It’s been a long week. For some reason this week almost everyone I know has been posting pithy quotes on their Facebook status. In response to this rash of pith, i offer my hastily compiled top ten responses to leadership quotes:

1.”You manage things; you lead people”                         

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

From the rear apparently…

2.”Success for leadership is . . . knowing the great art of directing others without their noticing it.”

Anonymous                                                                                                                        

Perfect…

3. “Consensus is the negation of leadership.”

Margaret Thatcher                                                                            

All in favor say ‘aye’?

4. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

John C. Maxwell

Or was that a cab driver?

5. “Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It’s being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you’re going to get respect from the players.”

Larry Bird

Unless you’re a ball girl at Wimbleton …

6. “Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.”

John D. Rockefeller

And paying them minimum wage…

7. “There are many elements to a campaign. Leadership is number one. Everything else is number two. “

Bertolt Brecht

I’d agree, most things in a campaign ARE number two

8. “Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Harold R. McAlindon

Unless you’re in a national park…

9. “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

A la Tom Sawyer? 

10. “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

But truly brilliant minds conjure the ideas the drive the events that astound the people

Got some to add? Please share with the class.