Leadership Thoughts and Lessons--Part II

1. L E A D E R S H I
P
T H O U G H T S
A N D
L E S S O N S
P A R T I I

2. Leadership Thoughts and Lessons
2
A Presentation by
Ronald W. Brown
President, Ronald W. Brown & Associates, LLC
Elizabeth Larkins-Caldwell
Owner, Answers and Actions, LLC
In collaboration with

3. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person Who Knew
Something About Performance:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Fight for the things you
care about, but do it in a
way that will lead others to
join you. ”
3

4. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
Who Knew Something About Performance:
Chadwick Boseman
 “When I stand before God at the end of my life,
I would hope that I would not have a single bit
of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything
You gave me.”
 “Savor the taste of your triumphs today, don’t
just swallow them all whole without digesting
what is actually happening here. Look down
over what you conquered and appreciate what
God has brought you through.”
 “When you are deciding on the next steps, next
jobs, next careers, further education, you
should rather find purpose than a job or a
career. Purpose crosses disciplines. Purpose is
an essential element of you.” 4

5. Some Leadership Lessons from People
Who Knew Something About Performance:
Maya Angelou
“If you are always trying to be
normal, you will never know how
amazing you can be.”
5

6. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
Who Knew Something About Performance:
John Lewis
“Do not get lost in a sea of
despair. Be hopeful, be
optimistic. Our struggle is
not the struggle of a day, a
week, a month, or a year, it
is the struggle of a lifetime.
Never, ever be afraid to
make some noise and get in
good trouble, necessary
trouble."
6

7. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
Who Knew Something About Performance:
Vince Lombardi
“When management fails, it
reflects a lack of leadership. All of
you possess leadership ability. But
leadership rests not only on
outstanding ability. It also rests on
commitment, loyalty, and price. It
rests on followers who are ready
to accept guidance. Leadership is
the ability to direct people and—
more important—to have those
people accept that direction.” 7
What It Takes To Be #1: Vince Lombardi on Leadership, at 31

8. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
Who Knew Something About Performance:
Ludwig van Beethoven
“This is the mark of a really
admirable man: steadfastness
in the face of trouble.”
8

9. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person Who Knew
Something About Performance:
General of the Army Douglas Macarthur
“A true leader has the
confidence to stand alone, the
courage to make tough
decisions, and the compassion
to listen to the needs of others.
He does not set out to be a
leader, but becomes one by
the equality of his actions and
the integrity of his intent.”
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10. Some Leadership Lessons from People Who Know
Something About Performance:
Stacey Abrams
“We have the power to redraw the image
of leadership so we can see ourselves
reflected in its face.”
“Admitting mistakes is a fundamental skill
too few us learn. In part, this is because
we’ve been taught it’s wrong to be
wrong.”
“Effective leaders are able to say to the
person they want to impress most:
I don’t know." 10

11. Some Leadership Lessons from People Who
Know Something About Performance: Former
First Lady, Michelle Obama
“You have to practice success. Success
doesn’t just show up. If you aren’t
practicing success today, you won’t
wake up in 20 years and be successful,
because you won’t have developed the
habits of success, which are small
things like finishing what you start,
putting a lot of effort into everything
you do, being on time, treating people
well.”
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12. Some Leadership Lessons from People
Who Know Something About Performance:
President Barack Obama
”
12
“Keep exploring. Keep dreaming.
Keep asking why. Don’t settle for
what you already know. Never stop
believing in the power of your
ideas, your imagination, your hard
work to change the world.”
“Where we are met with cynicism
and doubts and those who tell us
that we can’t, we will respond with
that timeless creed that sums up
the spirit of a people: Yes We Can.”

13. Some Leadership Lessons
from People Who Know
Something About
Performance:
President Barack Obama
“Making your mark on the world is
hard. If it were easy, everybody would
do it. But it’s not. It takes patience, it
takes commitment, and it comes with
plenty of failure along the way. The real
test is not whether you avoid this
failure, because you won’t. It’s whether
you let it harden or shame you into
inaction, or whether you learn from it;
whether you choose to persevere.”
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14. Some Leadership Lessons from People Who Know
Something About Performance
“The conductor, a magical figure for the audience, enjoys a
leadership mystique of significant magnitude. It may seem
strange to the orchestral musician that the corporate world
would be interested in hearing a conductor’s views on
leadership or that the metaphor of the orchestra is so
frequently used in the literature of leadership, because, in
fact, the profession of conductor is one of the last bastions
of totalitarianism in the civilized world.”
“A monumental question for leaders in any organization to
consider is this: How much greatness are we willing to
grant people? Because it makes all the difference at every
level who it is we decide we are leading.”
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15. Some Leadership Lessons from People
Who Know Something About Performance:
Wynton Marsalis
“Don’t wish for someone else to
do later what you can do now.”
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16. Some Leadership Lessons from People
Who Know Something About Performance:
Earvin “Magic” Johnson
”
16
“I motivate others by making
sure that they understand to
go after their dreams and don’t
let anyone tell you can’t. If
you are motivated enough and
put the work in that you can
achieve anything in life that
you set your mind to.”

17. Some Leadership Lessons from
People Who Know Something
About Performance:
Jim Tunney, Former NFL Referee
“A common reason that goals aren’t
accomplished is that they are not clearly
defined. If employees don’t understand
their company’s goals and its game plan,
these goals won’t be achieved. Plenty of
organizations fail for that very reason.
Football doesn’t make this mistake. It’s
goals are always clearly defined. At the
end of the field it’s a goal line. Why do we
call it a goal line? Because eleven people
on the offensive team huddle for a single
purpose---to move the ball across it.
Everyone has a specific task to do—the
quarterback, the wide receiver, each
lineman. Every player knows exactly what
his assignment is. Even the defensive team
has it goals too—to prevent the offensive
team from achieving its goal.”
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18. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person Who Knows Something
About Performance: Kenneth I. Chenault
Chairman and Managing Director of General Catalyst and
Former Chairman and CEO of American Express
”Many people don’t focus enough on execution. If
you make a commitment to get something done, you
need to follow through on that commitment.”
“Dedicate yourself to a core set of values. Without
them, you will never be able to lead effectively.”
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19. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
Who Knows Something About
Performance: Michael Jordan
“There is no ‘I’ in team but there is in ‘win’.
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20. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
People Who Knows Something About
Performance : General Colin Powell
“All employees are boss
watchers. The rank and file will
always take their cues from the
leader. It is therefore doubly
important that the leader live
the values he or she espouses.”
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21. Some Leadership Lessons from A Person
Who Knows Something About
Performance: Bill Russell
“Make sure the team is part of
the process. Help your
business team or family or
basketball team understand
not only what’s going to
happen, but also the whys and
the hows.”
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22. Some Leadership Lessons from A
Person Who Knows Something
About Performance:
Jesus Christ
“Great leaders are great
storytellers. Jesus' stories have
certainly withstood the test of
time. His preferred storytelling
style was the parable. Stories are
richer, more powerful and
longer-lasting than directives or
instructions. Look at your own
life for stories that have relevant
messages for your team... we all
have them. Turn your stories into
coaching tools for future leaders
to build your leadership legacy.”
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https://www.inc.com/lee-colan/4-powerful-leadership-lessons-from-jesus.html

23. Some Leadership Lessons from People Who Know Something
About Performance: Servant Leadership
“Good leaders motivate others by their
listening skills. We are to: avoid prejudicial
first impressions; become less self-centered;
withhold initial criticism; stay calm; listen
with empathy; be active listeners; clarify
what we hear; and recognize the healing
power of listening. Then we are to act on
what we hear”
― John C. Maxwell, Maxwell Leadership Bible,
Revised and Updated

24. Wise Leaders
are Humble
and Give Great
Guidance
Good leaders are approachable,
humble and good listeners. They
seek success for the company and
those they lead. These types of
leaders exercise discernment, make
wise decisions, and are courageous
when confronted with challenges.
Some Leadership Lessons from People Who Know Something
About Performance: Prophetess/Judge Deborah

25. Glen Raiger’s “12 Most Inspiring Leadership Lessons
From Bible Characters”
 “1. Noah: Leaders do what’s right even if
they are alone.
 2. Abraham: Leaders embrace the
unknown.
 3. Joseph: Leaders endure in spite of
circumstances.
 4. Moses: Leaders stick up for their people
 5. Joshua: Leaders rule by example rather
than command
 6. David: Leaders are not afraid of giants
 7. Isaiah: Leaders rise to the occasion
 8. Daniel: Leaders maintain their resolve
without regard for consequences
 9. John the Baptist: Leaders aren’t afraid
to call out the phonies
 10. Jesus: Leaders are servants
 11. Peter: Leaders recover from failure
 12. Paul: Leaders are passionate for what
they believe in”
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/12-most-inspiring-leadership-lessons-from-bible-glen-raiger/