Lessons in Leadership | Able Leadership

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.

David Brinkley

We are what we pretend to be.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Mother Night

One sees great things from the valley, only small things from the peak.

G.K. Chesterton

Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings.

Helen Keller

Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.

Frederick B. Wilcox

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

Confucius

There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.

William Bennett

Unless you are prepared to give up something valuable you will never be able to truly change at all, because you’ll be forever in the control of things you can’t give up.

Andy Law, Creative Company

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.

Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf

The true test of a first-rate mind is the ability to hold two contradictory ideas at the same time.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose.

Kahlil Gibran

The art of communication is the language of leadership.

James Humes

Throw away those books and cassettes on inspirational leadership. Send those consultants packing. Know your job, set a good example for the people under you and put results over politics. That’s all the charisma you’ll really need to succeed.

Dyan Machan

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

Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Emerson

Never, for the sake of peace and quiet, deny your own experience or convictions.

Dag Hammarskjold

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right.

Henry Ford

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

Abraham Lincoln

Your success in life isn’t based on your ability to simply change. It is based on your ability to change faster than your competition, customers and business.

Mark Sanborn

There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.

Frederico Fellini

There is a rule in sailing where the more maneuverable ship should give way to the less maneuverable craft. I think this is sometimes a good rule to follow in human relations as well.

Dr. Joyce Brothers

The winner’s edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner’s edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success.

Dennis Waitley

Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani was the 107th Mayor of New York City. Widely hailed for his Calm and Effective Leadership in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 he was named Time Magazines Person of the year for 2001, and was given an honorary knighthood of the British Empire by Elizabeth II in 2002. Controversial at times, he was one of the most successful mayors of New York City. In eight years he reduced crime by 57 percent, reduced taxes by $2.3 billion, and created a record 450,000 new private sector jobs. Mr. Giuliani was the kickoff speaker at the recent World Business Forum in New York City. At this forum he spoke about several characteristics of the successful leader, including the key principles of preparation, accountability and strong self-definition.

There are many things today’s leader can learn from the likes of Mr. Giuliani.

Jack Welch

Jack Welch is considered by many to be the most admired CEO in the world. During his 20-year tenure as chairman and CEO of General Elctric he transformed the company from a bureaucratic behemoth to a dynamic and revered powerhouse. During his tenure GE market value grew from $13 billion to $400 billion. In the process Welch’s management innovations made him the most influential CEO of his era.

To be a strong leader or CEO it has got to be in your blood. If you are running a business and you are some boring grunt, you need to take a step back and ask yourself what am I in this for? You are in this to see others flourish and grow. Ask yourself would you want to work for a boss like you? The job as a leader is to excite people and help them see what is in it for them. What are the benefits of success, and what are the risks of failure.

Garry Kasparov and seizing the Initiative

Garry Kasparov was the youngest person to become a chess world champion when he defeated Anatoly Karpov in 1985 at the age of 22. After retiring from the chess world he entered politics. For a time he opposed Vladimir Putin in the race to become President of Russia. While he was playing chess he became recognized as a master strategist. Mr. Kasparov was rumored to be able to see moves 12 steps ahead of his opponents. In today’s business world many strategic discussions bear a striking resemblance to this approach. Rather than seeing 12 steps ahead, however, Mr. Kasparov always played from an aggressive stance.

Attacking can be broken in 2 categories: (1) direct assault, (2) maintaining the initiative, a more sophisticated concept, means creating the reaction, being at the front to see what’s happening and having better control of environment, opponent gradually loses ground, leads to a direct attack that cannot be defended against.