Skip to main content

Quotes on Leadership - Empowering Others



"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others." Bill Gates

It is accepted wisdom that a good leader "empowers" their followers but what does that mean in practice?

It means accepting that you don't know everything. It means accepting that you can't do everything.

Empowering people means giving them real responsibility for the success of the joint venture. Giving away responsibility is a visible act of trust and it allows followers to contribute.

We live in a time of increasing speed and complexity in all areas of our lives. If a leader fails to accept that success means trusting others they will fail to achieve their potential.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quotes on Leadership : Lead By Example

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing. Albert Schweitzer A leader can shape his followers best by showing them the way forward rather than telling them  about it. If you want to show your team how important serving your clients is make sure that they can see  you taking it seriously and going the extra mile.  If they can see that you are committed they are more likely to follow your example. To paraphrase Gandhi if you want to make a change be the best example of that change and others  will follow. 
2 comments
Read more

Quotes on Leadership - Being A Follower

"He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander" - Aristotle There is a discipline involved in being a good follower. It's not always easy to obey command with which you don't agree. As a follower you do so because you accept that you are being led and that your leader may have a bigger vision than your own. In addition you respect that decision because it has been made by a leader you have accepted. When a follower becomes a leader the experience of learning to obey is enormously valuable. The leader who has been a good follower can understand the frustrations of being led and can take that into account in making and implementing decisions.
Post a Comment
Read more

Quotes on Leadership - Beg Forgiveness

If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It is much easier to apologize than it is to get permission. - Admiral Grace Hopper The idea behind this quote is the same as Tim Ferriss' motto "It's better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission". It highlights an important element of leadership - leaders don't always seek permission to do the right thing. If seeking permission would take too long or could prevent them doing what they need to do good leaders will often ignore the rules and clear up the mess later. That takes courage and confidence in your own judgement but if you take the action for the right reasons it's a risk worth taking.
Post a Comment
Read more