Quotes from Warren G. Bennis

Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult.

Leaders do not avoid, repress, or deny conflict, but rather see it as an opportunity

The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

The learning person looks forward to failure or mistakes. The worst problem in leadership is basically early success.

Leaders keep their eyes on the horizon, not just on the bottom line.

A new leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless... someone's got to make a wake up call.

Leadership is like beauty - it's hard to define but you know it when you see it.

Charisma is the result of effective leadership, not the other way around.

The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.

The manager administers; the leader innovates.

Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential.

The new leader is one who commits people to action, who converts followers into leaders, and who may convert leaders into agents of change.

Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character

Listening to the inner voice - trusting the inner voice - is one of the most important lessons of leadership.

Without a terrific leader, you're not going to have a Great Group. But it is also true that you're not going to have a great leader without a Great Group.

The ability to plan for what has not yet happened, for a future that has only been imagined, is one of the hallmarks of leadership.

Servant leadership teaches us that you have to lay your cards on the table.

The basis of leadership is the capacity of the leader to change the mindset, the framework of the other person.

There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish.

There is a profound difference between information and meaning.

Learning to be an effective leader is no different than learning to be an effective person. And that's the hard part

Coaching will become the model for leaders in the future... I am certain that leadership can be learned and that terrific coaches... facilitate learning.

In life, change is inevitable. In business, change is vital.