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Great Leader Quotes

Leading people where they need to go, not where they want to.

A great leader, one line argues, pushes people toward where they should be rather than where they'd rather stay, a test of Integrity over popularity.

A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be.

Quotes by Rosalynn Carter

You know, I think that President Obama is a person who has a great relationship with a number of people. Colin Powell does, too. I think Colin Powell is a fine American, a great leader and sees things in President...

Quotes by Pete Sessions

At the end of the day, people will follow you or people will be energised by you if they buy into your vision or purpose. So the most important thing is to be true to yourself. That's why I would...

Quotes by Paul Polman

Galliani is a great leader but can't understand players.

Quotes by Paolo Maldini

Courage Quotes

I just want to be great. I want to stand out, be a great leader for this defense, and I'm just trying to leave it all out on the field.

Quotes by Lawrence Timmons

Especially with the signing of riders with climbing abilities and the new arrival of Tyler Hamilton, who has the strength and ability to become a great leader for the big tours. All in all, I feel this is a very...

Quotes by Laurent Jalabert

The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'

Quotes by Lao Tzu

I believe that if I don't take care of my family as a great leader and husband and father, I could have all kinds of accolades and awards and a big mantle up there or something with a bunch of...

Quotes by Israel Houghton

Cause I was such a novice and thank God that Sarah was as seasoned as she was because she was really a great leader in that regard in the sense that she would communicate really well with the crew.

Quotes by Charisma Carpenter

Influence Quotes

A good leader is one who can tell another how to reach his or her potential; a great leader is one who can help another discover this potential for him or herself.

Quotes by Bo Bennett

Followship is just as important as leadership. It's very important that you'll know if you're a great leader because you will have awesome followship. And the people behind you will take that burden of responsibility.

Quotes by Ant Middleton

Never, ever command respect. Always earn it. A leader steps into the arena, and a great leader should never ask anyone to do anything that they haven't done or they haven't experienced.

Quotes by Ant Middleton

The sign of a great leader is knowing what you know and knowing what you don't know.

Quotes by Angela Ahrendts

War never accomplishes anything. It's never going to look good in the history books. People are never going to look back and think, 'He started a lot of wars; what a great leader he was!' That's not the way it...

Quotes by Alan Moore

Frequently Asked Questions

What idea of leadership do these quotes share?
They define a great leader by results and humility rather than authority, someone who takes people where they need to go, even reluctantly, and whose team ultimately says 'we did it ourselves.'
Why do people search for great leader quotes?
These quotes get used in speeches, coaching, and workplace contexts where someone wants language for what separates a good leader from a genuinely great one, often tied to ideas like Integrity and vision.
One quote comes from a sports context, talking about being a 'great leader for this defense,' is this collection sports-focused?
Not exclusively, it includes a locker-room ambition quote alongside broader leadership philosophy and even a cycling-team reference, showing the idea of great leadership applies across very different fields.
Do these quotes distinguish between a leader and a great leader?
Yes, directly, one line lays out a scale from wicked to good to great leader, with the great leader defined by making people feel ownership of the outcome rather than obedience to the leader themselves.
What's the throughline across these quotes?
Every one ties great leadership to something earned over time, Legacy, trust, or a team's sense of accomplishment, rather than to a title or position alone.

Sports captains chasing standout status and the old wicked/good/great leader distinction both circle the same idea: real Legacy is what people say afterward.