Zbigniew Brzezinski Quotes

The people are difficult to govern: It is because those in authority are too fond of action [change].

Delegation of authority is a fact of modern life.

Structure is not about moving boxes around on a chart. Structure is about power.

When government disappears, it's not as if paradise will take its place. When governments are gone, other interests will take their place.

Bad leaders believe that they have to project control at all times.

I like to be in control of things.

The program director at a radio station, by the way, is not the superstar. If he was a superstar, he'd be out creating songs, but he's not. But he wants to act like he has control and power.

In the sense that you're not at the centre of power, like a president or prime minister of a major power, everyone is marginalised; my position doesn't isn't unique in that respect. I think there are different sorts of relevance in different contexts.

In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.

A lot of us have jobs where we need to give people structure but that is different from controlling.

Every one, more or less, loves Power, yet those who most wish for it are seldom the fittest to be trusted with it.

So I still seized the power, but I felt that if I officially made myself the boss, in black and white, it would be too intimidating for the other producers and the other men who worked on the show. In other words, I had the power, but I gave them the title.

I have built my organization upon fear.

But constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.

Governments need to have both shepherds and butchers.

I always get more applause than votes.

The man whose authority is recent is always stern.

All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.

In the past a leader was a boss. Today's leaders must be partners with their people... they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.

Power says if you are a committee chairman, your idea is good only because you have got power.

If there are no superior people to look after a population, the common people have no security.

Men in authority tend to abuse it – not all men, but many.

If you use power too loosely, you lose power.

The primary object of every elite, or ruling class, is to maintain its own power and privilege.

Men such as they are, very naturally seek money or power; and power because it is as good as money,--the “spoils,” so called, “of office.” And why not? For they aspire to the highest, and this, in their sleep-walking, they dream is highest. Wake them, and they shall quit the false good, and leap to the true, and leave governments to clerks and desks.