Mignon McLaughlin Quotes

I've always thought there are two ways of getting what you wanted in life.Forcing people to give it to you,or making them want to give it to you.

The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.

I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have the sense to do without my persuading them. That's all the powers of the President amount to.

Lincoln was a supreme politician. He understood politics because he understood human nature.

You can't always get someone where you want to with just sticks. There have to be some carrots, there have to be some other shaping things.

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.

In any situation that calls for you to persuade, convince or manage someone or a group of people to do something, the ability to tell a purposeful story will be your secret sauce. Telling to win through purposeful stories is situation, industry, gender, demographic, and psychographic-agnostic. It's an all-purpose, everyone wins tool.

I've been dealing with politicians all my life. All my life. And I've always gotten them to do what I need them to do.

You don’t have to be confrontational of aggressive to get to where you want to be or get people to do what you want to do.

I don't twist arms. I shake hands.

Part of your job as President is not only to make the tough calls, but to get people to agree with you.

The capacity to persuade is an essential part of being a great leader.

In peace, as there is more time to spare, the leaders are expected to persuade the rank and file, instead of commanding them.

I have no delusions about my likability in every scenario. I know that in order to get things done the way you want them, oftentimes your position will be unpopular.

Power works best when it is indirect - never coercing people; instead, getting them to voluntarily align with your interests.

Wherever you interact with people, you have the opportunity to influence people. This isn't something you necessarily jam down somebody's throat, but it is something you can - gently and over time - begin to cultivate wherever you are.

Leadership is not just about giving energy ... it's unleashing other people's energy.

Leadership is about persuasion, presentation and people skills.

I wrote "Win" for people on both sides, legitimately on both sides. If you're a Democrat listening to this right now, you - the whole playbook is in this book. If you're a Republican, and you're frustrated because Barack Obama is a great communicator, the playbook is in this book. And if you're a corporation who wants to satisfy his - their employees, how to do it is in this book. And finally, if you're an employee and you want to get a raise, whether at NPR or anyplace else, it's in this book.

And a diplomatist is one who lets the other fellow think he's getting his way, while all the time he's having his own. It never does any special harm to let people have their way with their mouths.

I'm slowly becoming a convert to the principle that you can't motivate people to do things, you can only demotivate them. The primary job of the manager is not to empower but to remove obstacles.

In any situation that calls for you to persuade, convince or manage someone or a group of people to do something, the ability to tell a purposeful story will be your secret sauce.

Leadership isn't just legislation, that it's a matter of persuading people and giving them confidence, and bringing them together and setting a tone.

In this work, you have to convince everyone all the time, at different levels, to support your dream. I learned you have to be confident in order to do that.

I'm a leader, not a dictator. I want to persuade people rather than threaten or control them.