--- description: “A leader is a dealer in hope.” title: 50 Inspiring Quotes on Leadership for Everyone image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb49fc7bd95d7fb4b/69885934524fc0e860df3627/businessman-standing-looking-out-window.jpg?branch=production&width=1080&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Careers & Workplace](/tag/careers-workplace/) ## Careers & Workplace Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 50 Inspiring Quotes on Leadership for Everyone by [John Rampton / Entrepreneur](/author/entrepreneur/) ## John Rampton / Entrepreneur Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 1, 2015 12:00 PM CUT  Businessman looking out of window watching skyline Businessman looking out of window watching skylineGetty Images by [John Rampton / Entrepreneur](/author/entrepreneur/) ## John Rampton / Entrepreneur Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 1, 2015 12:00 PM CUT Every entrepreneur knows that the success of their business ultimately rests on their shoulders. Yes, the product you build and the team you hire are important, but your ability to lead is what carries your company. With that kind of pressure, it’s easy to feel stressed, lonely and overwhelmed at times. Every great leader has faced a challenge that defined their greatness, which is why we often turn to their advice when needed. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or team leader, here are 50 inspirational quotes on leadership for when you need a little pep talk. 1\. “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_](http://www.biography.com/people/rosalynn-carter-9240052 "undefined") 2\. “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” –[ _Lao Tzu_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/laotzu121709.html "undefined") 3\. “It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.” – [_Adlai E. Stevenson II_](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Adlai%5FStevenson "undefined") 4\. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” – [_Colin Powell_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/colinpowel144992.html "undefined") 5\. “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_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/maxdepree100557.html "undefined") 6\. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – [_John Quincy Adams_](http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/42319/john-quincy-adams-perfectly-defined-leadership/ "undefined") 7\. “A leader is a dealer in hope.” – [_Napoleon Bonaparte_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonbo106371.html "undefined") 8\. “A leader…is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” – [_Nelson Mandela_](http://qz.com/93070/the-wisdom-of-mandela-quotes-from-the-most-inspiring-leader-of-the-20th-century/ "undefined") 9\. “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” –[_Aristotle_](http://ghoshlab.ucsd.edu/about/Pages/quotes.aspx "undefined") 10\. “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” – [_Dwight D. Eisenhower_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/dwightdei101562.html "undefined") 11\. “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” – [_Bill Gates_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/billgates385136.html "undefined") 12\. “A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.” – [_John Maxwell_](http://blog.gaiam.com/quotes/authors/john-c-maxwell "undefined") 13\. “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position.” – [_Brian Tracy_](http://www.quoteswise.com/brian-tracy-quotes-9.html "undefined") 14\. “The leaders who offer blood, toil, tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.” – [_George Orwell_](http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the%5Fhigh%5Fsentiments%5Falways%5Fwin%5Fin%5Fthe%5Fend-the/261104.html "undefined") 15\. “I start each day by telling myself what a positive influence I am on this world.” – [_Peter Daisyme_](https://www.hostt.com/author/peter-daisyme/ "undefined") 16\. “Earn your leadership every day.” – _Michael Jordan_ 17\. “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” –[_Jack Welch_](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201204/six-qualities-leaders-need-be-successful "undefined") 18\. “Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” – [_Peter Drucker_](http://www.worldofquotes.com/author/Peter+F.+Drucker/1/index.html "undefined") 19\. “My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.” – [_Steve Jobs_](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141110133106-113877257-15-motivational-quotes-to-fuel-your-leadership "undefined") 20\. “The led must not be compelled. They must be able to choose their own leader.” – [_Albert Einstein_](http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the%5Fled%5Fmust%5Fnot%5Fbe%5Fcompelled-they%5Fmust%5Fbe%5Fable/179924.html "undefined") 21\. “Great leaders find ways to connect with their people and help them fulfill their potential.” – [Steven J. Stowell](http://www.cmoe.com/history%5Fexperience.htm "undefined") 22\. “To have long-term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way.” – [_Pat Riley_](http://www.amazon.com/success-coach-position-leadership-obsessed/dp/B00CS0GUFY "undefined") 23\. “If you think you are leading and turn around to see no one following, then you are just taking a walk.” – [_Benjamin Hooks_](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leading-command-conquer-varol-okan "undefined") 24\. “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” – [_Jim Rohn_](http://www.amazon.com/challenge-leadership-thoughtful-arrogant-without/dp/B00CS0M864 "undefined") 25\. “A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” – [_Max Lucado_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/maxlucado131614.html "undefined") 26\. “To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult.” – [_Friedrich Nietzsche_](http://thinkexist.com/quotation/to%5Fdo%5Fgreat%5Fthings%5Fis%5Fdifficult-but%5Fto%5Fcommand/296227.html "undefined") 27\. “It is absolutely necessary…for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.” – [_George Washington_](https://books.google.com/books?id=4iafgTEhU3QC&pg=PA89&lpg=PA89&dq=%22It+is+absolutely+necessary...for+me+to+have+persons+that+can+think+for+me,+as+well+as+execute+orders.%22&source=bl&ots=v7ppuR8ert&sig=ECXijfVPxIUynXepcLG3D%5Fmkv58&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OSnaVLjcCMyXNqCjhLgL&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22It%20is%20absolutely%20necessary...for%20me%20to%20have%20persons%20that%20can%20think%20for%20me%2C%20as%20well%20as%20execute%20orders.%22&f=false "undefined") 28\. “Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.” – [_Vince Lombardi_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/vincelomba130743.html "undefined") 29\. “A cowardly leader is the most dangerous of men.” – [_Stephen King_](https://books.google.com/books?id=a6tAgxSn8ykC&pg=PA349&lpg=PA349&dq=%E2%80%9CA+cowardly+leader+is+the+most+dangerous+of+men.%E2%80%9D&source=bl&ots=vrZjYW3DVv&sig=QBMwx0oxytd7atr9UkLjM3vdSqM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tCXaVP2EK4KXgwSJ%5FYKAAw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CA%20cowardly%20leader%20is%20the%20most%20dangerous%20of%20men.%E2%80%9D&f=false "undefined") 30\. “A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason.”- [_J.P. Morgan_](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jpmorgan156089.html "undefined") 31\. “Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.” – _Chinese Proverb_ 32\. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – [_Martin Luther King, Jr._](http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/4326.html "undefined") 33\. “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” –[ _Andrew Carnegie_](http://www.worldofquotes.com/author/Andrew+Carnegie/1/index.html "undefined") 34\. “Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar.” –[_Orrin Woodward_](http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/636179-average-leaders-raise-the-bar-on-themselves-good-leaders-raise "undefined") 35\. “Those who try to lead the people can only do so by following the mob.” – [_Oscar Wilde_](http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/866771-those-who-try-to-lead-the-people-can-only-do "undefined") 36\. “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_](http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1350.Sam%5FWalton "undefined") 37\. “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” – [_Albert Schweitzer_](http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47146.Albert%5FSchweitzer "undefined") 38\. “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_](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/39182-if-your-actions-create-a-legacy-that-inspires-others-to "undefined") 39\. “I am reminded how hollow the label of leadership sometimes is and how heroic followership can be.” – [_Warren Bennis_](http://www.amazon.com/reminded-hollow-leadership-sometimes-followership/dp/B00CS0Y1Y6 "undefined") 40\. “In this world a man must either be an anvil or hammer.” – [_Henry W. Longfellow_](https://books.google.com/books?id=-1siBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=%E2%80%9CIn+this+world+a+man+must+either+be+an+anvil+or+hammer.%E2%80%9D&source=bl&ots=2WLkcOle7S&sig=UgsyFpz3HJgl2OpAuEIsw-YcX%5FE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=oCPaVKXgBcalgwSWsICQDQ&ved=0CEwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CIn%20this%20world%20a%20man%20must%20either%20be%20an%20anvil%20or%20hammer.%E2%80%9D&f=false "undefined") 41\. “It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself. (Absurdum est ut alios regat, qui seipsum regere nescit.)” – _Latin Proverb_ 42\. “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” – [_Thomas Carlyle_](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas%5FCarlyle "undefined") 43\. “A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward.” – [_Ovid_](http://www.strategicleadershipinstitute.net/articles/leadership-quotes/ "undefined") 44\. “You don’t have to hold a position in order to be a leader” – [_Henry Ford_](http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2013/05/31/21-quotes-from-henry-ford-on-business-leadership-and-life/ "undefined") 45\. “Rely on your own strength of body and soul. Take for your star self-reliance, faith, honesty, and industry. Don’t take too much advice — keep at the helm and steer your own ship, and remember that the great art of commanding is to take a fair share of the work. Fire above the mark you intend to hit. Energy, invincible determination with the right motive, are the levers that move the world.” –[ _Noah Porter_](http://www.leaders-den.com/Leaders-Den.com/Quotes.html "undefined") 46\. “Don’t blow off another’s candle for it won’t make yours shine brighter.” [_Jaachynma N.E. Agu_](http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/559319-don-t-blow-off-another-s-candle-for-it-won-t-make-yours "undefined") 47\. “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody.” – [_Herbert Swope_](http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2333810.Herbert%5FBayard%5FSwope "undefined") 48\. “He who has learned how to obey will know how to command.” –[_Solon_](http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/leadership.html "undefined") 49\. “If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.” – [_Maya Angelou_](http://www.mayaangelouquotes.org/if-one-is-lucky-a-solitary-fantasy-can-totally-transform-one-million-realities/ "undefined") 50\. “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_](http://leadership.uoregon.edu/resources/quotes "undefined") **Bonus:** “Screw it, let’s just do it.” – [_Richard Branson_](http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2013/03/16/11-quotes-from-sir-richard-branson-on-business-leadership-and-passion/ "undefined") _This_ [_article_](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243861 "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_Entrepreneur.com_](http://www.entrepreneur.com "undefined") _More from Entrepreneur.com:_ * [How to Read the 3 Signs Telling You Your Purpose in Life](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247433 "undefined") * [50 Global Entrepreneurs Recommend 50 Books That Forever Impacted Their Lives](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247511 "undefined") * [21 Success Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247540 "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3942435/inspiring-quotes-leadership/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3942435/inspiring-quotes-leadership/"},"headline":"50 Inspiring Quotes on Leadership for Everyone","datePublished":"2015-07-01T12:00:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T08:41:14.151Z","description":"“A leader is a dealer in hope.”","url":"https://time.com/3942435/inspiring-quotes-leadership/","keywords":["Careers & Workplace","Leadership","career","Quotes"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb49fc7bd95d7fb4b/69885934524fc0e860df3627/businessman-standing-looking-out-window.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Rampton / Entrepreneur"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb49fc7bd95d7fb4b/69885934524fc0e860df3627/businessman-standing-looking-out-window.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"businessman-standing-looking-out-window","caption":"businessman-standing-looking-out-window","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/careers-workplace/","name":"Careers & Workplace"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3942435/inspiring-quotes-leadership/","name":"50 Inspiring Quotes on Leadership for Everyone"}}]}] ```