50+ Inspiring Leader Quotes you Should Know in 2025

Inspiring leaders know that change is always afoot, and that it’s important to constantly adapt to the latest trends and challenges. They are also known for their dedication to their employees, and for creating an environment in which employees feel valued and appreciated. In this post, we have compiled a lot of inspiring leader quotes that you should know if you want to be a better leader.

Inspiring Leader Quotes Every Leader Should Know

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” Henry Ford

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” Ronald Reagan

“Don’t waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions; go over, under, through, and opinions will change organically when you’re the boss. Or they won’t. Who cares? Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” Tina Fey

Leaders think and talk about the solutions. Followers think and talk about the problems.” Brian Tracy.

“Power isn’t control at all–power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn’t someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others so that they may have the strength to stand on their own.” Beth Revis

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.” Lao Tzu

“Don’t follow the crowd; let the crowd follow you.” Margaret Thatcher.

“A leader isn’t someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others so that they may have the strength to stand on their own.” Beth Revis

“Always remember, Son, the best boss is the one who bosses the least. Whether it’s cattle, or horses, or men; the least government is the best government.” Ralph Moody

“If you really want the key to success, start by doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing.” Brad Szollose

“‘Give as few orders as possible,’ his father had told him once long ago. ‘Once you’ve given orders on a subject, you must always give orders on that subject.'” Frank Herbert

“The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.” Tony Blair

“A leader takes people where they would never go on their own.” Hans Finzel

“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” Ken Kesey

“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” Max Lucado

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

“The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.” Brandon Sanderson

“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another.” John C. Maxwell

Wisdom equals knowledge plus courage. You have to not only know what to do and when to do it but also be brave enough to follow through.” Jarod Kintz

“You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.” Steve Jobs

“Do you know that one of the great problems of our age is that we are governed by people who care more about feelings than they do about thoughts and ideas?” Margaret Thatcher

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Theodore Roosevelt

“I don’t see myself being special; I just see myself having more responsibilities than the next man. People look to me to do things for them, to have answers.” Tupac Shakur

“A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.” –Jim Rohn.

“A leader is someone who holds her- or himself accountable for finding the potential in people and processes.” –Brené Brown.

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

“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” Publilius Syrus

“A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together. “Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” – Alexander the Great.

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur.” – Nelson Mandela.

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou.

“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.” John Buchan

“My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.” —Steve Jobs

“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” —Bill Bradley.

“Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” —George Patton.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Harold R. McAlindon

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” Woodrow Wilson

“Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.” Dianne Feinstein

“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” Bill Bradley

“Each group and each youngster is different. As a leader or coach, you get to know what they need.” Mike Krzyzewski

“A leader is someone who holds her- or himself accountable for finding the potential in people and processes.” Brené Brown

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Madeleine Albright

“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” Andrew Carnegie

“If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulder of giants.” Isaac Newton

“There is no investment you can make which will pay you so well as the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer through your establishment.” Orison Swett Marden

“Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” Vince Lombardi

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” Warren Buffett

“I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?” Benjamin Disraeli

“What you do has far greater impact than what you say.” Stephen Covey

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.” Albert Schweitzer

So, there were some of the popular inspiring leader quotes anyone should read while looking for motivation and inspiration.

Conclusion

These inspiring leader quotes will help motivate you in your personal and professional endeavors. Keep in mind that the key is to keep these principles in mind and constantly challenge yourself to new and more difficult levels of success. Thank you for reading!

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