Theodore Roosevelt Quotes

It is much safer to obey than to rule.

My relationship to power and authority is that I'm all for it...People need somebody to watch over them.... Ninety-five percent of the people in the world need to be told what to do and how to behave.

He who is to be a good ruler must have first been ruled.

It's a lot easier to let someone else be Caesar.

Authority is not a quality one person 'has', in the sense that he has property or physical qualities. Authority refers to an interpersonal relation in which one person looks upon another as somebody superior to him.

Learn to obey before you command.

Who has not served cannot command.

I don't mind how much my Ministers talk, so long as they do what I say.

Tis a dainty thing to command, though twere but a flock of sheep.

Being president is like running a cemetery: you've got a lot of people under you and nobody's listening.

As to mere power I have been for years in the daily exercise of more personal authority than any President habitually enjoys.

He was in charge of everything and I was to be wherever he wasn’t.

They must be governed by and be subordinate to you.

The exercise of authority is odious, and they who know how to govern, leave it in abeyance as much as possible.

Those who can, must obey.

When I was captain, John Wright was making all the decisions and I followed like an obedient student.

Taking power is fine. But what do you do when you are in power?

Everywhere in life people are in authority to make decisions and you have to abide by them, whether right or wrong.

Our relationship with presidents is often like that of a teenager and parent. He's our leader, but sometimes we rail against his decisions for us. We push back at times to make sure he knows who's boss.

Let them obey that knows not how to rule.

Advisers advise, and ministers decide.

He that cannot obey, cannot command.

The ruling power is always faced with the question, ‘In such and such circumstances, what would you do?’, whereas the opposition is not obliged to take responsibility or make any real decisions.

If I am your leader, you have to listen to me & if you don’t want to listen to me, then drop me as your leader

Being in command means making tough decisions. Not being in command means shutting up and doing what you're told. --Artemis Fowl