Quotes About Leadership

Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they will avoid punishments but will be without a sense of shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously

Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.

You can force the people to obey; you cannot force them to understand.

The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.

Let a ruler base his government upon virtuous principles, and he will be like the pole-star, which remains steadfast in its place, while all the host of stars turn towards it

The gentleman does not promote people merely on the basis of their words, nor does he reject words merely because of the person who uttered them.

He that rules by mind is like the north star, steady in his seat, whilst the stars all bend to him.

He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.

The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changes, and all men look up to him.

Lord Chi Wen thought three times before taking any action. When the Master heard this, he said: Twice is plenty enough.

The Master was entirely free of four faults: arbitrariness, inflexibility, rigidity, and selfishness.

Tzu-chang[21] asked whether we can know what is to be ten generations hence. The Master said, The Yin[22] took over the manners of the Hsia; the harm and the good that they did them can be known. The Chou took over the manners of the Yin; the harm and the good that they did them can be known. And we may know what shall be, even an hundred generations hence, whoever follows Chou.

If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. 2. 'If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.

On peut obliger le peuple à obéir. On ne peut pas le forcer à comprendre.

To see high merit and be unable to raise it to office, to raise it but not to give such promotion precedence, is just destiny.

You yourself desire rank and standing; then help others to get rank and standing. You want to turn your merits to account; then help others to turn theirs to account.

Mencio: ¿Hay alguna diferencia entre matar a alguien con una espada o en hacerlo con un palo? El rey: No hay diferencia. Mencio: ¿Hay alguna diferencia entre matar a alguien con una espada o con un mal gobierno? El Rey:No hay diferencia.

When you see a person of worth, concentrate upon becoming their equal.

To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons.

The Master said, "If a man of position [junzi] does not have integrity, he will not inspire awe.

you govern effectively," Confucius replied, "what need is there for killing? If you want to be truly adept (shan ), the people will also be adept. The excellence (de ) of the exemplary person (junzi ) is the wind, while that of the petty person is the grass. As the wind blows, the grass is sure to bend.

When the Way prevails in the world, then be seen. When it does not, then hide.

The Master said, "To go into battle with people who have not been properly trained is to forsake them.

If you yourself are correct, even without the issuing of orders, things will get done; if you yourself are incorrect, although orders are issued, they will not be obeyed