Every February, the nation celebrates President’s Day. This holiday is designed to honor both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, though many consider it an opportunity to recognize the efforts of every United States president.
The presidency is the highest leadership office in the country. As a result, those who take on the mantle are often incredibly skilled leaders, and nearly everyone could benefit from their wisdom and advice. With that in mind, here are some quotes from past presidents that could help any manager lead more effectively.
"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man."
“Be with a leader when he is right, stay with him when he is still right, but, leave him when he is wrong."
"Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in."
"He who knows best knows how little he knows."
"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."
"I'm not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues."
"People around the world have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."
"If I went back to college again, I'd concentrate on two areas learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively."
"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."
"Leadership to me means duty, honor, country. It means character, and it means listening from time to time."
"It takes a great man to be a good listener."
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
"Leaders, true leaders, take responsibility for the success of the team, and understand that they must also take responsibility for the failure."
“Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts of meanness."
"The President is the last person in the world to know what the people really want and think."
“The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there."
"Be fit for more than the thing you are now doing. Let everyone know that you have a reserve in yourself; that you have more power than you are now using. If you are not too large for the place you occupy, you are too small for it."
"That's all a man can hope for during his lifetime - to set an example - and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history."
If you would like to learn more about leading and growing a team, the team at TRC Staffing Services can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our staff today and see how our leadership expertise can benefit you.