500 Famous Colin Powell Leadership Quotes And Rules (2023)

1. “Leaders need to know ground truth and not just what they get from reports and staffs.”

2. “Stop, Look, Listen—then strike hard and fast with all the power you need.”

3. Never neglect details.

4. “I get over it quickly and never lose control of myself.”

5. “The essence of leadership is building bonds of trust in your organization.” – Colin Powell

6. “The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort.” – Colin Powell

7. “1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

8. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. — General Colin Powell

9. “I’ve learned a simple and obvious truth from my own education experience: We have to give every kid in America the access to public education that I received. We need to place public education at the top of our priorities and the center of our national”

10. “A maintenance shop with dirty mechanics, parts strewn around, and no senior officers lurking told me more about the state of maintenance than any formal quarterly reports.”

11. “Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.”

12. “You break it, you’re going to own it.”

13. “Don’t just show kindness in passing or to be courteous. Show it in-depth, show it with passion, and expect nothing in return. Kindness is not just about being nice; it’s about recognizing another human being who deserves care and respect.” – Colin Powell

14. I don't want to spend the rest of my life giving speeches.

15. We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.

16. If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

17. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the rear-view mirror.” – Colin Powell

18. “I’m the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world and it will always be a part of my record,” Powell said in a television interview.

19. “Don’t let your ego get too close to your position so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn’t go with it.” – Colin Powell

20. “never, never, never give up.”

21. “Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.”

22. “This was the closest anybody in Iraq came to finding WMDs.

23. “Bad ideas don’t die simply because they are intrinsically bad. You need people who will stand up and fight them, put themselves at risk, point out the weaknesses, and drive stakes through their hearts.”

24. “You don’t step on enthusiasm.”

25. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

26. “My own experience is use the tools that are out there. Use the digital world. But never lose sight of the need to reach out and talk to other people who don’t share your view. Listen to them and see if you can find a way to compromise.” – Colin Powell

27. “Always be looking for that which you do well and that which you love doing, and when you find those two things together — man, you got it.”

28. “Never get so close to your position that

29. When everyone's mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.

30. “Leadership is about solving problems. The day employees stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure on leadership.” -Colin Powell, Politician

31. “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” – Colin Powell, Colin Powell quotes on decision making

32. 'The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.'' - George Washington, 1st President of the United States, and Commanding General of the Continental Army

33. “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.”

34. The day you are not solving problems or are not up to your butt in problems is probably a day you are no longer leading. If your desk is clean and no one is bringing you problems, you should be very worried. It means that people don't think you can solve them or don't want to hear about them. Or, far worse, it means they don't think you care. -Colin Powell, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership

35. “A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Colin Powell

36. “He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America.

37. “During my career I’ve worked with intelligence agencies and experts of every kind, from a young lieutenant, battalion-level intelligence officer to all sixteen branches of the U.S. intelligence community. With rare exceptions, intelligence analysts do all they can to give you the information and facts you need to understand the enemy and the situation and come up with the best decision.”

38. “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

39. “Be careful what you choose: You may get it.” – Colin Powell

40. “I was taught to think about mission and people. Mission. What are you trying to accomplish? Don't do anything until you know what the mission is. Drilled into our hearts and into our heads.”

41. “These experiences established a pattern for all the years and careers that came afterward. Always do your best, no matter how difficult the job, or how much you dislike it, your bosses, the work environment, or your fellow workers. As the old expression goes, if you take the king’s coin, you give the king his due.”

42. “Good leaders set vision, missions, and goals.”

43. Always focus on the front windshield and not the rearview mirror.

44. “You don't know what you can get away with until you try.”

45. “No matter how significant or life-changing your greatest hit or miss might be, neither even begins to define all of who you are. Each of us is a product of all our experiences and all our interactions with other people. To cite calculus, we are the area under the curve.”

46. “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” – Colin Powell

47. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

48. “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things,

49. “When things go badly, it is your fault, not theirs. You are responsible. Analyze how it happened, make the necessary fixes, and move on. No mass punishment or floggings. Fire people if you need to, train harder, insist on a higher level of performance, give halftime rants if that shakes a group up. But never forget that failure is your responsibility.”

50. “Never get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.”

51. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. ” — General Colin Powell

52. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” – Colin Powell

53. We need to understand that we as citizens and as a government in any community throughout this country have no more important obligation than to educate those who are going to replace us.

54. “A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work. ” – Colin Powell

55. “need you. I’ve often heard blowhard leaders boast, “My outfit is so good, it could function well without me.” Hmm, then why do they need you?”

56. Experts often possess more data than judgment.

57. “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.” – Colin Powell

58. A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell

59. “Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, 'He's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists.'

60. A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. – Colin Powell

61. “Each of us must work to become a hardheaded realist, or else we risk wasting our time and energy pursuing impossible dreams. Yet constant naysayers pursue no less impossible dreams. Their fear and cynicism move nothing forward. They kill progress. How many cynics built empires, great cities, or powerful corporations?”

62. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. —General Colin Powell

63. “Butch knew before he walked in that he was entering the lion’s den, and he wasn’t surprised when he got thrown out. Word quickly spread around the Pentagon, as it always does when things like that happen. Not long after I heard about it I ran into Butch in a hallway. As we walked along, I offered him comforting words. “Hey,” he said quietly, “he don’t pay me to give him happy talk.”

64. “People seem to be awfully gullible. They'll believe anything. ~in The NPR Interviews, 1996, edited by Robert Siegel”

65. “Good leaders must know how to reward those who succeed and know when to retrain, move, or fire ineffective staff.”

66. “a dream doesnt become reality through magic,it takes sweat,determination and hardwork”

67. “You know you’re a good leader when people follow you out of curiosity.”

68. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”

69. “The infantry’s mission was “to close with and destroy the enemy.” No questions asked. No ambiguity. No gray areas. The infantry officer was to go into battle up front, demonstrating courage, determination, strength, proficiency, and selfless sacrifice.”

70. “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude.”

71. Look at the world. There is no pure competitor to the United States of America.

72. “All work is honorable.

73. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.”

74. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.” — General Colin Powell

75. “Don’t just show kindness in passing or to be courteous,” Powell said.

76. “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.” ~ Colin Powell

77. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”– Colin Powell

78. “What drove my final choice was the reality that I did not wake up a single morning wanting to be president or with the fire and passion needed for a successful campaign. I was not a political figure. It was not me. Once I accepted what that instinct was telling me, the choice was clear, the decision easy. I get asked almost daily if I have any regrets. The answer is no.”

79. “I'm not perfect but I'll be the creator of perfection.”

80. “I have learned from most of the people I’ve met, and I have tried to inspire the people I have led,” Powell wrote. “Life and leadership can’t be about me. They have to be about us.”

81. “I think whether you’re having setbacks or not, the role of a leader is to always display a winning attitude.”

82. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.” – Colin Powell

83. “Never get so close to your position that when the position goes, your ego goes with it.”

84. “The day the soldiers stop bringing their problems is the day you stopped leading them,” he wrote.

85. “Each of us is a product of all our experiences and all our interactions with other people.”

86. “All children need a laptop. Not a computer, but a human laptop. Moms, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles – someone to hold them, read to them, teach them. Loved ones who will embrace them and pass on the experience, rituals, and knowledge of a hundred previous generations. Loved ones who will pass to the next generation their expectations of them, their hopes, and their dreams.” – Colin Powell

87. Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.

88. I'm not perfect, but I'll be the creator of perfection.

89. “To single out your worst failure or least favorite person will surely make news . . . and your obituary writer’s day.”

90. Be careful what you choose: You may get it.

91. “I learned what it meant when soldiers brought you problems, even problems as perplexing as that of the eighteen-year-old dual lover,” Powell wrote.

92. “Our strategy in going after this army is very simple. First we are going to cut it off, and then we are going to kill it.”

93. If you get the dirty end of the stick, sharpen it and turn it into a useful tool.

94. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell, politician

95. “don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world.”

96. “Fear and failure are always present. Accept them as part of life and learn how to manage these realities. Be scared, but keep going. Being scared is usually transient. It will pass. If you fail, fix the causes and keep going.”

97. The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort.

98. “I also made a beeline for the latrine. Not just to see if it was clean. Was there a shortage of toilet paper, were any mirrors cracked, were there any missing showerheads? Finding any of these situations immediately told me one of several things—the unit is running short of upkeep money, no one is checking on these things to get them fixed, or the troops are not being supervised well enough. Find out which and fix it.”

99. “Hope is not a strategy”

100. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. ” – General Colin Powell

101. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty and persistence”

102. “Problems come with just being alive, and even more come with responsibility. When they come, you just suck it up and get started again. You are never caught up. I’ve lived by the proposition that solving problems is what leaders do. The day you are not solving problems or are not up to your butt in problems is probably a day you are no longer leading. If your desk is clean and no one is bringing you problems, you should be very worried. It means that people don’t think you can solve them or don’t want to hear about them. Or, far worse, it means they don’t think you care. Either way it means your followers have lost confidence in you and you are no longer their leader, no matter what your rank or the title on your door.”

103. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” — Colin Powell

104. “Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved.”

105. “Get mad, then get over it.” – Colin Powell

106. “You can never err by treating everyone in the building with respect, thoughtfulness, and a kind word. Every one of our employees is an essential employee. Every one of them wants to be viewed that way. And if you treat them that way, they will view you that way. They will not let you down or let you fail. They will accomplish whatever you have put in front of them.” – Colin Powell

107. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” - Colin Powell

108. “Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say, we have a problem, let’s go and get it.”

109. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell, US statesman and retired four-star General in the United States Army

110. Trust is the essence of Leadership. - Colin Powell

111. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” —Colin Powell

112. “Miller’s example of humane leadership that does not always go by the book was not lost on me. When they fall down, pick ’em up, dust ’em off, pat ’em on the back, and move ’em on.”

113. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”— Colin Powell

114. “Once in Korea, we got word that the admiral commanding Pacific forces would be visiting our post and would walk through my battalion area. I was delighted. We lived in ancient, disgusting Quonset huts; we couldn’t get parts for the stoves or paint for the outside. Because we were short of paint, I was told to paint the front but not the back of the mess hall the admiral would walk by. He walked by and saw the fresh paint. It was so fresh compared to everything else he saw that he wasn’t fooled. We should have sat down and told him our problems and not forced him to be a detective.”

115. “To provide a 'symbol' or a 'presence' is not good enough.”

116. “Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don’t follow anyone who’s not going anywhere.” – Colin Powell

117. “You know you’re a good leader when people follow you out of curiosity.” – Colin Powell

118. Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.

119. “• Tell me what you know. • Tell me what you don’t know. • Then tell me what you think. • Always distinguish which from which.”

120. 'Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.''

121. 'Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.''

122. “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”

123. “The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong unless proved otherwise. In my experience, the people closest to the problems are often in the best position to see the solutions. The key here is to empower and not be the bottleneck.” – Colin Powell

124. “Always try to get over failure quickly. Learn from it. Study how you contributed to it. If you are responsible for it, own up to it. Though others may have greater responsibility for it than you do, don’t look for that as an escape hatch. Once you have analyzed what went wrong and what you did wrong, internalize the lessons and then move on. As always, drive through life looking through the front windshield and not the rearview mirror. Don’t become one of those pests who can’t stop talking about their by now ancient slights, betrayals, hurts, or disasters. Don’t wallow with your sympathetic friends. Learn and move on.”

125. It can be done.

126. “Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites.

127. You don't know what you can get away with until you try.

128. “My own experience is use the tools that are out there. Use the digital world. But never lose sight of the need to reach out and talk to other people who don’t share your view. Listen to them and see if you can find a way to compromise.”

129. “Never believe the first thing you hear.”

130. “When I left the State Department, I was flattered by offers of top positions in major corporations, most of them in the financial world. The monetary rewards were stunning and the work not terribly demanding. I was told I didn’t need to know anything about banking, finance, or exotic financial instruments like hedge funds and derivatives. Experts would be present to help me. One investment bank pressed me hard, repeatedly upping the money and the title. The offers were definitely tempting. I understood the financial and social value of these positions. But my instincts said no. Did they want me for what I could do for them? Or did they want me for the celebrity I could bring them? My instincts said I would mostly be a door opener and a dinner host.”

131. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” – Gen. Colin Powell

132. “It will also not only electrify our country, I think it'll electrify the world.”

133. In other words, don't expect to always be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say, 'We have a problem, let's go and get it.'

134. “Great leaders inspire every follower at every level to internalize their purpose, and to understand that their purpose goes far beyond the mere details of their job.”

135. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” — Colin Powell

136. “Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.” – Colin Powell

137. "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

138. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” — Gen. Colin Powell

139. “Three Envelopes Construct.” The outgoing leader gives the new leader three envelopes—labeled “Envelope 1,” “Envelope 2,” and “Envelope 3”—and tells him to open them in order if he runs into trouble. The new leader launches in a blaze of glory. But after a month or so, troubles start landing on him. He opens the first envelope, and the note inside says: “Blame me.” So he goes around complaining about the mess he inherited. Things settle down, but a couple of months later he is back in trouble. He opens the second envelope: “Reorganize.” He immediately starts a major study to determine the kind of reorganization that would improve the situation. For months, the reorganization study moves all the boxes and people around and creates a new paradigm. Everyone is distracted. The new paradigm looks exciting, but nothing is solved and everyone is confused. The now no longer new commander is in dire straits and beside himself with worry. In desperation he opens the third envelope. The note says: “Prepare three envelopes.”

140. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. ” - Colin Powell

141. “An ADC is a division commander on training wheels. By Army custom, I was at Fort Carson to soak up the skills and mores for division leadership. Some commanding generals are happy to delegate broadly to their ADCs while they sit back and watch. Hudachek stood at the other end of the continuum. I had a sense that he would have been just as happy if his two ADCs disappeared. He ran the division, and we were permitted to study at the master’s knee. Which did not make what I set out to do any easier—or wiser.”

142. “The best method of overcoming obstacles is the team method.”

143. “1. IT AIN’T AS BAD AS YOU THINK. IT WILL LOOK BETTER IN THE MORNING. Well, maybe it will, maybe it won’t. This rule reflects an attitude and not a prediction. I have always tried to keep my confidence and optimism up, no matter how difficult the situation. A good night’s rest and the passage of just eight hours will usually reduce the infection. Leaving the office at night with a winning attitude affects more than you alone; it also conveys that attitude to your followers. It strengthens their resolve to believe we can solve any problem.”

144. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence”

145. “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” - Colin Powell

146. “Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.”

147. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” — Colin Powell

148. It's a disgrace that we have millions of people who are uninsured.

149. “The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.” – Colin Powell

150. “I worked hard all my life and always expected those who worked for me to do likewise. But I tried not to generate make-work. I learned early that a complete life includes more than work. We need family, rest, outside interests, and time to pursue them. I always keep in mind a lesson taught to all young infantry lieutenants: “Don’t run if you can walk; don’t stand up if you can sit down; don’t sit down if you can lie down; and don’t stay awake if you can go to sleep.”

151. “Freedom to be your best means nothing unless you are wiling to do your best.”

152. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure” – Colin Powell

153. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.”

154. “The freedom to be your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.”

155. “A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.-Colin Powell”

156. “None of us can change our yesterdays but all of us can change our tomorrows.” – Colin Powell

157. Have fun in your command. Don't always run at a breakneck pace. Take leave when you've earned it, spend time with your families.

158. “People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water.”

159. “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”~ Colin Powell

160. “Share the credit, take the blame, and quietly find out and fix things that went wrong. A psychotherapist who owned a school for severely troubled kids had a rule: “Whenever you place the cause of one of your actions outside yourself, it’s an excuse and not a reason.” This rule works for everybody, but it works especially for leaders.”

161. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.

162. Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible. - Colin Powell

163. Just as they did in Philadelphia when they were writing the constitution, sooner or later, you've got to compromise. You've got to start making the compromises that arrive at a consensus and move the country forward.

164. “Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.”

165. “Have a sense of humor to break the tension in times of great toil.” – Colin Powell

166. “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.” – Colin Powell

167. “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” – Colin Powell

168. “Perpetual optimism, believing in yourself, believing in your purpose, believing you will prevail, and demonstrating passion and confidence is a force multiplier. If you believe and have prepared your followers, the followers will believe.”

169. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work, and persistence.

170. It can be done!

171. “we can solve any problem.”

172. “Never Walk Past a Mistake”

173. “As the old expression goes, if you take the king’s coin, you give the king his due.”

174. “A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” — Colin Powell, US statesman and retired four-star General in the United States Army

175. “Few people make sound or sustainable decisions in an atmosphere of chaos. The more serious the situation, usually accompanied by a deadline, the more likely everyone will get excited and bounce around like water on a hot skillet. At those times I try to establish a calm zone but retain a sense of urgency. Calmness protects order, ensures that we consider all the possibilities, restores order when it breaks down, and keeps people from shouting over each other. You are in a storm. The captain must steady the ship, watch all the gauges, listen to all the department heads, and steer through it. If the leader loses his head, confidence in him will be lost and the glue that holds the team together will start to give way. So assess the situation, move fast, be decisive, but remain calm and never let them see you sweat.”

176. “Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.” General Colin Powell

177. “Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.” — Colin Powell

178. “The freedom to do your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.”

179. 'The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.''

180. “As a leader you set the tone for your entire team. Communicate your vision.”

181. A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. — Colin Powell

182. “You should never be so involved with your position/job that when the position is gone your entire self image is gone with it.”

183. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” – Colin Powell

184. “Never Walk Past a Mistake This is one of the first lessons drilled into young military leaders. To put it another way: make on-the-spot corrections.”

185. “Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.” – Colin Powell

186. “never permitted. Kester also taught me that a dated document became even more legal.”

187. “Fear is a normal human emotion. It is not in itself a killer. We can learn to be aware when fear grips us and can train to operate through and in spite of our fear. If, on the other hand, we don’t understand that fear is normal and has to be controlled and overcome, it will paralyze us and stop us in our tracks. We will no longer think clearly or analyze rationally. We prepare for it and control it; we never let it control us. It if does, we cannot lead.” – Colin Powell

188. “The most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.” – Colin Powell

189. Wouldn't it be great if we could look forward to a whole world in which no child will be left behind?

190. Don't be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.

191. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” ― Colin Powell

192. “There is no end to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

193. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. – Colin Powell

194. 'Preparedness is the key to success and victory.'' -

195. “Perpetual optimism is a force leveler”

196. "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."— Colin Powell, first Black Secretary of State

197. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.”

198. “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.” – Colin Powell

199. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.” Colin Powell

200. “There's an old Army officer tradition. When you leave a post, you write 'ppc' on the back of your business card and pin it to the officers' club bulletin board or similar public place. 'Ppc' is an acronym for a French term pour prendre conge, in English, 'to take leave.' It was our final departing courtesy”

201. “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.”

202. “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.”

203. There are no secrets to success. Don't waste time looking for them.

204. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. — Colin Powell, first Black Secretary of State

205. “There are no secrets to success: don’t waste time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work, and persistence.”

206. “And I can't deny that it will be a historic event for an African American to become president. ... should that happen, all Americans should be proud — not just African Americans, but all Americans — that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen.

207. “We have been married to the French for more than 230 years . . . and in marriage counseling with them for more than 230 years;”

208. “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me. But once a decision has been made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.”

209. “A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work. ” Colin Powell

210. “Fear and failure are always present. Accept them as part of life and learn how to manage these realities.”

211. “As the saying goes, “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”

212. “Leadership is all about people. It is not about organizations. It is not about plans. It is not about strategies. It is all about people-motivating people to get the job done. You have to be people-centered.” – Colin Powell

213. I think whether you're having setbacks or not, the role of a leader is to always display a winning attitude.

214. “Keep looking below surface appearances. Don't shrink from doing so just because you might not like what you find.”

215. War should be the politics of last resort.

216. “They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.

217. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure. ” —Colin Powell

218. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. ” – Colin Powell

219. “One way is to leave the top floor and its grand accoutrements and get down into the bowels for real. Don’t tell anyone you are coming. Avoid advance notices that produce crash cleanups, frantic preparations, and PowerPoint presentations.”

220. “The freedom to be your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.” – Colin Powell

221. “Never neglect small details, even to the point of being a pest.

222. Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves.

223. “Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.” – Colin Powell

224. “At the same time, traditions and rituals remain essential to the military mystique. They instill a sense of belonging and importance in the lives of young soldiers.”

225. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” General Colin Powell

226. “What is a leader?” people ask me. My simple answer: “Someone unafraid to take charge. Someone people respond to and are willing to follow.” I believe that leaders must be born with a natural connection and affinity to others, which then must be encouraged and developed by parents and teachers and molded by training, experience, and mentoring. You can learn to be a better leader. And you can also waste your natural talents by ceasing to learn and grow.”

227. “It ain’t where you start in life, it’s where you end up, and what you did along the way.” – Colin Powell

228. “Always show more kindness than seems necessary because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.” – Colin Powell

229. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

230. “Whenever you start-give it your best. The opportunities are there to be anything you want to be. But wanting to be someone isn’t enough; dreaming about it isn’t enough; thinking about it isn’t enough. You’ve got to study for it, work for it, fight for it with all your heart and soul because nobody is going to hand it to you.” – Colin Powell

231. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” – General Colin Powell

232. Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.

233. “Bad news isn’t wine. It doesn’t improve with age.”

234. “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.”

235. “Respect for leaders by followers can’t be mandated: it must be earned. It has to be given to leaders by their followers."

236. “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves.”

237. “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” Colin Powell

238. “Always be looking for that which you do well and that which you love doing, and when you find those two things together — man, you got it.” – Colin Powell

239. “Trust is the glue that holds people together and is the lubricant that keeps an organization moving forward.” – Colin Powell

240. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

241. “Fit no stereotypes. Don’t chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team’s mission.”

242. “Have a vision. Be demanding.”

243. “You know what? You just suck it up and get started again. It’s a new day in which to excel.”

244. “The most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.”

245. “Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.” In short, accept that your position was faulty, not your ego.”

246. “The lesson was clear: Don’t just show kindness in passing or to be courteous. Show it in depth, show it with passion, and expect nothing in return. Kindness is not just about being nice; it’s about recognizing another human being who deserves care and respect.”

247. Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror. – Colin Powell

248. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Gen. Colin Powell

249. “If you get the dirty end of the stick, sharpen it and turn it into a useful tool.”

250. “The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting in above-average effort.”

251. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

252. “We [the United States] are trusted. We are trusted to fight aggression, to relieve suffering, to serve as inspiration to freedom-seeking people, to stand alongside our friends, and to welcome the tired, the poor, the huddled masses of other lands yearning to breathe free. That is who we have been, now are, and always must be.”

253. “I think whether you’re having setbacks or not, the role of a leader is to always display a winning attitude.” – Colin Powell

254. Giving back involves a certain amount of giving up.

255. “Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.”

256. “Get mad, then get over it.”

257. “Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego, and the drive to get things done.” – Colin Powell, Colin Powell quotes on loyalty

258. “Don’t just show kindness in passing or to be courteous. Show it in depth, show it with passion, and expect nothing in return. Kindness is not just about being nice; it’s about recognizing another human being who deserves care and respect.”

259. “There are times when American lives must be risked and lost,” he said in his 1995 book My American Journey: An Autobiography.

260. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. — Colin Powell

261. “We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.”

262. “Standards must be achievable (though achieving them will always require extra effort), and the leaders must provide the means to get there. The focus should always be on getting better and better. We must always reach for the better way.”

263. “Always show more kindness than seems necessary because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.”

264. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell

265. “One night back in the 1970s, I was driving home to my quarters at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where I had commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division for about a year, when I saw in the dark a soldier walking along the road heading for the gate. He probably lived with his wife in the trailer park just outside the gate. I stopped and offered him a ride. “Why are you going home so late?” I asked him as we drove along. “My buddies and I’ve been working hard to get ready for an inspector general inspection coming up,” he answered. Then he looked at me. “Sir, who are you?” he asked. “I’m your brigade commander,” I told him, taken aback. “How long have you been in command?” he asked. “Over a year,” I said. “Is it a good job?” he asked. “Yes, great,” I replied. Jeez, after a year of being all over the brigade area, here is a soldier who doesn’t recognize me. Something’s wrong. “How do you think you guys will do in the inspection?” I then asked. “We’ll do great,” he answered. “We’ve been working hard for weeks, and my captain, lieutenants, and sergeants have been pushing us. They’ve been telling us how important the inspection is; they’ve been working just as hard as we have.” Then he said simply, “We’re not going to let them down.”

266. “It takes more courage to send men into battle than to fight the battle yourself.”

267. A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. – Colin Powell

268. “Strategy equals execution. All the great ideas and visions in the world are worthless if they can’t be implemented rapidly and efficiently. Good leaders delegate and empower others liberally, but they pay attention to details, every day.” – Colin Powell

269. “Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes.”

270. “All work is honorable. Always do your best, because someone is watching.”

271. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who can cut through the argument debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.”

272. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own. ” — General Colin Powell

273. “Always do your best. Somebody is watching you.” – Colin Powell

274. “is all about degrees of certainty. “I can make a decision with 30 percent of the information,” said former secretary of state Colin Powell. “Anything more than 80 percent is too much.” There is always a level at which we trust ourselves or those around us to guide us, and don’t always feel we need all the facts and figures.”

275. “American soldiers must know the reason for their sacrifices. Our GIs are not vassals or mercenaries. They are the nation’s sons and daughters. We put their lives at risk only for worthy objectives. If the duty of the soldier is to risk his life, the responsibility of his leaders is not to spend that life in vain.”

276. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. . Either case is a failure of leadership. —Colin Powell

277. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.

278. “Late that year, one of the soldiers stationed at the prison [Abu Ghraib] reported the abuses to his superiors and said that photos had been taken by the abusers. The commanders in Iraq immediately took action and took steps to launch an investigation. Soon after that the news reached Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and General Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told President Bush in early January 2004 that incidents at Abu Ghraib were being looked into. It seems nobody told these senior leaders that these incidents were truly horrendous.”

279. “The best method of overcoming obstacles is the team method.” – Colin Powell

280. “Loyalty is disagreeing strongly, and loyalty is executing faithfully. The decision is not about you or your ego; it is about gathering all the information, analyzing it, and trying to get the right answer. I still love you, so get mad and get over it.”

281. When we go to war, we should have a purpose that our people understand and support.

282. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” ~ Colin Powell

283. “If you take the pay, earn it. Always do your very best. Even when no one else is looking, you always are. Don’t disappoint yourself.”

284. A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” ― Colin Powell

285. “Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world.” – Colin Powell

286. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” - Colin Powell

287. “There are no secrets to success. It's the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure.”

288. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.” – Colin Powell

289. It isn't enough just to scream at the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. We need our political system to start reflect this anger back into, 'How do we fix it? How do we get the economy going again?'

290. “Because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities ... he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president," Powell said.

291. The ties that bind us are stronger than the occasional stresses that separate us.

292. “This is not the way we should be doing it in America.”

293. “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.” — Colin Powell

294. “Well, the correct answer is he is not a Muslim, he’s a Christian. He’s always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?”

295. “No good idea succeeds simply because it is a good idea. Good ideas must have champions—people willing to believe in them, push for them, fight for them, gain adherents and other champions, and press until they succeed.”

296. “A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

297. Get mad, then get over it.

298. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.”– General Colin Powell

299. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. ” —General Colin Powell , former U. S. Secretary of State

300. Be careful with what you choose. You may get it.

301. “I have always tried to keep my confidence and optimism up, no matter how difficult the situation.”

302. “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.”

303. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” ~Colin Powellauto insurance companies

304. “Leadership is solving problems,” Powell wrote. “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.”

305. “All work is honorable. Always do your best because someone is watching.”

306. “Leaders must embed their own sense of purpose into the heart and soul of every follower. The purpose starts from the leader at the top, and through infectious, dynamic, passionate leadership, it is driven down throughout the organization. Every follower has his own organizational purpose that connects with the leader’s overall purpose.”

307. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

308. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. - Colin Powell

309. “One day at the State Department, about two in the afternoon, I was wandering around and ran into a young lady leaving the building. She did not seem to recognize me, or else she didn’t let me know that she recognized me. I asked her why she was leaving so early. “I’m on flextime,” she told me. “I started at seven a.m.” That got me curious; I didn’t know much about flextime. I fell in stride with her and talked about how it worked for her and her fellow employees. I learned more about the program than I had ever heard from my staff. It was a good program, I realized—worth expanding. Meanwhile, she still didn’t acknowledge who I was. To needle her, I said, “Gee, I’d like to get flextime. How did you do it?” “Ask your immediate supervisor,” she responded. “I’ll do that on Monday, after he comes down from Camp David,” I told her. She didn’t miss a beat. “Good,” she said. “I hope you get it.” She went through the door and I stood there not knowing if I’d been had. But I had learned a lot about flextime, a small thing for me, but a big thing for her and lots of my employees.”

310. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” –Colin Powell

311. “Never neglect small details, even to the point of being a pest. Moments of stress, confusion, and fatigue are exactly when mistakes happen. And when everyone else’s mind is dulled or distracted, the leaders must be doubly vigilant. Always check ‘small things.’”

312. “Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.” – Colin Powell

313. “Colin Powell’s Rules It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. Get mad, then get over it. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. It can be done! Be careful what you choose. You may get it. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. Check small things. Share credit. Remain calm. Be kind. Have a vision. Be demanding. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

314. “that solving problems is what leaders do. The day you are not solving problems or are not up to your butt in problems is probably a day you are no longer leading.”

315. “I again suppressed a smile. Time didn't permit an exposition about the place of the dairy lobby in the American political system.”

316. “Leadership is solving problems.”

317. “Leadership is all about people. It is not about organizations. It is not about plans. It is not about strategies. It is all about people--motivating people to get the job done. You have to be people centered.

318. “A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” — Colin Powell

319. It takes more courage to send men into battle than to fight the battle yourself.

320. “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

321. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” -Colin Powell, politician

322. “But the wonderful thing about our democratic system is that anyone can jump in regardless of qualifications and present himself or herself to the American people, whether you are a former general, a former politician, a fool, or whatever. Quoted in The NPR Interviews 1996, edited by Robert Siegal”

323. “Don’t let your ego get too close to your position, so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn’t go with it.”

324. Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.

325. "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure” – Colin Powell

326. “Give me the right people and I don’t much care what organization you give me. Good things will happen. Give me the wrong people and it doesn’t matter what you do with the organization. Bad things will happen.” – Colin Powell

327. “None of us can change our yesterdays but all of us can change our tomorrows.”

328. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Colin Powell

329. “When everyone is united in purpose, a positive purpose that serves not only the organization but also, hopefully, the world beyond it, you have a winning team.”

330. f a leader doesn't convey passion and intensity then there will be no passion and intensity within the organization and they'll start to fall down and get depressed.

331. “If a leader doesn’t convey passion and intensity then there will be no passion and intensity within the organization and they’ll start to fall down and get depressed.”

332. “A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality.”

333. Today I can declare my hope and declare it from the bottom of my heart that we will eventually see the time when that number of nuclear weapons is down to zero and the world is a much better place.

334. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” ~ Colin Powell

335. Ninety percent of my time is spent on 10% of the world.

336. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

337. “Look for intelligence and judgement and most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.”

338. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. ” – Colin Powell

339. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” – Gen. Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State

340. “Even on factory assembly lines respect and trust between leaders and followers may inspire line workers to exceed design expectations and motivate them not to slack off. Respect for leaders by followers can't be mandated; it must be earned. It has to be given to leaders by their followers.”

341. “In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our friends.”

342. “Get mad, then get over it. ”

343. Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror. Colin Powell

344. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant, or the scared. It’s an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms.” – Colin Powell

345. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers.”

346. “You don’t know what you can get away with until you try.”

347. “Foreign policy cannot be paralysed by the prospect of casualties. But lives must not be risked until we can face a parent or a spouse or a child with a clear answer to the question of why a member of that family had to die.

348. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.

349. “Don’t just show kindness in passing or to be courteous. Show it in depth, show it with passion, and expect nothing in return. Kindness is not just about being nice; it’s about recognizing another human being who deserves care and respect.” – Colin Powell

350. “Get mad, then get over it.” ~ Colin Powell

351. “Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.” Those words stayed with me.”

352. A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work. - Colin Powell

353. “You should never be so involved with your position/job that when the position is gone your entire self-image is gone with it.”

354. Remain calm. Be kind.” – Colin Powell

355. “They get to pick the question. You get to pick the answer. 2. You don’t have to answer any question you don’t want to. 3. Never lie or dissemble, of course; but beware of being too candid or open. 4. Never answer hypothetical questions about the future. 5. Never reveal the private advice you have given your superiors. 6. Answers should be directed to the message you want readers/viewers to get. The interviewers are not your audience. 7. They’re doing their job. You’re doing yours. But you’re the only one at risk. 8. Don’t predict or speculate about future events. 9. Beware slang or one-liners unless you are consciously trying to produce a sound bite. 10. Don’t wash dirty linen. 11. Do not answer any question containing a premise you disagree with. 12. Don’t push yourself or be pushed into an answer you don’t want to give. 13. If trapped, be vague and mumble. 14. Never cough or shift your feet.”

356. Remain calm. Be kind.

357. “The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.”

358. “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” –Colin Powell

359. "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell

360. “Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don’t much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.”

361. “Maybe we don’t put our young people in situations often enough where they’re allowed to fail. When you fail you gain experience, and with enough experience, you don’t fail as often.” – Colin Powell

362. “It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.” – Colin Powell

363. “Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.”

364. “I’ve often heard blowhard leaders boast, “My outfit is so good, it could function well without me.” Hmm, then why do they need you?”

365. “we’d practiced the ceremony to perfection, the day came. As we stood there in the sun waiting for it to begin, the Gunfighter signaled me to come up to the reviewing stand for new instructions. He directed me to return to the formation and order all the officers to do an about-face and gaze at their troops. I was then to order the officers to salute their soldiers. We conducted the ceremony, and the officers turned as he had directed and saluted the troops. It was a deeply moving moment. The gesture was the only way he could truly show that credit for his success belonged to the soldiers who had served under him.”

366. “Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.”

367. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. - Colin Powell

368. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. —Gen. Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State

369. Share credit.

370. “Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.”

371. “Whenever you place the cause of one of your actions outside yourself, it’s an excuse and not a reason.”

372. “Don’t let your ego get too close to your position so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn’t go with it.” -Colin Powell.

373. Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible. - Colin Powell

374. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.' – Colin Powell

375. “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.” ~ Colin Powell

376. “Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian.

377. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. —Colin Powell

378. No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.

379. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hardwork, and learning from failure-.”

380. “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.”

381. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” -Colin Powell

382. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.” ~ Colin Powell

383. “In other words, don’t expect to always be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say, we have a problem, let’s go and get it.” – Colin Powell

384. “Luck tends to come to people who are prepared.”

385. “A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Colin Powell

386. “I believe that when you first take over a new outfit, start out trusting the people there unless you have real evidence not to. If you trust them, they will trust you, and those bonds will strengthen over time. They will work hard to make sure you do well. They will protect you and cover you. They will take care of you.”

387. I try to be the same person I was yesterday.Colin Powell: Why We Serve

388. The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise.

389. “Dig up all the information you can, then go with your instincts.”

390. “With vision only, you get no follow-through. With enforcers only, the vision is realized but leaves a lot of wreckage. Good chaplains pick up the pieces and put everything together again.”

391. Organization charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing.

392. Bad news isn't wine. It doesn't improve with age.

393. “Show it in depth, show it with passion and expect nothing in return. Kindness is not just about being nice: it’s about recognising another human being who deserves care and respect.”

394. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the rearview mirror.”

395. "A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work."— Colin Powell

396. “Leadership is solving problems.

397. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. -Colin Powell

398. “To achieve his purpose, a successful leader must set demanding standards and make sure they are met. Followers want to be “in a good outfit,” as we say in the Army. I never saw a good unit that wasn’t always stretching to meet a higher standard. The stretching was often accompanied by complaints about the effort required. But when the new standard was met, the followers celebrated with high-fives, pride, and playful gloating.”

399. “Leaders honor their core values, but they are flexible in how they execute them.” - Colin Powell

400. “When things go wrong in your command, start wading for the reason in increasing larger concentric circles around your own desk.”

401. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.”

402. “The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort.”

403. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell

404. “The day you are not solving problems or are not up to your butt in problems is probably a day you are no longer leading. If your desk is clean and no one is bringing you problems, you should be very worried. It means that people don't think you can solve them or don't want to hear about them. Or, far worse, it means they don't think you care.”

405. “Leadership is about solving problems. The day leaders stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure on leadership.” -Colin Powell.

406. “The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve.

407. “Good leaders set vision, missions, and goals. Great leaders inspire every follower at every level to internalize their purpose, and to understand that their purpose goes far beyond the mere details of their job. When everyone is united in purpose, a positive purpose that serves not only the organization but also, hopefully, the world beyond it, you have a winning team.”

408. “Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.” – Colin Powell

409. “It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.”

410. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” – Colin Powell

411. “Respect for leaders by followers can’t be mandated; it must be earned. It has to be given to leaders by their followers.”

412. “A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” Colin Powell

413. “There are times when American lives must be risked and lost. Foreign policy cannot be paralyzed by the prospect of casualties. But lives must not be risked until we can face a parent or a spouse or a child with a clear answer to the question of why a member of that family had to die. To provide a “symbol” or a “presence” is not good enough.”

414. “Even in the grimmest of enterprises there are tension breakers. At one point, the tabloid National Enquirer ran a story headlined “Bush and Saddam Are Cousins” and offered genealogical “proof” that not only was George Bush related to the queen of England, but “Hussein and President Bush share a common ancestry dating back at least to the crusades.” This news prompted the President to circulate a memo to the national security team that said, “No decisions I make will be affected by my relationship with Saddam Hussein. The Queen and I would have it no other way.”

415. 'Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.''

416. “The last scene showed a cavernous room in a subbasement filled with hundreds of black trash bags, the building’s daily detritus. Standing in front of the bags were five guys in work clothes. Their job, their mission, their goal was to toss these bags into waiting trash trucks. The camera focused on one of the men. The narrator asked, “What’s your job?” The answer to anyone watching was painfully obvious. But the guy smiled and said to the camera, “Our job is to make sure that tomorrow morning when people from all over the world come to this wonderful building, it shines, it is clean, and it looks great.” His job was to drag bags, but he knew his purpose. He didn’t feel he was just a trash hauler. His work was vital, and his purpose blended into the purpose of the building’s most senior management eighty floors above. Their purpose was to make sure that this masterpiece of a building always welcomed and awed visitors, as it had done on opening day, May 1, 1931. The building management can only achieve their purpose if everyone on the team believes in it as strongly as the smiling guy in the subbasement.”

417. “A sense of shame is not a bad moral compass.”

418. “Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity, An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people”

419. “I can make a decision with 30 percent of the information,” said former secretary of state Colin Powell. “Anything more than 80 percent is too much.”

420. Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own. — General Colin Powell

421. “The ties that bind us are stronger than the occasional stresses that separate us.”

422. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” – General Colin Powell

423. “Control enthusiasm in the face of victories, large or small.”

424. “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.” –Colin Powell

425. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. ” — Colin Powell

426. “Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.”

427. “You can leave behind you a good reputation. But the only thing of momentous value we leave behind is the next generation, our kids—all our kids. We all need to work together to give them the gift of a good start in life.”

428. “there was a human interest segment about a street sweeper on the evening news. I think he worked in Philadelphia. He was a black gentleman and swept streets the old-fashioned way, with one of those wide, stiff bristle brooms and a wheeled garbage can. He had a wife and several children and lived in a modest home. It was a loving family, and he had high ambitions for his children. He enjoyed his job very much and felt he was providing a worthwhile service to his community. He had only one professional ambition in life and that was to get promoted to drive one of those mechanized street sweepers with big round brushes. He finally achieved his ambition and was promoted to driving a street sweeping machine. His wife and children were proud of him. The television piece closed with him driving down the street; a huge smile was on his face. He knew who he was and what he was. I run that video piece through my mind every few months as a reality check. Here is a man happy in his work, providing an essential service for his community, providing for his family, who love and respect him. Have I been more successful in what is truly important in life than he has been? No, we have both been fortunate. He has touched all the important bases in the game of life. When we are ultimately judged, despite my titles and medals, he may have a few points on me, and on a lot of others I know.”

429. Keep looking below surface appearances. Don't shrink from doing so just because you might not like what you find.

430. “Colin Powell” by “U.S. Embassy New Delhi“, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

431. “You are the leader and the troops will reflect your emotions.”

432. “Look for intelligence and judgement and most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.” – Colin Powell

433. Don't bother people for help without first trying to solve the problem yourself.

434. “Don’t bother people for help without first trying to solve the problem yourself.”

435. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who can cut through the argument debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.

436. “We have to start thinking of America as a family. We have to stop screeching at each other, stop hurting each other, and instead start caring for, sacrificing for, and sharing with each other … We cannot move forward if cynics and critics swoop down and pick apart anything that goes wrong, to a point where we lose sight of what is right, decent and uniquely good about America.” – Colin Powell

437. “Great leaders are always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everyone can understand.”

438. “The most influential people in my life will never show up on a Google search.”

439. The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains the fulfillment of its destiny.

440. 'Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.''

441. “I like Holiday Inns”

442. “Let me know about a problem as soon as you know about it.”

443. “No matter how significant or life-changing your greatest hit or miss might be, neither even begins to define who you are. Each of us is a product of all our experiences and all our interactions with other people. To cite calculus, we are the area under the curve.”

444. “Every organization needs to be introspective, transparent, and honest with itself. This only works if everyone is unified on the goals and purposes of the organization and there is trust within the team. High-performing, successful organizations build cultures of introspection and trust and never lose sight of their purpose.” – Colin Powell

445. Trust is the essence of Leadership. - Colin Powell

446. “Experts often possess more data than judgment.”

447. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hardwork, and learning from failure-”

448. “Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.” – Colin Powell

449. “Be careful what you choose. You may get it.”

450. “Whenever you start-give it your best. The opportunities are there to be anything you want to be. But wanting to be someone isn’t enough; dreaming about it isn’t enough; thinking about it isn’t enough. You’ve got to study for it, work for it, fight for it with all your heart and soul, because nobody is going to hand it to you.” – Colin Powell

451. “Humans are not by nature solitary. They need to connect with other human beings to share dreams and fears, to lean on each other, to enhance each other.”

452. …I was bewildered - Colin Powell”

453. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

454. “Good leaders set vision, missions, and goals. Great leaders inspire every follower at every level to internalize their purpose, and to understand that their purpose goes far beyond the mere details of their job. When everyone is united in purpose, a positive purpose that serves not only the organization but also, hopefully, the world beyond it, you have a winning team.” – Colin Powell

455. “Respect for leaders by followers can’t be mandated; it must be earned. It has to be given to leaders by their followers.” – Colin Powell

456. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

457. “Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” –General Colin Powell

458. “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

459. “Officers have been trying for hundreds of years to outsmart soldiers and have still not learned that it cannot be done. We can always count on the native ingenuity of the American GI to save us from ourselves, and to win wars.”

460. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. - Colin Powell

461. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” —Gen. Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State

462. “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”

463. “ON BUSY BASTARDS: A busy bastard can’t stop finding things to do. He never rests and as a result, his staff never rests. He’s always making work that expands to fill whatever time is available. The point I make in my book is: Be busy, work hard, but don’t become so busy that you cut out other things in life, like family and recreation and hobbies. And never be so busy that you’re not giving your staff and your followers enough time to do the same thing.”

464. “Diplomacy is listening to what the other guy needs. Preserving your own position, but listening to the other guy. You have to develop relationships with other people so when the tough times come, you can work together.” – Colin Powell

465. “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me But once a decision has been made, the debate ends From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own ” – Colin Powell, former United States secretary of defence

466. “I encouraged all my subordinate commanders and staff to feel free to argue with me. My guidance was simple: “Disagree with me, do it with feeling, try to convince me you are right and I am about to go down the wrong path. You owe that to me; that’s why you are here. But don’t be intimidated when I argue back. A moment will come when I have heard enough and I make a decision. At that very instant, I expect all of you to execute my decision as if it were your idea. Don’t damn the decision with faint praise, don’t mumble under your breath—we now all move out together to get the job done.”

467. “The other lawyer looked at him and said, “Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.” In short, accept that your position was faulty, not your ego. This doesn’t mean you don’t argue with passion and intensity.”

468. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

469. Check small things.

470. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. —Colin Powell

471. A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”– Colin Powell

472. “Giving back involves a certain amount of giving up.”

473. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” —Colin Powell

474. “instituted Kester’s law on signatures. John Kester taught me that every time I put my name to something, I created a legal document. Consequently, no one should sign anything for me but the most innocuous paper.”

475. “What could be more important than equipping the next generation with the character and competence they need to become successful.” – Colin Powell

476. Have a vision. Be demanding.

477. You can't just have slogans, you can't just have catchy phrases. You have to have an agenda.

478. “it is more about attitude than reality. Maybe it can’t be done, but always start out believing you can get it done until facts and analysis pile up against it. Have a positive and enthusiastic approach to every task. Don’t surround yourself with instant skeptics. At the same time, don’t shut out skeptics and colleagues who give you solid counterviews. “It can be done” should not metamorphose into a blindly can-do approach, which leaves you running into brick walls. I try to be an optimist, but I try not to be stupid.”

479. “Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don’t much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.” – Colin Powell

480. “Bad news isn’t wine. It doesn’t improve with age.” – Colin Powell

481. “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude.” – Colin Powell

482. “Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.”

483. “The ties that bind us are stronger than the occasional stresses that separate us.”

484. “Standards must be achievable (though achieving them will always require extra effort), and the leaders must provide the means to get there. The focus should always be on getting better and better. We must always reach for the better way.”

485. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. - Colin Powell

486. “The most influential people in my life will never show up on a Google search.”

487. “never permitted. Kester also taught me that a dated document became even more legal.”

488. “Never get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.”

489. If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

490. Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.' – Colin Powell

491. “Always focus on the front windshield and not the rearview mirror.”

492. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” – Colin Powell

493. “Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.”

494. “Even on factory assembly lines respect and trust between leaders and followers may inspire line workers to exceed design expectations and motivate them not to slack off. Respect for leaders by followers can't be mandated; it must be earned. It has to be given to leaders by their followers.”

495. “Share the credit, take the blame, and quietly find out and fix things that went wrong. A psychotherapist who owned a school for severely troubled kids had a rule: “Whenever you place the cause of one of your actions outside yourself, it’s an excuse and not a reason.” This rule works for everybody, but it works especially for leaders.”

496. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. — Colin Powell, first Black Secretary of State

497. 'Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.''

498. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”– Colin Powell

499. “The freedom to be your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.”

500. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” — Colin Powell