Leadership – Quote Catch

“Some years ago there was a news story about a man who believed that if he rubbed lemon juice on his face, it would make him invisible to cameras. So he put lemon juice all over his face, went out, and robbed two banks. Not much later he was arrested when his image was broadcast over the evening news. When police showed the man the videos of himself from the security cameras, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “But I had lemon juice on my face!” he protested. When a scientist at Cornell University heard about this story, he was intrigued that a man could be so painfully unaware of his own incompetence. To determine whether this was a general problem, two researchers invited college students to participate in a series of tests on various life skills and then asked them to rate how they did. The students who performed poorly were the least accurate at evaluating their own performance—some of them estimating their scores to be five times higher than they actually were. This study has been replicated in numerous ways, confirming over and over again the same conclusion: many of us have a difficult time seeing ourselves as we truly are, and even successful people overestimate their own contribution and underestimate the contributions that others make.” Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2014 General Conference
Ezekial 33: 6…. But if the watchman sees the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword comes, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
“See yourself as a role model for others. Raise the bar on yourself. The standards you set for your own work and behavior should be higher than anyone else could set for you.” Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy, Page 77
Jarom 1:11-12…11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them. 12 And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance.
1 Nephi 17: 14 -15…14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem. 15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence.
“There is no honor in sending people to die for something you won’t even fight for yourself.” No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden (Owen, Mark Maurer, Kevin) Page 249
“During that eighth-grade year, Adam was hanging out with friends in front of the school one morning when a school bus pulled up and students poured out. Most of the kids headed to the front doors, but three boys stopped Richie Holden, who had Down syndrome, and taunted him by calling him names. Smaller than any of the bullies, Adam nevertheless marched over and stood in front of Richie. “If you want to pick on someone,” he said, “you can pick on me—if you think you’re big enough.” “The three backed off,” Richie’s father, Dick Holden, says, recounting the story as told to him by Richie and his older sister, Rachel. “Adam put his arm around Richie and walked with him through the door, then all the way to his class. Richie never forgot that, and I remember thinking, That Brown boy—he’s something special.” Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown (Blehm, Eric) page 19
“The truly courageous and powerful never have to prove it. It is always shown in their actions.” Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown (Blehm, Eric) page 137
“You may be pleased to see that the children are beginning to see that their lives have been very fortunate, that not all kids are so lucky. They may be seeing for the first time that money is not all about having, getting, or spending. Money can also be a way to help others and to take a certain leadership role in the world. They may have experienced what it feels like to be needed in their own right, a giver of care, not just a receiver of care.” A DONOR-FRIENDLY OVERVIEW OF CHARITABLE TOOLS. Phil Cubeta, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, CAP, The Sallie B. and William B. Wallace Chair in Philanthropy at The American College. Page 5.
“You’re a leader,” Mrs. Bettington used to tell me. “You have a responsibility. Other kids follow you. What are you going to do with that?” The Agent: My 40-Year Career Making Deals and Changing the Game (Steinberg, Leigh; Arkush, Michael) – Kindle Location 383-384
“Some of us remember David as a shepherd boy divinely commissioned by the Lord through the prophet Samuel. Others of us know him as a mighty warrior; for doesn’t the record show the chant of the adoring women following his many victorious battles, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands”? Or perhaps we look upon him as the inspired poet or as one of Israel’s greatest kings. Still others recall that he violated the laws of God and took that which belonged to another—the beautiful Bathsheba. He even arranged the death of her husband, Uriah. I, however, like to think of David as the righteous lad who had the courage and the faith to face insurmountable odds when all others hesitated, and to redeem the name of Israel by facing that giant in his life—Goliath of Gath.” Meeting Your Goliath (Thomas S. Monson) Kindle Loc. 40-45
“Perhaps the person who described this overall view best was the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu who, when asked to describe the greatest leader of men, said, and I paraphrase, the greatest leader is the one who is not seen, is not heard and who is not felt, and yet is revered for a thousand years.” A Reflection on the Nature and Practice of the Role of the Personne de Confiance in a System of Family Governance; Historically and Today. By James E. Hughes, Jr., Esq.
“This phenomenon of service to others in a role as a great number two has been greatly under-appreciated in modern times. We, in the West, have decided that leadership can only come from first achieving a position as number one. All of these men’s lives give the lie to that proposition. Isn’t it fascinating that in many cases the number two is the man history remembers, while the man or woman he served is less well known?” A Reflection on the Nature and Practice of the Role of the Personne de Confiance in a System of Family Governance; Historically and Today. By James E. Hughes, Jr., Esq.
“The leader is best when people are hardly aware of his existence, not so good when people praise his government, less good when people stand in fear, worst when people are contemptuous. Fail to honor people, and they will fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who speaks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”— Lao Tsu
Luke 15: 3-7… ¶And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
“Never forget that intelligence rules the world and ignorance carry the burden. Therefore, remove yourself as far as possible from ignorance and seek as far as possible to be intelligent.” – Marcus Garvey
“I learned to dial back my ego and distribute power as widely as possible without surrendering final authority. Paradoxically, this approach strengthened my effectiveness because it freed me to focus on my job as keeper of the team’s vision.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Kindle Loc.. 210-12
“Some coaches insist on having the last word, but I always tried to foster an environment in which everyone played a leadership role, from the most unschooled rookie to the veteran superstar. If your primary objective is to bring the team into a state of harmony and oneness, it doesn’t make sense for you to rigidly impose your authority.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Kindle Loc. 212-14
“One thing I’ve learned as a coach is that you can’t force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Kindle Loc. 220-21
“In The Tao of Leadership, John Heider stresses the importance of interfering as little as possible. “Rules reduce freedom and responsibility,” he writes. “Enforcement of rules is coercive and manipulative, which diminishes spontaneity and absorbs group energy. The more coercive you are, the more resistant the group will become.”” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Page 121
“Remember that scene in the first Indiana Jones movie when someone asks Indy what he’s going to do next, and he replies, “I don’t know, I’m making it up as we go along.” That’s how I view leadership. It’s an act of controlled improvisation, a Thelonious Monk finger exercise, from one moment to the next.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Page 251
“Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It’s about mastering the art of letting go.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Page 309
“Kobe likes to say that he learned 90 percent of what he knows about leadership from watching me in action. “It’s not just a basketball way of leadership,” he says, “but a philosophy of how to live. Being present and enjoying each moment as it comes. Letting my children develop at their own pace and not trying to force them into doing something they’re not really comfortable with, but just nurturing and guiding them along. I learned that all from Phil.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success (Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty) Page 316
“Lonsdorf, Eberly, and Pusey found consistent sex differences in how young female and young male chimps learn from their elders. Girl chimps pay close attention to the adult (usually a parent) who is showing them the procedure. Girl chimps then do just what the adult showed them: she breaks off a branch, cuts it to the same length as the adult had done, strips the leaves as the adult had done, and so forth. But the young males ignore the grown-ups; they prefer to run off and wrestle with other young male chimps, or to swing from trees.” Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men (Leonard Sax) Page 23
“The simplest version of what Nietzsche meant by the “will to power” is that individuals want to be in charge of their environment.” Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men (Leonard Sax) Page 56
Book of Mormon, Mosiah 2:18 …King Benjamin, who is the king of the people, labors to serve his people as an example. He also encourages them to follow his example and serve as well.
“See yourself a role model for others. Raise the bar on yourself. The standards you set for your own work and behavior should be higher than anyone else could set for you.”Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy, Page 77
“Some of us remember David as a shepherd boy divinely commissioned by the Lord through the prophet Samuel. Others of us know him as a mighty warrior; for doesn’t the record show the chant of the adoring women following his many victorious battles, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands”? Or perhaps we look upon him as the inspired poet or as one of Israel’s greatest kings. Still others recall that he violated the laws of God and took that which belonged to another—the beautiful Bathsheba. He even arranged the death of her husband, Uriah. I, however, like to think of David as the righteous lad who had the courage and the faith to face insurmountable odds when all others hesitated, and to redeem the name of Israel by facing that giant in his life—Goliath of Gath.” Meeting Your Goliath (Thomas S. Monson) Kindle Loc. 40-45
“I learned to dial back my ego and distribute power as widely as possible without surrendering final authority. Paradoxically, this approach strengthened my effectiveness because it freed me to focus on my job as keeper of the team’s vision.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. KindleLoc.. 210-12
“Some coaches insist on having the last word, but I always tried to foster an environment in which everyone played a leadership role, from the most unschooled rookie to the veteran superstar. If your primary objective is to bring the team into a state of harmony and oneness, it doesn’t make sense for you to rigidly impose your authority.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Kindle Loc. 212-14
“One thing I’ve learned as a coach is that you can’t force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Kindle Loc. 220-21
“In The Tao of Leadership, John Heider stresses the importance of interfering as little as possible. “Rules reduce freedom and responsibility,” he writes. “Enforcement of rules is coercive and manipulative, which diminishes spontaneity and absorbs group energy. The more coercive you are, the more resistant the group will become.”” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Page 121
“Remember that scene in the first Indiana Jones movie when someone asks Indy what he’s going to do next, and he replies, “I don’t know, I’m making it up as we go along.” That’s how I view leadership. It’s an act of controlled improvisation, a Thelonious Monk finger exercise, from one moment to the next.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Page 251
“Kobe likes to say that he learned 90 percent of what he knows about leadership from watching me in action. “It’s not just a basketball way of leadership,” he says, “but a philosophy of how to live. Being present and enjoying each moment as it comes. Letting my children develop at their own pace and not trying to force them into doing something they’re not really comfortable with, but just nurturing and guiding them along. I learned that all from Phil.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success(Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty) Page 316
“The simplest version of what Nietzsche meant by the “will to power” is that individuals want to be in charge of their environment.” Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men (Leonard Sax) Page 56
Book of Mormon, …King Benjamin, who is the king of the people, labors to serve his people as an example. He also encourages them to follow his example and serve as well.
“Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It’s about mastering the art of letting go.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty.
“Perhaps the person who described this overall view best was the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu who, when asked to describe the greatest leader of men, said, and I paraphrase, the greatest leader is the one who is not seen, is not heard and who is not felt, and yet is revered for a thousand years.” A Reflection on the Nature and Practice of the Role of the Personne de Confiance in a System of Family Governance; Historically and Today. By James E. Hughes, Jr., Esq.
“This phenomenon of service to others in a role as a great number two has been greatly under-appreciated in modern times. We, in the West, have decided that leadership can only come from first achieving a position as number one. All of these men’s lives give the lie to that proposition. Isn’t it fascinating that in many cases the number two is the man history remembers, while the man or woman he served is less well known?” A Reflection on the Nature and Practice of the Role of the Personne de Confiance in a System of Family Governance; Historically and Today. By James E. Hughes, Jr., Esq.
“The leader is best when people are hardly aware of his existence, not so good when people praise his government, less good when people stand in fear, worst when people are contemptuous. Fail to honor people, and they will fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who speaks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”— Lao Tsu
Luke 15: 3-7… ¶And he spake this parable unto them, saying,4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.7 I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
“There is no honor in sending people to die for something you won’t even fight for yourself.” No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden (Owen, Mark Maurer, Kevin) Page 249
“During that eighth-grade year, Adam was hanging out with friends in front of the school one morning when a school bus pulled up and students poured out. Most of the kids headed to the front doors, but three boys stopped Richie Holden, who had Down syndrome and taunted him by calling him names. Smaller than any of the bullies, Adam nevertheless marched over and stood in front of Richie. “If you want to pick on someone,” he said, “you can pick on me—if you think you’re big enough.” “The three backed off,” Richie’s father, Dick Holden, says, recounting the story as told to him by Richie and his older sister, Rachel. “Adam put his arm around Richie and walked with him through the door, then all the way to his class. Richie never forgot that, and I remember thinking, That Brown boy—he’s something special.”Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown (Blehm, Eric) page 19
“The truly courageous and powerful never have to prove it. It is always shown in their actions.” Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown (Blehm, Eric) page 137
“You may be pleased to see that the children are beginning to see that their lives have been very fortunate, that not all kids are so lucky. They may be seeing for the first time that money is not all about having, getting, or spending. Money can also be a way to help others and to take a certain leadership role in the world. They may have experienced what it feels like to be needed in their own right, a giver of care, not just a receiver of care.” A DONOR-FRIENDLY OVERVIEW OF CHARITABLE TOOLS. Phil Cubeta, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, CAP, The Sallie B. and William B. Wallace Chair in Philanthropy at The American College. Page 5
“You’re a leader,” Mrs. Bettington used to tell me. “You have a responsibility. Other kids follow you. What are you going to do with that?” The Agent: My 40-Year Career Making Deals and Changing the Game (Steinberg, Leigh; Arkush, Michael)- Kindle Location 383-384
Mosiah 2:18… Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?
“If someone says that I ought to do a certain thing the burden ought to be on him to show why I should, not on me to show why I should not.” Joel H. Hildebrand, Birth: November 16, 1881 – Death: April 30, 1983
Jacob 1:10… The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defense, and having labored in all his days for their welfare—
2 Nephi 33:7… I have charity for my people and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment seat.
2 Nephi 33:4… And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal.
D&C 104:11 – 12…It is wisdom in me; therefore, a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall organize yourselves and appoint every man his stewardship; 12…That every man may give an account unto me of the stewardship which is appointed unto him.
Words of Mormon 1:18…Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.
Words of Mormon 1:17…For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority, and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people-
“Unity doesn’t magically happen; it takes work. It’s messy, sometimes uncomfortable, and happens gradually when we clear away the bad as fast as the good can grow.” General Conference: October 2020, Sharon Eubank
“Even harder to bear than criticism, oftentimes, is no word from our leader on the work to which we have been assigned. Little comments or notes, which are sincere and specific, are great boosters along the way.” Manual, Teachings of President of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, Chapter 19, Leadership
December 19, 1995 – Tuesday – Quito Ecuador… “I then spoke with President Farnsworth about the situation that we have in Santa Ana, how much Satan is working, and how we aren’t sure who has the blame, if we’re doing something wrong, etc. President said a lot of nice things to me. He told me that there hasn’t been on Z.L. who has had success there because Satan works so hard and the members don’t support. He told me that this is why I was there, to beat Satan. He told me that Satan was going to work even harder, and that as we keep doing our part we’ll beat him. President always knows how to hype me up.” – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
“In the Church especially, asking produces better results than ordering better feeling, too. Remember to tell why. Follow up to see how things are going. Show appreciation when people carry out instructions well. Express confidence when it can be done honestly. When something gets fouled up, it is well to check back and find out where you slipped up and don’t be afraid to admit that you did. Remember, our people are voluntary, free-will workers. They also love the Lord and His work. Love them. Appreciate them. When you are tempted to reprimand a fellow worker, don’t. Try an interesting challenge and a pat on the back instead. Our Father’s children throughout the world are essentially good. He loves them. We should also. People do not like to be forced to do anything, even if it is for their own good. But people do respond to effective leadership.” Manual, Teachings of the President of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, Chapter 19, Leadership
“Leaders prepare themselves spiritually as they keep the commandments, study the scriptures and the teachings of latter-day prophets, pray, fast, and humble themselves before the Lord. With this preparation, they are able to receive inspiration to guide them in their personal lives, their family responsibilities, and their callings.” Manual Handbook 2: Administering the Church, Leadership in the church of Jesus Christ
“One of the marks of great leadership always has been and ever will be the humble spirit.” Manual, Teachings of the President of the Church: Howard W Hunter, Chapter 23, Leadership
March 26, 1996 – Wednesday – Quito Ecuador…”We got a call from Elder Wisan last night and he told me that we needed to be in President’s house this morning. President Jay E. Jensen asked President Farnsworth to write up the Coordinator program so that he could take it up with him to Salt Lake City and the General Conference to suggest putting it in all South America. I feel it could be used in any part of the world that needs their leaders trained.” – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
“The transition to Church membership is challenging for most people. It often involves embracing new religious teachings and a new way of life. All members of the Church, particularly new members, need three things to help them stay active in the Church: friendship, opportunities to mature and serve in the Church, and nourishing by the word of God (see Moroni 6:4). Under the bishoprice’s direction, leaders help new members in these areas.” Manual Handbook 2: Administering the Church, The Work of Salvation in the Ward and Stake