“Leadership is much less about what you do, and much more about who you are. If you view leadership as a bag of manipulative tricks or charismatic behaviors to advance your own personal interest, then people have every right to be cynical. But if your leadership flows first and foremost from inner character and integrity of ambition, then you can justly ask people to lend themselves to your organization and its mission.” (p. 45)
“President Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” (p. 56)
“When people follow a leader because they have to, they will do only what they have to.” (p. 61)
“You see, when there is danger, a good leader takes the front line. But when there is celebration, a good leader stays in the back room. If you want the cooperation of human beings around you, make them feel that they are important. And you do that by being humble.” (pg.77 – quoting Nelson Mandela)
“In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Trust is required for people to feel safe enough to create, share, question, attempt, and risk. Without it, leadership is weak and teamwork is impossible.” (p. 94)
“High achievers sometimes intimidate their followers. But when leaders are relational, their followers naturally get closer to them. That sometimes means that they mistake kindness for weakness.” (p. 99)
“It’s important to remember that while the things we have in common may make relationships enjoyable, the differences are what really make them interesting.” (p. 103)
“The size or the worthiness of a leader’s vision often isn’t what determines whether it will be achieved. The determining factor is usually the level of the leader. Before you ask people to move forward to achieve the vision, they must first buy into you as the leader.” (p. 120)
“Leaders must be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the vision. If achieving the vision is worth building the team, it is also worth risking the relationships.” (p. 124)
“How do you make an organization better? Invest in the people who work in it. Companies get better when their people get better. That’s why investing in people always gives a greater return to an organization.” (p. 173)
“Many leaders don’t want to share responsibility with others because they don’t want to lose any of their power. But when you share leadership with others, it doesn’t actually take away from you. Instead, it actually gives you something you can get only by developing others: it gives you back time.” (p. 191)
“The goal in life is not to live forever. The goal in life is to create something that does.” (p. 254)
