John Dryden Quotes

It is not a sign of arrogance for the king to rule. That is what he is there for.

I am the guardian of power, not its owner.

I know the title of a King is a glorious title, but assure yourself that the shining glory of princely authority hath not so dazzled the eyes of our understanding, but that we well know and remember that we also are to yield an account of our actions before the Great Judge.

We should understand the source of our authority and something of the keys that control its power.

Power should be reserved for weightlifting and boats, and leadership really involves responsibility.

In order to be respected, authority has got to be respectable.

It is a universal and fundamental political principle that the power to protect can safely be confided only to those interested in protecting, or their responsible agents - a maxim not less true in private than in public affairs.

My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility.

The great irony of management is that the higher up you go, the less actual control you have. When you are but a humble coder, you make the computer do exactly what you want; when you're a manager, you only hope that people understand what you want, and then trust/pray that they do it both correctly and in a timely manner.

Authority must be respected and chosen wisely.

I believe in delegating power.

I lack the strength needed to sustain the scepter. I abhorred it, but in the end I agreed to accept it in order to prevent evils to the country which was about to succumb anew, if not to the former slavery, at least to the horrors of anarchy.

If you cannot trust our leaders, you cannot govern.

All power is a trust; that we are accountable for its exercise.

Those who can, must obey.

To rule means to exercise power, and only he who possesses power can exercise it. This direct connection of power and rule forms the fundamental truth of all politics and the key to all history.

Queens perhaps perform better in the role of monarch because they never take their position for granted. Many kings have failed because they believed that the public would love them whatever they did. Queens knew better.

Leadership is obliged to justify itself daily.

To rule is easy, to govern difficult.

It is a great matter to be in authority over others; for authority, if it be rightly used, will make you feared beyond your actual resources.

Makers of empire, they have fought for bigger things than crowns and higher seats than thrones.

A king is a thing men have made for their own sakes, for quietness sake. Just as in a family one man is appointed to buy the meat.

You have to enable and empower people to make decisions independent of you. As I've learned, each person on a team is an extension of your leadership; if they feel empowered by you they will magnify your power to lead.

Well, surely, I am not in charge of South Africa.

To be honest, the fact that people trust you gives you a lot of power over people. Having another person's trust is more powerful than all other management techniques put together.