As an author, the question, “May I quote you?” is a humbling request and a great compliment. For anyone who is in search of leadership excellence a good quote is fuel for your team and your journey. It’s amazing how a short, simple quotation can quickly provide perspective, inspiration, comfort, motivation or insight. What a wonderful return for our invested time--take 10 seconds each morning to read a new quote and our day, maybe even our world, is changed.
I wanted to share a few of my favorite leadership quotes:
• “To add value to others, one must first value others.” - John Maxwell
• “A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear.” - Herb Kelleher
• “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is.” - Yogi Berra
• "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." - Thomas Jefferson
• “Those who let things happen usually lose to those who make things happen.” - Dave Weinbaum
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill
• “In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” - Theodore Roosevelt
And a few of my own leadership quotes to add...
• Leadership is about others, not ourselves.
• Leaders who give the best of themselves get the best from others.
• If you do not take care of the little things over the long term, you won’t take care of the big things.
• Leaders who underestimate the intelligence of their employees generally overestimate their own.
• Great leaders appreciate their employees, not just their contributions.
• Don’t worry about leaving your leadership legacy. Just live it.
Please post your favorite quotes, maybe even your own originals. I might use it in a future column, but not before asking, "May I quote you?” Here’s to daily inspiration!
