Rick Riordan Quotes

Leadership used to be about ideas, setting an example and doing the right thing. Today, if you make enough money for the firm (and are not currently an ax murderer) you will be promoted into a position of influence.

Leadership starts with understanding responsibility, not ability. Leadership is a Stewardship, not a show.

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.

The leader sees leadership as responsibility rather than as rank and privilege.

The practice of leadership is not the same as the exercise of power.

Force and right are the governors of this world; force till right is ready.

If people disobey, don't ask what is wrong with them, ask what's wrong with their leaders.

Leadership is stewardship, it's temporary and you're accountable!

I think the greater responsibility, in terms of morality, is where leadership begins.

Justice without force is powerless; force without justice is tyrannical.

Justice is the first virtue of those who command, and stops the complaints of those who obey.

Leadership cannot just go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenge of the day.

I was the law and order.

Of course it's not enough to be a good man to be an effective ruler and it never has been.

The foundation for moral leadership is the truth.

The President was a responsibility beyond that of managing the government. He has a responsibility as a moral leader.

Not parties, but principles.

There is no king where there is no law.

What is going to rule our great commonwealth, the mob or the law?

In government it is order that matters.

He made you king to do justice and righteousness.

He who governs by his moral excellence may be compared to the Pole star which abides in its place while all other stars bow towards it.

The principal end a prince was made for is to take care, that every one should have his rights. This ought to engage him to study not only the science of those great civilians, who ascend to the first principles of law, which regulate human society, and are the basis as it were of government and politics; but also that part of the law, which descends to the affairs of particular persons. This branch is generally left for the gentlemen of the long robe, and not admitted into the education of princes, though they are every day to pass judgment upon the fortunes, liberties, lives, honor, and reputation of their subjects. Princes are continually talked to of valour and liberality; but if justice do not regulate these two qualities, they degenerate into the most odious vices. Without justice valour does nothing but destroy; and liberality is only a foolish profuseness. Justice keeps all in order, and contains within bounds him, who distributes it, as well as those, to whom it is distributed.

Leadership is not manifested by coercion, even against the resented. Greatness is not manifested by unlimited pragmatism, which places such a high premium on the end justifying any means and any methods.

I established law and justice in the land.