“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.”

Behind the slogans lay an intellectual vacuum.

order without freedom, even if sustained by momentary exaltation, eventually creates its own counterpoise; yet freedom cannot be secured or sustained without a framework of order to keep the peace.

There can’t be a crisis next week, my schedule is already full.

The goal of the tribute system was to foster deference, not to extract economic benefit or to dominate foreign societies militarily.

A country whose security depends on producing a genius in each generation sets itself a task no society has ever met.

Who controls the money controls the world.

History knows no resting places and no plateaus

Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.

It is not often that nations learn from the past, even rarer that they draw the correct conclusions from it.

Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.

The mindset for walking lonely political paths may not be self-evident to those who seek confirmation by hundreds, sometimes thousands of friends on Facebook.

Empires have no interest in operating within an international system; they aspire to be the international system.

A turbulent history has taught Chinese leaders that not every problem has a solution and that too great an emphasis on total mastery over specific events could upset the harmony of the universe.

Because complexity inhibits flexibility, early choices are especially crucial.

Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

In effect, none of the most important countries which must build a new world order have had any experience with the multi-state system that is emerging. Never before has a new world order had to be assembled from so many different perceptions, or on so global a scale.

What you do has far greater impact than what you say.

People don’t mind being challenged to do better if they know the request is coming from a caring heart.

Effective team leaders adjust their style to provide what the group can’t provide for itself.

Money always flows to the leader. If you want more money, simply become more of a leader.

A leader puts himself last then he sticks out.

In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people. They no longer can lead solely based on positional power.

The first principle of ethical power is Purpose… It is the picture you have of yourself – the kind of person you want to be or the kind of life you want to lead.

Leadership is anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of others.