Great Throughts Treasury

"An overburdened, overstretched executive is the best executive, because he or she doesn't have the time to meddle, to deal in trivia, to bother people."

"Be candid with everyone. "

"Change before you have to. "

"Face reality as it is; not as it was or as you wish it were."

"Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion."

"Control your own destiny or someone else will. "

"Don't manage - lead change before you have to. "

"Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do. Because then they will act. "

"The essence of competitiveness is liberated when we make people believe that what they think and do is important – and then get out of their way while they do it."

"An organization’s ability to learn and translate that learning into action rapidly is the ultimate competitive advantage."

"If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near"

"25 Lessons: Lead More, Manage Less 1. Lead. 2. Manage less. 3. Articulate your vision. 4. Simplify. 5. Get less formal. 6. Energize others. 7. Face reality. 8. See change as an opportunity. 9. Get good ideas from everywhere. 10. Follow up. Build a Winning Organization. 11. Get rid of bureaucracy. 12. Eliminate boundaries. 13. Put values first. 14. Cultivate leaders. 15. Create learning culture. Harness Your People 16. Involve everyone. 17. Make everybody a team player. 18. Stretch. 19. Instill confidence. 20. Make business fun. Build the Market-Leading Company 21. Be number 1 or number 2 22. Live quality. 23. Constantly focus on innovation. 24. Live speed. 25. Behave like a small company."

"There is no straight line to anyone’s vision or dream."

"Seven Point Program for Management by Leadership: 1. Develop a vision for the business. 2. Change the culture to achieve the vision. 3. Flatten the organization. 4. Eliminate bureaucracy. 5. Empower individuals. 6. Raise quality and efficiency. 7. Eliminate boundaries. "

"Common mission trap for companies: trying to be all things to all people at all times"

"We are constantly amazed by how much people will do when they are not told what to do by management." In the new knowledge-based economy, people should make their own decision. Managing less is managing better. Close supervision, control and bureaucracy kill the competitive spirit of the company. "Weak managers are the killers of business; they are the job killers. You can't manage self-confidence into people."

"Involve everyone and welcome great ideas from everywhere. Anyone can be a leader, just so long as they contribute, and the most meaningful way for anyone to contribute is to come up with a good idea. Business is all about getting the best ideas from everyone. New ideas are the lifeblood of the organization, the fuel that makes it run."

"Create a vision and then ignite your organization to make this vision a reality. Get people so passionate about what they are doing that they cannot wait to execute this plan. Have great energy, competitive spirit and the ability to spark excitement and achieve results. Search for leaders who have the same qualities."

"Don't micromanage. Your job is to see the big picture. Don't manage every detail. Don't get caught up in the minutiae or obsess over every detail, but instead inspire others to execute of your vision. Surround yourself with great people and trust them to do their job and contribute their best to the organization."

"Lead: Managers muddle – leaders inspire. Leaders are people who inspire with clear vision of how things can be done better. "What we are looking for are leaders at every level who can energize, excite and inspire rather than enervate, depress, and control."

"Leaders inspire people with clear visions of how things can be done better." The best leader do not provide a step-by-step instruction manual for workers. The best leaders are those who come up with new idea, and articulate a vision that inspires others to act."

"Simple messages travel faster, simpler designs reach the market faster and the elimination of clutter allows faster decision making."

"You have just got to constantly focus on innovation. And more competitors. You've got to constantly produce more for less through intellectual capital. Shun the incremental, and look for the quantum leap." Now the fundamentals have got to be more education. More information knowledge, faster speeds, more technology across the board."