous, good communicators, and perhaps most importantly they care about, motivate, and inspire others to lead.
Self-awareness and humility. A leader who recognizes their personal strengths and weaknesses is much better than a self-proclaimed leader who feels they’re always right. Having humility and the grace to admit fault are essential qualities of a true leader.
Courageous. Leaders can’t just go with the crowd, they need to stand up for what is right. They need to deal with conflicts and be able to act with integrity.
Good communicators. Whether using synchronous or asynchronous communication leaders need to know how to express their goals, be empathetic, and motivate their team.
The most defining characteristic of a true leader is that they inspire others to be leaders, to stand for their principles, and to care for others.
Here is a collection of inspiring leadership quotes put together for current leaders and those who aspire to lead.
Quotes About Leadership and How To Be a Good Leader
Bill Bradley
“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.”
Ralph Nader
“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”
Douglas MacArthur
“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.”
Peter F. Drucker
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
Diogenes
“Wise leaders generally have wise counselors because it takes a wise person themselves to distinguish them.”
Vince Lombardi
“Praise in public, criticize in private.”
Theodore Roosevelt
“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.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”
Ronald Reagan
“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.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of being.”
Andrew Carnegie
“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.”
