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 POWELLIf 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.
More Colin Powell Quotes
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It takes more courage to send men into battle than to fight the battle yourself.
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Good leaders must know how to reward those who succeed and know when to retrain, move, or fire ineffective staff.
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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.
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Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
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Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is “no.” That’s not America.
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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’.
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The best method of overcoming obstacles is the team method.
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Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
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None of us can change our yesterdays but all of us can change our tomorrows.
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Bad news isn’t wine. It doesn’t improve with age.
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It is good if your enemy underestimates you. The dumber they think you are the more surprised they are when you kill them.
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An organization that is not facing up to people who are not getting the job done, is going to have difficulties.
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The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.
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First you train the followers to accomplish the mission. Second, you resource them: Make sure that they have the tools to do the job. Third, you reward them: You give them medals or bonuses.
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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.
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My own experience is that you get as much information as you can and then you pay attention to your intuition, to your informed instinct.
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Always be looking for the opportunities, and always be optimistic about what you can do with that opportunity.
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The freedom to do your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.
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But 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.
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One of the greatest talents of all is the talent to recognize and to develop talent in others.
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You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.
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Experts often possess more data than judgment.
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Don’t bother people for help without first trying to solve the problem yourself.
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A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.
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If you get the dirty end of the stick, sharpen it and turn it into a useful tool.
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You know you’re a good leader when people follow you out of curiosity.
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