“He who best uses men always places himself below them.”
Lao Tzu
HumilityServant Leadership
Leadership Quotes
200 FAMOUS QUOTES · LEADERSHIP
Leadership Quotes
Read the best leadership quotes on vision, service, courage and teamwork from Sun Tzu, Confucius, Thiruvalluvar, Kautilya, Eisenhower, Emerson and more.
“He who is the servant of all is their true master.”
Swami Vivekananda
Servant LeadershipHumility
“Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys.”
Sun Tzu
CareLoyalty
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
InfluenceMotivation
“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
InspirationPotential
“An army of stags led by a lion is more to be feared than an army of lions led by a stag.”
Plutarch
CourageTeams
“Courage, liberality, wisdom and energy: these four never fail a true king.”
Thiruvalluvar
Leadership QualitiesCourage
“If a king is energetic, his subjects will be equally energetic. If he is reckless, they will not only be reckless likewise, but also eat into his works.”
Kautilya (Arthashastra)
Leading By ExampleEnergy
“Lead the people with virtue and regulate them by the rules of propriety, and they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”
Confucius
VirtueInfluence
“Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit.”
Confucius
IntegrityChoosing People
“The superior man is affable, but not adulatory; the mean man is adulatory, but not affable.”
Confucius
CharacterRespect
“The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country, is the jewel of the kingdom.”
Sun Tzu
SelflessnessDuty
“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”
Sun Tzu
OpportunityAction
“The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.”
Sun Tzu
StrategyPreparation
“I shall bend my back to the task until my dying day.”
Zhuge Liang
DedicationDuty
“A man is great by deeds, not by birth.”
Chanakya
CharacterAction
“Vigilance, learning and bravery: these three should never depart from one who rules.”
Thiruvalluvar
Leadership QualitiesLearning
“To the leader who speaks gently, gives generously and protects justly, the world will gladly submit.”
Thiruvalluvar
KindnessJustice
“He who rules justly and protects his people will be regarded as a god among men.”
Thiruvalluvar
JusticeProtection
“Having considered, 'This man can accomplish this task by these means,' leave the task to him.”
Thiruvalluvar
DelegationTrust
“Having judged a man's fitness for a task, employ him in it.”
Thiruvalluvar
HiringTalent
“Let the leader examine each day the conduct of those who serve; if they do not swerve, the world will not swerve.”
Thiruvalluvar
AccountabilityTeams
“Firmness in action is firmness of mind; all other strength is not truly strength.”
Thiruvalluvar
DeterminationStrength
“Deliberation should end in decision; delay after decision is harmful.”
Thiruvalluvar
DecisionsAction
“Delay what should be delayed, but never delay what should be done at once.”
Thiruvalluvar
TimingDecisions
Related Topics
About Leadership Quotes
Great leaders aren't always the loudest people in the room. The best ones serve before they lead, set an example others want to follow, make decisions with courage and trust their team to do their best work. Whether you lead a company, a classroom, a family or just yourself, the same timeless principles apply.
This collection brings together 200 of the best leadership quotes from Sun Tzu, Confucius, Thiruvalluvar, Kautilya, Swami Vivekananda, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ralph Waldo Emerson and many more. For more on leading nations and communities, explore our [Government Quotes](/topics/government-quotes).
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Leadership quotes.
What is a famous quote about leadership?
Dwight D. Eisenhower described leadership as "the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." Lao Tzu taught that the best leader "places himself below" the people he leads.
What is servant leadership?
Servant leadership means leading by serving others first. Swami Vivekananda said, "He who is the servant of all is their true master," and the Bible says "he that is chief, as he that doth serve."
What did Sun Tzu say about leadership?
Sun Tzu advised leaders to "regard your soldiers as your children," promising that they would then follow "into the deepest valleys."
What does the Thirukkural say about good leaders?
Thiruvalluvar wrote that "courage, liberality, wisdom and energy" never fail a true leader, and that a wise leader should give a task to the right person and then trust them with it.
Why is delegation important for leaders?
In the Bible, Moses is warned that doing everything himself will wear him out. Theodore Roosevelt said the best executive picks good people and then keeps "from meddling with them while they do it."
What are good short leadership quotes?
Try "Discipline is the soul of an army," "Opportunities multiply as they are seized," "First among equals," or "A man is great by deeds, not by birth."