James M. Kouzes > Quotes

“Exemplary leaders know that if they want to gain commitment and achieve the highest standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect of others.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Recognition is the most powerful currency you have, and it costs you nothing,”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Research indicates that the highest performing managers and leaders are the most open and caring. The best leaders demonstrate more affection toward others and want others to be more open with them. They are more positive and passionate, more loving and compassionate, and more grateful and encouraging than their lower performing counterparts.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know

“Change is the province of leaders. It is the work of leaders to inspire people to do things differently, to struggle against uncertain odds, and to persevere toward a misty image of a better future.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“When leaders are doing their best, they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“In the end, leaders don't decide who leads. Followers do.”
― James M. Kouzes, Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It

“[Celebrations] are the punctuation marks that make sense of the passage of time; without them, there are no beginnings and endings. Life becomes an endless series of Wednesdays.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Teamwork: What did you do today to lend a hand to a colleague? Respect: What did you do today to acknowledge the work of one of your colleagues? Learning: What’s one mistake you made in the last week, and what did you learn from it? Continuous improvement: What have you done in the past week to improve so that you’re better this week than last? Customer focus: What is one change you made in the last week that came from a customer suggestion?”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“The domain of leaders is the future. The work of leaders is change. The most significant contribution leaders make is not to today's bottom line; it is to the long-term development of people and institutions so they can adapt, change, prosper, and grow.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“The Truth Is That Challenge Is the Crucible for Greatness. The study of leadership is the study of how men and women guide people through uncertainty, hardship, disruption, transformation, transition, recovery, new beginnings, and other significant challenges. It’s also the study of how men and women, in times of constancy and complacency, actively seek to disturb the status quo, awaken new possibilities, and pursue opportunities.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know

“The climb to the top is arduous and steep. People become exhausted, frustrated, and disenchanted, and are often tempted to give up. Genuine acts of caring draw people forward.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“There's nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can't clearly articulate why we're doing what we're doing.”
― James Kouzes and Barry Posner

“Leading by example is more effective than leading by command.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“when you have a CEO who is so ingrained in the agency, staff, and each and every one of the clients, you only want to push yourself further.” Because Barby is so transparent about her values and vision for the organization, “There’s no question,” according to Alison, “that people want to follow her.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Leaders mobilize others to want to struggle for shared aspirations, and this means that, fundamentally, leadership is a relationship. Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Anyone who’s ever been in a leadership role quickly learns that you’re squeezed between others’ lofty expectations and your own personal limitations. You realize that while others want you to be of impeccable character, you’re not always without fault. You learn that you can’t see around every corner, and even if you know your way forward everyone may not end up at the same destination, let alone be on time. You discover that despite your best efforts to introduce brilliant innovations, most of them don’t succeed. You find that you sometimes get angry and short, and that you don’t always listen carefully to what others have to say. You’re reminded that you don’t always treat everyone with dignity and respect. You recognize that others deserve more credit than they get, and that you’ve failed to say thank you. You know that sometimes you get, and accept, more credit than you deserve. In other words, you realize that you’re human.”
― James M. Kouzes, A Leader's Legacy

“WHO ARE YOU?” This is the first question your constituents want you to answer for them. Your leadership journey begins when you set out to find the answer and are able to express it.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“When you give people a choice about being a part of what’s happening, they’re more likely to be committed to a project. Is there a piece of something you are working on that you could open up to others? It”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Who I am, what I do, and how I do it make a difference.” And”
― James M. Kouzes, Learning Leadership: The Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader

“What you preach and what you celebrate must be one and the same. If they aren't, the event will come off as insincere and phony—and your credibility will suffer.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Don’t be defensive. People will be reluctant to share feedback if they are afraid of hurting your feelings or having to justify their perceptions. Listen carefully. Relax and actively listen to understand what the other person is trying to tell you; be sensitive to how your nonverbal communication is affecting the other person’s willingness to share with you. Suspend judgment. Listen, don’t judge. Don’t worry about what you’re going to say, but rather work to understand what the other person is trying to tell you. Be welcoming and assume that the information is intended to help you be better rather than anything otherwise. Ask questions and ask for examples. Make sure you understand what is being said and learn about the context as well as the content. Say thank you. Let the other person know that you appreciate his or her feedback and that you can’t get any better without knowing more about yourself and how your actions affect others.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“If you don't believe in the messenger, you won't believe the message.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“When seen through the lens of a servant's heart, leadership becomes not just a job but a calling. Lives are changed for the better. Next-generation leaders are molded. Along the way, the sense of destiny God planted in each individual soul finds fulfillment.”
― James M. Kouzes, Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge

“Managers can threaten people with the loss of jobs if they don't get with the program, but threats, power, and position do not earn commitment. They earn compliance.”
― James M. Kouzes, Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It

“Titles are granted, but it’s your behavior that earns you respect.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Values constitute your personal “bottom line.” They serve as guides to action. They inform the priorities you set and the decisions you make. They tell you when to say yes and when to say no. They also help you explain the choices you make and why you made them. If you believe, for instance, that diversity enriches innovation and service, then you should know what to do if people with differing views keep getting cut off when they offer fresh ideas. If you value collaboration over individualistic achievement, then you’ll know what to do when your best salesperson skips team meetings and refuses to share information with colleagues. If you value independence and initiative over conformity and obedience, you’ll be more likely to challenge something your manager says if you think it’s wrong.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“You have to believe, and you have to develop the skills to transmit your belief. It’s your passion that brings the vision to life. If you’re going to lead, you have to recognize that your enthusiasm and expressiveness are among your strongest allies in your efforts to generate commitment in others. Don’t underestimate your talents.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Unless people can find meaning and purpose in their work, they are not likely to stick around very long or put in the effort required to make a difference. These feelings are particularly important for leaders to tap into during times of high uncertainty.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“Titles are granted, but it's your behavior that earns you respect.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

“One reason that people are often afraid to ask around for advice and input from others is because they believe that doing so means, or at least implies, that they're incompetent or don't know something that they should. These fears are misplaced. Studies show that people perceive those who seek advice as more competent than those who do not seek advice and this belief is even stronger when the task is difficult than when it is easy.”
― James M. Kouzes, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations