Quotes About Leadership

While President, I have been President, emphatically; I have used every ounce of power there was in the office.…I do not believe that any President ever had as thoroughly good a time as I have had, or has ever enjoyed himself as much.

We did everything possible to keep up the spirits of the men, but it was exceedingly difficult because there was nothing for them to do.

The leaders of thought and of action grope their way forward to a new life, realizing, sometimes dimly, sometimes clear-sightedly, that the life of material gain, whether for a nation or an individual, is of value only as a foundation, only as there is added to it the uplift that comes from devotion to loftier ideals.

Just as democratic government cannot be condemned because of errors and even crimes committed by men democratically elected, so trade-unionism must not be condemned because of errors or crimes of occasional trade-union leaders.

In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.

Each man should have all he earns, whether by brain or body; and the director, the great industrial leader, is one of the greatest of earners, and should have a proportional reward; but no man should live on the earnings of another, and there should not be too gross inequality between service and reward.

To sit home, read one's favorite paper, and scoff at the misdeeds of the men who do things is easy, but it is markedly ineffective. It is what evil men count upon the good men's doing.

If there is not the war, you don't get the great general; if there is not the great occasion, you don't get the great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in times of peace, no one would know his name now.

We dread war; but we follow Washington and Lincoln in dreading some things worse than war. Therefore we desire to prepare against war.

speak softly and carry a big stick

I am President of all the people of the United States, without regard to creed, color, birthplace, occupation or social condition. My aim is to do equal and exact justice as among them all.

Gradually, however, I was forced to abandon the effort to persuade them to come my way, and then I achieved results only by appealing over the heads of the Senate and House leaders to the people, who were the masters of both of us.

The important thing is generally the "next step." We ought not to take it unless we are sure that it is advisable; but we should not hesitate to take it once we are sure; and we can safely join with others who also wish to take it, without bothering our heads overmuch as to any fantastic theories they may have concerning, say, the two hundredth step, which is not yet in sight.

Justice among the nations of mankind, and the uplifting of humanity, can be brought about only by those strong and daring men who with wisdom love peace

Tremble in His midst so as to never falter in the midst of the grave responsibilities of life. Humility properly placed is the only sure foundation of leadership.

Now and then I am asked as to 'what books a statesman should read,' and my answer is, poetry and novels – including short stories under the head of novels.

A politician who really serves his country well, and deserves his country's gratitude, must usually possess some of the hardy virtues which we admire in the soldier who serves his country well in the field. Far

The only way to get good service is to give somebody power to render it, facing the fact that power which will enable a man to do a job well will also necessarily enable him to do it ill if he is the wrong kind of man.

the average cannot be kept high unless the standard of the leaders is very much higher.

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.

We are going to start the war from right here. (Utah Beach, Normandy, June 6, 1944)

i may be small, but i have a big stick

We've got a first class leader at the moment. David Cameron is dealing with the issues that he was left by the last government very well indeed.