Colin Powell Quotes - Page 2

Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.

Maybe we don't put our young people in situations often enough where they're allowed to fail. When you fail you gain experience, and with enough experience, you don't fail as often.

We have to start thinking of America as a family. We have to stop screeching screeching at each other, stop hurting each other, and instead start caring for, sacrificing for and sharing with each other ... We cannot move forward if cynics and critics swoop down and pick apart anything that goes wrong, to a point where we lose sight of what is right, decent and uniquely good about America.

What could be more important than equipping the next generation with the character and competence they need to become successful

Always do your best. Somebody is watching you.

When you wrestle with a pig, he has fun, and you just end up dirty.

One of the greatest talents of all is the talent to recognize and to develop talent in others.

You can never err by treating everyone in the building with respect, thoughtfulness, and a kind word. Everyone of our employees is an essential employee. Every one of them wants to be viewed that way. And if you treat them that way, they will view you that way. They will not let you down or let you fail. They will accomplish whatever you have put in front of them.

Give me the right people and I don’t much care what organization you give me. Good things will happen. Give me the wrong people and it doesn’t matter what you do with the organization. Bad things will happen.

Every organization needs to be introspective, transparent, and honest with itself. This only works if everyone is unified on the goals and purposes of the organization and there is trust within the team. High-performing, successful organizations build cultures of introspection and trust and never lose sight of their purpose.

Organization doesn't really accomplish anything. Plans don't accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don't much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.

If a leader doesn't convey passion and intensity then there will be no passion and intensity within the organization and they'll start to fall down and get depressed.

Always be looking for that which you do well and that which you love doing, and when you find those two things together — man, you got it.

All children need a laptop. Not a computer, but a human laptop. Moms, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles - someone to hold them, read to them, teach them. Loved ones who will embrace them and pass on the experience, rituals and knowledge of a hundred previous generations. Loved ones who will pass to the next generation their expectations of them, their hopes, and their dreams.

Whenever you start-give it your best. The opportunities are there to be anything you want to be. But wanting to be someone isn't enough; dreaming about it isn't enough; thinking about it isn't enough. You've got to study for it, work for it, fight for it with all your heart and soul, because nobody is going to hand it to you.

Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.

Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes

Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude

Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.

Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.

Don't let your ego get too close to your position, so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn't go with it.

Respect for leaders by followers can't be mandated; it must be earned. It has to be given to leaders by their followers.

Strategy equals execution. All the great ideas and visions in the world are worthless if they can't be implemented rapidly and efficiently. Good leaders delegate and empower others liberally, but they pay attention to details, every day.

If you get the dirty end of the stick, sharpen it and turn it into a useful tool.

You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.