Warren G. Bennis

Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery.

The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.

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

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

The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon.

The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.

The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.

People who cannot invent and reinvent themselves must be content with borrowed postures, secondhand ideas, fitting in instead of standing out.

Leaders must encourage their organizations to dance to forms of music yet to be heard.

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.

Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work.

Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them.

You need people who can walk their companies into the future rather than back them into the future.

Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right.

There is a profound difference between information and meaning.

The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.

Taking charge of your own learning is a part of taking charge of your life, which is the sine qua non in becoming an integrated person.

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

Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary.

Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led.

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