We all need a little motivation from time to time! A great leadership quote is like a great leader. It can inspire you to new heights and cast vision for your future. Whether you’re writing them out for your desk, saving them as your phone background, or using them in a presentation, these 50 leadership quotes are some of the best.
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and here’s a mix of old and new to help inspire you to be your best.
Defining Leadership
- “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
- “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.” – Brené Brown
- “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek
- “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” – Ken Blanchard
- “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” – Dolly Parton
- “Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” – John C. Maxwell
- “A leader is a dealer in hope.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
- “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” – Warren Bennis
- “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” – Max DePree
- “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes.” – Peter Drucker
- “Leadership is knowing when to lean on others and let them step up and shine.” – Michelle Peluso
- “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” – Steven Covey
- “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “Great leaders are people who don’t seek power but take responsibility because they have the capability and empathy to help others.” – Robin Chase
- “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” – Douglas MacArthur
- “A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” – Max Lucado
- “He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.” – Aristotle
- “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” – Thomas Jefferson
- “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” – Gen. Colin Powell
- “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
- “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “Great leaders are willing to sacrifice their own personal interests for the good of the team.” – John Wooden
- “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one who gets people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan
Leadership Quotes about Vision and Success
- “Vision without execution is hallucination.” – Thomas Edison
- “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
- “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” – Ken Blanchard
- “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” – George Washington Carver
- “Be undeniably good. No marketing effort or social media buzzword can be a substitute for that.” – Anthony Volodkin
- “Done is better than perfect.” – Sheryl Sandberg
- “If we win the hearts and minds of employees, we’re going to have better business success.” – Mary Barra
- “Success is a project that’s always under construction.” – Pat Summitt
- “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde
- “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart
- “Some people only ask others to do something. I believe that, why should I wait for someone else? Why don’t I take a step and move forward?” – Malala Yousafzai
- “Never confuse movement with action.” – Ernest Hemingway
Leading People
- “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch
- “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” – Rosalynn Carter
- “You have been assigned this mountain so that you can show others it can be moved.” – Mel Robbins
- “A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them.” – M.D. Arnold
- “You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” – Ken Kesey
- “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” – Henry Kissinger
- “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam Walton
- “History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama
- “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “You do not lead by hitting people over the head– that’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “A leader may be the most knowledgeable person in the world, but if the players on his team cannot translate that knowledge into action, it means nothing.” – Mike Krzyzewski
- “Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.” – Tom Landry
- “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Level Up Your Leadership with a Coach
Great leadership makes all the difference in the trajectory of your business, career and life. While these leadership quotes can inspire you and set you in the right direction, they’re no substitute for doing the work of becoming the best leader you can be. Get 1:1 help with a Southwestern Consulting professional leadership coach!
In the words of some of our own leadership coaches:
“Many people get into leadership thinking, ‘Now I can kick my feet up. I can put my feet up on the desk. I’ve kinda made it. I’ve arrived. I don’t have to try so hard.’ No, that’s not the attitude we want to have! It’s the flip side: ‘I want to earn this, I want to be the example, I want to keep growing. I want to be the epitome of humility and learning, and growth, and all the things that I aspire for my people to live into.’” – Southwestern Consulting Sr. Partner, Ron Alford
“The difference between leadership and management is, you manage things, and you lead people.” – Southwestern Consulting Sr. Partner, Emmie Brown
“Many people think of leaders like Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus when they hear the word servant. These servant leaders all shared pure motives. They didn’t try to create a name for themselves or simply make tons of money. They had another, deeper purpose. When you have a greater purpose for your work, you can push through any challenge or conflict that you face.”– Southwestern Consulting Sr. Partner, Dave Brown, author of Servant Selling
If you’re looking for help setting goals, finding your focus and gaining momentum for the future, consider working with a professional coach from Southwestern Consulting.
Contact us today for a free coaching consultation.
