John Adair is a British academic leadership theorist and author of more than forty books specializing in the areas of business, military, and leadership. With his books translated in more than eighteen languages around the world, Adair is the President of Adair International. Here is a look at some of the best John Adair quotes ever recorded.
“A good manager is now by definition a leader. Equally, a good leader will also be a manger.”
“A manager will take six months to get to know his staff, but they will take only six days to get to know him.”
“Communication is the sister of leadership.”
“Developing self-confidence is always the preliminary to becoming a leader. but don’t let it become overconfidence, the first station on the track leading to arrogance.”
“Effective leaders treat individuals differently but equally.”
“Humans are not machines, and some of their energy during the day will go into discussions or activities unrelated to the common task.”
“Humble people know their limitations: they know what they know, and they know what they do not know; they know what they can do or be, and they know what they cannot do or be.”
“I have always endeavored to listen to chat each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my own opinion. Oftentimes my own opinion will simply represent a consensus of what I heard in the discussion.”
“In the harsh conditions of Arabia it was necessary for leaders and followers to live and work together side by side. Therefore leadership was never hierarchical. A leader was among the people, not over them.”
“Instinctively, a common feeling exists that “United we stand, divided we fall”, that good relationship, desirable in themselves, are also an essential means towards the shared end.”
“Integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to values outside yourself – especially goodness and truth.”
“Leadership is essentially an other-centred activity not self centred one.”
“People expect their Leaders to help them to achieve the common task. to build the synergy of teamwork and to respond to individuals and meet their needs.”
“Perhaps one day they will add about you as their leader, “And you made a difference” That is the true reward of Leadership.”
“Praise and recognition based upon performance are the oxygen of the human spirit.”
“Success is often to be found at the edge of failure.”
“The more that people share decisions affecting their working life, the more they are motivated to carry them out.”
“The price of excellence in teamwork is eternal vigilance.”
“There is a useful distinction between good leaders and leaders of good.”
“There is the authority of position and the authority of knowledge – ‘Authority flows from the one who knows.’ But sharing in hardship confers upon a leader something quite rare – moral authority.”
“Those occupying leadership roles who completely lack integrity are what we call ‘Blind shepherds’. They are not really ‘bad’ leaders, because they are not leaders at all: they are misleaders.”
“Work groups and organization come into being because there is a task to be done that is too big for one person.”
“You cannot be a military leader without physical courage. But there are Plenty of soldiers with physical courage who are not leaders.”
John Adair appears in this London Business Forum interview where he discusses how to be a great leader.
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