What 25 leaders say about leadership

Even before new leaders in Congress and statehouses across the country are sworn in early next year, it’s not too early to think about what leadership really is and what makes somebody worthy of following. The best thoughts on leadership come from not only our country’s political leaders but also from the visionaries and entrepreneurs who have built and driven some of the nation’s best companies, including franchises. While it is impossible to perfectly define leadership in business, we at 1851 Magazine believe the following quotes best sum up the different attitudes and qualities for which an entrepreneur should strive. Have any sayings driven the way you run your business? You’re welcome to share the words of wisdom you like to borrow in the comments section below. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” — Steve Jobs “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 “The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.” — Faye Wattleton “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” — Peter Drucker “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 “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” — Martin Luther King Jr. “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower “Being a good leader means accepting that you don’t know everything, and being generous with what you do know. Ask the right questions. Learn from your team. Work together to accomplish goals.” — Lauren Boukas, Vice President of No Limit Agency* “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” — Bill Bradley “Leaders are often defined through their words. I think leaders should be measured through their ears and their eyes. Listening, seeing, thinking, formulating and responding creates the best leadership moments, and thus, the best people moments.” — Nick Powills, Chief Brand Strategist at No Limit Agency “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” — John C. Maxwell “A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” — Max Lucado “Without initiative, leaders are simply workers in leadership positions.” — Bo Bennett “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” — Ken Blanchard “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” — Stephen Covey “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” — Ralph Nader “Leadership is a privilege to better the lives of others. It is not an opportunity to satisfy personal greed.” — Mwai Kibaki “Leadership requires the courage to make decisions that will benefit the next generation.” — Alan Autry “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” — Harvey S. Firestone “The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.” — James Buchanan “We live in a society obsessed with public opinion. But leadership has never been about popularity.” — Marco Rubio “Leadership is intangible, and therefore no weapon ever designed can replace it.” — Omar N. Bradley “Leadership comes in small acts as well as bold strokes.” — Carly Fiorina “Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance.” — J. Donald Walters