Warren Bennis

“The primary goal of management education was, as originally conceived, to impart knowledge that could be applied to a variety of real-world business situations.”

“Leaders should always expect the very best of those around them. They know that people can change and grow.”

“The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.”

“Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary.”

“Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right.”

“A great director or leader knows his people, creates a great team, and then makes a great movie that can influence millions more than the readers of his column.”

“There is a profound difference between information and meaning.”

“Specialized management courses are useful but should come well after the complexity of management and business are understood.”

“Leaders keep their eyes on the horizon, not just on the bottom line.”

“Taking charge of your own learning is a part of taking charge of your life, which is the sine qua non in becoming an integrated person.”

“Learning in a face-to-face human community, as humans have evolved to do over hundreds of thousands of years, may always be the ideal - especially in an endeavor that is as relationship-driven as business.”

“Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led.”

“The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.”

“How can we educators claim credit for understanding, let alone teaching, the 'global mind' without a single course on the impact of religion on every day life?”

“I wanted the influence. In the end I wasn't very good at being a president. I looked out of the window and thought that the man cutting the lawn actually seemed to have more control over what he was doing.”

“There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish.”

“Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery.”

“Success in management requires learning as fast as the world is changing.”

“Leadership is the capacity to turn vision into reality.”

“Find the appropriate balance of competing claims by various groups of stakeholders. All claims deserve consideration but some claims are more important than others.”