Sunday, December 22, 2024 Text is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 licence.

Andre Maurois

« All quotes from this author
 

An exacting leader can always command more affection that one who is indifferent. The best way to impose severity is to have about one only those whose qualities one values. Any man ca easily endure criticism if his character and intelligence are clearly not called into question. To say quickly and forcefully what one feels strongly is the wise course. A sever reproach, if rapidly spoken, is less painful than hostile and sulky dissatisfaction. Subordinates must realize that if an order is not carried out they will suffer, but also that they will be exonerated if its execution leads to disaster. A true leader will always take full responsibility for his actions.

 
Andre Maurois

» Andre Maurois - all quotes »



Tags: Andre Maurois Quotes, Authors starting by M


Similar quotes

 

Active duty military personnel cannot speak out against deplorable practices of the executive branch of The United States of America. However, veterans, friends, and former intelligence operatives of America can speak out on their behalf. They are doing so now. President Obama also gave an oath to protect the Constitution of The United States of America. It is obvious that by consistently allowing senior White House officials to leak methods of operations and other classified secrets for political gain, Mr. Obama is no longer fit to be Commander in Chief. For he alone has reduced his standing to pedantic politician. His motives are purely political now. A true leader gives all the credit to those he or she leads. A true leader takes full responsibility for his failures under his charge. President Obama has done neither of these. President Obama is not a leader and never has been a leader in the classic definition of that word.

 
Barack Obama
 

An order must first of all be clear. A meditation may be vague, a scheme always has something of the vision in it, but an order must be precise. All order can be misunderstood; an obscure one will never be understood. "To do a thing well," said Napoleon, "one must do to oneself." This is not always true, but the prudent leader will admit that few people understand and that almost everyone forgets. It is therefore not enough to give an order; one must see to its execution and, when giving it, anticipate anything that may nullify its effectiveness. The stupidity of human beings and the malevolence of chance are limitless. The unexpected always happens. The leader who endeavors to frustrate the onset of ill luck and who strengthens the weak points in his schemes against stupidity is more apt to impose his will than one who does not take these measures.

 
Andre Maurois
 

Character in many ways is everything in leadership. It is made up of many things, but I would say character is really integrity. When you delegate something to a subordinate, for example, it is absolutely your responsibility, and he must understand this. You as a leader must take complete responsibility for what the subordinate does. I once said, as a sort of wisecrack, that leadership consists of nothing but taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong and giving your subordinates credit for everything that goes well.

 
Dwight D. Eisenhower
 

As far as possible the duty of a leader is to foresee dissatisfaction and to remedy injustice before complaints are made. To accomplish this he must maintain close contact with the men he controls. Let him go into the trenches if he is a general; let him arrive at the factory with his workmen now and then if he is the manager. He must have some imagination; an understanding of other men's lives is necessary to him, so that he may be able to protect those under him from unnecessary suffering. The secret of gaining their affection is to feel affection for them and to be able to do their jobs as well as they do them themselves. Men endure taking orders, and even like it, if the orders are given intelligently.

 
Andre Maurois
 

The core in the Juche outlook on the revolution is loyalty to the party and the leader. The cause of socialism and communism is started by the leader and is carried out under the guidance of the party and the leader.

 
Kim Jong-il
© 2009–2013Quotes Privacy Policy | Contact