Harold S. Geneen Quotes

Leaders receive and give assignments. This is an important part of the necessary principle of delegating. No one appreciates a willing volunteer more than I, but the total work cannot be done as the Lord wants it done merely by those doing the work who may be present at meetings.

A good leader should focus on making sure everyone is being given the tools to do their job, not just expecting - poof! - that they're going to produce great work.

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.

Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too.

I'm very good at delegating - people work much better when they have a real sense of responsibility. But at the same time, I don't like surprises. I don't pore over every shoot, but I do like to be aware at all times of what's going on.

The biggest boss has the clearest desk.

If you're going to be the lead, you better be ready to always be working.

If you don't take it for granted that the other man will do his job, you're not an executive.

People that take responsibility are often given responsibility!

I always had a very strong sense of responsibility, so the minute I started to work in fashion, I was always tremendously serious-too much sometimes. Of course, you can make a lot of mistakes in this job-I still do-but you need to limit them as much as possible. When you're responsible for such a huge company, you cannot play too much. In the beginning, I was working 20 hours per day and I was going crazy. I learned that I needed to delegate and to trust the people around me, but there is still not one element that I don't see or edit or discuss with my people.

Nobody can do everything well, so learn how to delegate responsibility to other winners and then hold them accountable for their decisions.

It's extremely instructive to realize that you cannot do everything. You need to delegate, to find experts, to consult with them. A big part of the job of directing is knowing when to take something on and when you shouldn't.

If I can do something, I do it. If not, I give the ball to someone else.

As a leader, you're probably not doing a good job unless your employees can do a good impression of you when you're not around.

You may give give a man office, but you cannot give him discretion

I think it's time for the Prime Minister to stop making excuses and to start governing.

I'm thinking, That's Barack Obama. He doesn't go to work. He doesn't go down to Congress and make a deal. What the hell's he doing sitting in the White House? If I were in that job, I'd get down there and make a deal. Sure, Congress are lazy bastards, but so what? You're the top guy. You're the president of the company. It's your responsibility to make sure everybody does well. It's the same with every company in this country, whether it's a two-man company or a two-hundred-man company... . And that's the pussy generation - nobody wants to work.

When, you know, I'm busy and Nancy Pelosi is busy with our mop cleaning up somebody else's mess –- we don't want somebody sitting back saying, you're not holding the mop the right way. Why don't you grab a mop, why don't you help clean up. You're not mopping fast enough. That's a socialist mop. Grab a mop –- let's get to work.

I've always shown up, always been prepared. Everything I do comes back to the example I want to set.

There is not a moment without some duty.

When I give a minister an order, I leave it to him to find the means to carry it out.

You're either coaching it or allowing it to happen.

Presidents, whether things are good or bad, get the blame. I understand that.

I do like taking on responsibility, sometimes too much. But I was aware of that early on and it's something that came up in the previous set of interviews, and that is the actor‛s contribution.

Players that aren't true leaders but try to be, always bash other players after a mistake. True leaders on the pitch already assume others will make mistakes.