Quotes about Authentic Leadership

How could I get up there and say, 'People, we've got to do better,' when I was the poster child for everything that was wrong? I've always believed leaders don't ask others to do what they're unwilling to do.

If a guy doesn't work hard and doesn't play well, he can't lead anything. All he is, is a talker.

People expect me to be, first and foremost, a storyteller. I lead by telling stories.

America is a country that prides itself on being able to identify a 'straight shooter' or 'the genuine article' when it comes to our leaders. As a nation, we can 'feel it in our gut' when someone is giving us a bum steer.

Make your peace with the fact that saying 'no' often requires trading popularity for respect." —Greg McKeown, Essentialism

Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity. You'll avoid the tough decisions, and you'll avoid confronting the people who need to be confronted."—Colin Powell

6. «Intentar gustar a todo el mundo es un signo de mediocridad. Evitarás las decisiones difíciles y evitarás enfrentarte a la gente a la que debes enfrentarte.» — Colin Powell

6—"Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity. You'll avoid the tough decisions, and you'll avoid confronting the people who need to be confronted."—Colin Powell

I asked him why he had chosen us over the others. He paused for a moment and then he said: 'I think it was because managers in the other companies spoke on the phone in a cold, business-like manner, which made me feel like just another business transaction. Your voice sounded as if you were glad to hear from me … that you really wanted me to be part of your organization.

Leaders do not sway with the polls. Instead, they sway the polls through their own words and actions.

Lessons in Leadership: My Rules to Live By© • Be true to yourself • Do the right thing • Remember that actions speak louder than words • Put first things first • Just do it

Leading with presence is all about the signals you send out. It is how you portray yourself—through your words, actions, and appearance—as someone whom others trust and want to follow.

Leading with presence involves being authentic, owning our strengths as well as our weaknesses, and speaking up on issues with integrity and passion.

We don't need leaders who wear flag pins in their lapel, but rather men and women who have the guts to tell us the truth.

I will never work merely to make a reputation for myself, to be popular for appearances rather than for what I am. My task is to lead my country through service.

People trust those leaders who show real results of their work, rather than those who just talk about the results.

I'm not here to propel myself into the limelight. I'm here to win a football game. If I am propelled into the limelight, I want it to be because of what I do on the football field, not because of some grand marketing strategy.

The authority you establish must emerge naturally from your character, from the particular strengths you possess.

Sincerity and competence is a strong combination. In politics, it is everything.

The personal mission statement was important for me because I believe that you can't lead others unless you have a strong sense of who you are and what you stand for.

What people are looking for is you. As a leader, people need you to be clear about and demonstrate a passion for your purpose. They want to know that you practice your values consistently. And they absolutely want to know that you lead from your heart as well as your head. People are not looking for you to say the perfect words. They are looking for you to show up, being absolutely real and believable. They are seeking to believe.

I could never run for President of the United States. All that handshaking of people I didn't give a damn about would kill me. Ten minutes here. Ten minutes there…Not for me.

Leadership cannot be created synthetically. Men must be what they were made by the Almighty or the American people will find them out in time.

I have one simple goal for my book - to share my knowledge and experience to pay it forward by giving the gift that was given to me by all the great leaders in my life. I want to empower the next generation of leaders to become the most authentic version of themselves and to encourage them to lead.