Category Archives: Quotes

Leadership Quote – Maxwell on Taking Less Credit

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“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame, and a little less than his share of the credit.” – John Maxwell

Have you heard this leadership quote from John Maxwell?

John Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, including “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”, selling millions of copies around the world.

Leadership-Quote-John-Maxwell-Less-Credit

Often, Good Leadership is Quiet

Here’s an interesting fact – in Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great” he studied the best performing companies over a long period of time – spanning more than fifteen years. What he found at the top of every single outperforming company was a leader who wasn’t “showy” or “full of bravado”. Instead they were quiet, reserved, and disciplined. They knew what had to be done but they didn’t make a big song-and-dance about it. He called them Level Five leaders.

And most often – even though their quality of leadership was found at every outperforming company – they deferred the success and winnings of their company to the people and the teams within it.

These top level leaders took a little more than their share of the blame when things went wrong, and gave a lot more than their share of the credit when things went right.

John Maxwell has studied leadership for more than forty years, and he has found the same truths as Jim Collins. He has found that the really great leaders – ones that can also be measured in terms of an outstanding financial return for their company – took the blame so they could improve themselves and the process to make things better.

You see, when you pass the blame to someone else, you’re also giving your power away.

You’re saying “It’s their fault,” which may sound nice to you in the short-term, but in reality it also means you don’t have to change or improve, and you also don’t have the power to change or improve because it’s that other guy’s fault.

Taking the blame when things go wrong means you also take responsibility for the improvements, and it is that mindset that build the most top-level leaders and gave the most top-level returns.

– David McLachlan

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Quote – The Function of Leadership is to Produce More Leaders

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“I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” – Ralph Nader 

Have you heard this leadership quote from Ralph Nader?

Ralph Nader is an American author, lawyer, and former candidate for President of the United States. His view on Leadership is sorely needed in today’s world, because when we build people up as true leaders, then not only is our job easier but the world becomes a nicer place to live.

Ralph-Nader-Quote_More-Leaders

How To Know When A Leader Has Done Their Job

It is easy to keep people down. It is easy to tell people they are no good, or that you are better than them, or that

What’s not easy is to give people a little bit of grace. To understand what they are going through, and that what they are going through may not be completely visible at first pass.

And then from giving people a bit of grace to building them up, not just to be good followers, but to be good leaders themselves.

Many dictators around the world have built countries of “followers”, where the people are afraid to speak up, and afraid to stand out. As a result, nothing of consequence ever gets done in those countries. It is the same in your company. Sure it might be OK for a while to have a large amount of followers, but when it comes time for something really important to be done, or if you can’t be there, or if you need to take on a different role yourself, you need people who are going to lead. Leaders take responsibility, instead of shirking it. They go the extra mile, instead of stopping a mile early.

And they lead in a way that will build more leaders again – by growing, building, sharing the “why” behind the daily activity and showing the progress that they’re making.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – Brian Tracy on Leading without a Title

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“Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position.” – Brian Tracy

Have you heard this leadership quote from Brian Tracy?

Brian Tracy was born on the 5th January 1944, and is the author of over eighty books that have been translated into dozens of languages around the world. He has been a highly sought after motivational speaker for more than 30 years.

Brian-Tracy-Quote-Leader-Follow-No-Title

Not Everybody can Have the Title, But Everybody Can Have the Quality of a Leader

It’s as simple as that. Leaders build people up. They help people grow. They have the humility to take the blame when things go wrong and let their team take the credit when things go right.

Good leaders also see a little bit further than most people. They have a vision, understand the “why” behind what their team is doing, and have an idea of what will happen in the future so they can respond correctly.

It’s not easy being a leader. But anyone can start building these qualities within themselves today, and it doesn’t cost anything to do so.

Global polling firm Gallup found that only one in 10 people possessed the inherent ability to be a good leader. In fact, most employees were unhappy with their boss, their manager, or their leader and the way they did things. And that means there is always room for one more good leader if you have the skills, care about your team and are willing to grow.

Why not let that leader be you?

So be the kind of person that people would follow, even if you do not have the title of “leader”. Because if you do, and enough people follow you, then soon enough the title will come.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – Learning From Unhappy Customers with Bill Gates

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“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates

Have you heard this leadership quote from Bill Gates?

William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955 and is an American business magnate, software developer, and philanthropist.  He is one of the best-known entrepreneurs and pioneers of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, specifically as the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation.

Bill-Gates-Quote_Unhappy-Customers

Complaints are Little Nuggets of Gold

Bill Gates famously said that unhappy customers are the greatest source of learning, but it’s not just Bill Gates who believes this. Another of the richest people in the world, Jeff Bezos, famously had customer complaint emails come to an inbox he could see himself in the early days of Amazon, so he could see where customers were unhappy.

Complaints Reveal Weak Points in Your Process

The power behind unhappy customers is it shows us where our process is falling down and not meeting expectations. When our product or our service is meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations, that’s when they start doing the work of selling our product for us. They talk about it at barbecues, they recommend it to their friends.

Likewise however it’s a great thing to talk about when they have a chance to complain and warn their friends and family against buying something when it has not been a good experience.

If everything is a process – whether we have articulated that process properly or not – then any complaints allow us to fix those weak points, build a better way of doing things and ensure it is done that way every time.

Bill Gates had it a little bit easy – he was dealing with software where he could update it and make fixes when it was necessary. Of course his main products, Microsoft  Windows, and then Microsoft Office, weren’t perfect at first. They garnered a lot of criticism. But the company improved it over time, and ensured it was the best thing to use for its customers, and subsequently Bill Gates (and Jeff Bezos) have become very, very rich.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – William H. Murray on Commitment and Providence

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“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.” – William H. Murray

Have you heard this leadership quote from William H. Murray?

William Hutchison Murray was a writer from Scotland who lived from 1913 to 1996. He was an active mountain climber and writer before and just after World War II, even writing on small scraps of paper available to him while a prisoner of war during World War II.

William-Murray-Quote_Providence-Moves-Too

The Entire Quote is Even More Powerful

While it makes sense to say that until one definitely commits oneself, there will be setbacks, the whole quote from William H. Murray has even more sense to it.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

It Seems Like Magic

And of course it seems like magic. Before you were truly committed to something your success in it was fleeting, it would come and go, it would show itself and then disappear. But then something changed in you – you found a new reason to do this thing, a deeper reason. Perhaps you had a new family to care for, perhaps you wanted to impress someone you liked, perhaps you felt as though this path was your true calling. And that reason gave you commitment, and from that moment it seemed as though doors opened more easily.

Sure, you worked hard, but perhaps it didn’t seem like work. You were working towards your dream, or a higher calling. And the commitment helped you see things you wouldn’t normally have seen, and do things you wouldn’t normally have done. And because of that, it felt like magic, it felt like Providence was truly helping you walk along your journey.

What have you been working on?  Are you fully committed, or could you be more committed to it? If you are sitting on the fence, remember this quote by William H. Murray.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – Jim Rohn on Discipline

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“Success is the result of nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” – Jim Rohn

Have you heard this leadership quote from Jim Rohn?

Jim Rohn was an american business man and motivational speaker. He left college as a young man after just one year and soon found himself behind on his debts.  in the mid 1900s he was mentored by millionaire John Earl Shoaff, went on to create a multi million dollar fortune for himself, and spoke around the country on his personal philosophy that led him to his millions.

Quote-Jim Rohn-discipline-every day

Success is Simple, But Not Easy

Jim Rohn understands the power of discipline – he had to use it himself to create his own fortune in the mid 1900s. Discipline doesn’t have to be on big things either, it can be a few simple things, as long as you have the tenacity to do them every day.

When you do something every day, even if it’s small, it builds upon itself until that first small result grows into something much larger.  It is the power of compounding, and it works just as well for your money as it does for your skills, your home, your marriage and your friendships.

If you take a dollar, and you put it away every day, in a year you’ll have $365. When you earn 10% return on that money, you have an extra $36, and next year you’re earning a return on your money saved PLUS the return. In this way it grows and grows, even though it starts out small.

Now if you practice and perform something every day, maybe it’s making a call for a sale, maybe it’s catching up with your team, maybe it’s doing a new skill for a job you want to move into. If you do it every day your skill starts out unimpressive. But it builds, and it grows, and if you continue to do it every day you will be improving through your practice AND the existing experience you have gained.

Have the discipline to do something every day and you will be rewarded in ways you cannot imagine today.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – William of Ockham on Simplicity

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“It is vain to do more what can be done with less.” – William of Ockham

Have you heard this leadership quote from the creator of “Occam’s Razor”, William of Ockham?

William of Ockham was an English friar, philosopher, and theologian. He is considered to be one of the major figures of medieval thought and is most commonly known for Occam’s razor, the principle that everything should be as simple as possible, but no simpler.

Quote-Occam-vain to do more-done with less

Taking Occam’s Razor a Step Further

This quote takes William of Ockham’s thoughts a step further. Not only has he said that everything should be as simple as possible, but he actually states that it is simply vain to do more what can be done with less.

In other words, if you are using a million dollars to build a product when it could be built for $1,000, he considers this vain. Others may not be so lenient – they may instead consider it just plain stupid.

Occam’s Razor and The Lean Startup

This is the also concept of the Minimum Viable Product or MVP from the Lean Startup. An MVP is the most minimal, usable feature that you can build and release to your customers so they can see, feel and touch it. Then, but seeing what they like or don’t like, and also seeing whether anyone actually cares enough to buy it, you are able to determine whether to build more, create more features, or to pivot into a new or different idea.

Simplicity Means Fewer Defect and Mistakes

By reducing things to their most simple form, we’re also reducing the opportunity for mistakes, breakages and defects. How many times have you bought something fancy and complicated, only for it to break and then cost you the earth or fix or replace?  When a simple version of the same item may not have been as “cool”, but it lasts you for years and years and years.

Can you think of ways to simplify your work, your products or your life?

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – Abraham Lincoln on Preparation

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“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln 

Have you heard this leadership Quote from Abraham Lincoln?

Abraham Lincoln was an American statesman and lawyer, and also the 16th president of the United States (1861 to 1865). Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, abolished slavery, and modernized the U.S. economy.

Quote-Abraham Lincoln-chop tree-sharpen axe

Don’t Cut a Tree With a Blunt Axe

A tree, in this case, could be a metaphor for any task in your life that will take time to complete. But a tree is a nice, visual way to describe it, and it makes sense that we don’t want to use a blunt axe to chop it down. We want our tool to be sharp. And if we spend that time to prepare our tools for the job, then the job itself takes less time to complete as well.  We’re not spending the full six hours to chop down the tree, it’s now only taking the remaining two hours. The job itself will also be easier with a sharpened axe.

So it begs the question: What are the trees and axes in your life?

What tasks do you have to complete, whether they are new tasks or ongoing? Are you starting a business? Completing some study for an exam? Wanting to get married or find love? Wanting a promotion at work?

What will happen if you take an exam, but do no study? What will happen if start a business, but do no market research? What will happen if you want a promotion, but don’t understand out the area you want to work in?

Sharpening the axe is preparing for the job, and preparing for the job makes the job itself easier.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – Charlie Munger on Incentives and Outcomes

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“Show me the incentive, and I will show you the outcome.” – Charlie Munger

Have you heard this leadership quote from Charlie Munger?

Charlie Munger was born on new year’s day in 1924, and is a former real estate attorney, architectural designer, is the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the huge company controlled by Warren Buffett. He has long been fascinated with the psychology behind human misjudgment.

Leadership Quote-Munger-Incentive-Outcome

Business Partner to the Richest Man in the World

Charlie Munger has been business partner to Warren Buffett, at one time the richest man in the world, and it is clear in his wisdom from quotes like these that there is a very good reason why.

Before the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, mortgage brokers were heavily incentivised through their commissions to sell as many mortgages as possible, whether their customer could pay it back or not. Traders and financial houses were also heavily incentivised through their own commissions to create and sell bundles of these low-quality mortgages to other traders around the world.  And of course, people who couldn’t afford houses but really wanted one were able to do so. The result was a perfect storm that nearly broke the back of capitalism.

But when we talk about incentives, it doesn’t have to be just about money. A person might be doing something to improve their status – gain a new title or a promotion, or even just impress someone they like. It also might be how someone is measured – if you measure a team in your company as a leader and you focus on the volume of something, you can bet that their behavior will change quite quickly to push more of that thing through their process, whether it is of good quality or not.

Think carefully about someone’s incentive, and you will know them well without ever having to meet. You will also be well prepared for any decisions that may take others by surprise.

– David McLachlan

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Leadership Quote – Amelia Barr on Simplicity

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“It is always the simple that produces the marvelous.” – Amelia Barr

Have you heard this leadership quote from Amelia Barr?

Amelia Barr was a writer and teacher from Britain who lived in the late 1800s to early 1900s. When she was only nine years old she had to read for her father, and developed her reading and comprehension well beyond her years. As an adult she learned the Stowe teaching method, whose principles are based on morality and lifelong learning.

Leadership Quote-Amelia Barr-Simple-Marvelous

Simplicity is a Powerful Thing

People often get simplicity confused with ease. the two are not the same. For something to be simple, often we have to cut things out of it, and reduce things to their essential form or qualities, and this is actually quite hard for human beings to do.

But the power of simplicity is that fewer things can go wrong, and there are fewer things to overload our senses or confuse our target audience. When you are able to focus on just one thing, there is a much higher likelihood it will get done, as opposed to switching tasks and having to get up to speed on each task again.

The iPhone made things exceptionally simple for its users. It famously only had one button, and the rest was a simple touch of the screen. Before this it was computers with full keyboards and often complicated navigation.

Amazon also made things simple, when they were the first company to patent the “One Click Buy” button, which had all the relevant customer details saved so a customer only needed to focus on the thing that made Amazon money – the point where the customer bought it.

Ask yourself – “How can I make things more simple in my life, in my organisation, in my team and in my product?”

– David McLachlan

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