Lao Tzu Quotes

The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'

The real leader has no need to lead - he is content to point the way.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.

If leadership is something that is in-your-face, then that is a different type of leadership.

Real leadership is leaders recognizing that they serve the people that they lead.

It's fair to characterise me as competitive and determined, but anyone who works with me will attest to the fact I believe very strongly in the notion of servant leadership.

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.

Good leaders must first become good servants.

Servant leadership is the foundation and the secret of Sam Walton's ability to achieve team synergy.

Leadership does not mean domination

Leadership is about vision and responsibility, not power. And I try to model that in all of my interactions.

A lot of people ask what it takes to move from being a creative to a leader: Take everyone's career personally. People will work hard for you if you work hard for them. Any idiot can be a boss; all you need is a title. But to be a leader, you need to earn respect and have an opinion you stand by.

Taking on a leadership role doesn't mean that you only have to be personally ambitious.

You don't lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership.

Leadership does not depend on being right.

Being a good leader requires remembering that you're there for a reason, and the reason certainly isn't to have your way. High-integrity leaders not only welcome questioning and criticism - they insist on it.

You can only govern men by serving them. The rule is without exception.

Overall, the challenge of leadership is both moral and one of developing the characteristics that make us respected by one another.

The President is the ultimate role model.

Empowering those around you to be heard and valued makes the difference between a leader who simply instructs and one who inspires.

A real leader is not the top dog who merely shouts down orders. a leader is one who holds the space for the brilliance of others.

Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.

The strongest leaders do not command, they empower

Leadership is not rank, privileges, title or money. It is responsibility.

The true leader isn't really looking for leadership. He's trying to set an example and be in the proper way to get the most productive results and don't realize it. When the followers get something done, if the leader has been what he should, they'll feel like they did it, not him. That's the way it should be.