Live Blog From The 2014 Global Leadership Summit – 44 Leadership Quotes From Carly Fiorina

In an effort to add maximum value to pastors and church leaders, INJOY Stewardship Solutions has dispatched me to attend the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.  During the next two days, I will be bringing some of the top leadership lessons from the incredible faculty the WCA has assembled.

The next session’s speaker was Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, who spoke on Defining Leadership.  The following are 44 leadership quotes and lessons from her inspirational session.

1. Life isn’t smooth.
2. All of us learn life’s lessons from living life.
3. Through good times and bad times I knew I was not alone.
4. Leadership is the same no matter what the context is.
5. Everyone has potential. Everyone has more potential than most of us realize.
6. Human potential is the only limitless resource we have in this world.
7. There are things that crush potential. Bureaucracy in any setting because the people who worked in bureaucracy get the message…Follow the rules.
8. Bureaucracies always turn in on themselves. They forget they are there to serve.
9. What unlocks potential? Leadership. The highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential of others.
10. We call a lot of people leaders who are not leaders at all.
11. Leadership Is not management. Management is really important but is the production of acceptable results within known constraints and conditions.
12. A leader says, “I’m going to change these conditions.”
13. Leadership actually about changing the order of things.
14. There are a lot of people in corner offices who have never led a day in their lives.
15. Leadership is not about position, title and power.
16. He led as less than a nobody. He led as a criminal. – referring to Nelson Mandela
17. Leaders never accomplish anything worthwhile working on their own.
18. Is there any better symbol of powerlessness than a baby in a manger?
19. People are not poor because they lack potential. People are poor because, for whatever reason, they have not been given the opportunity to unlock their potential.
20. People think a great speech is leadership.
21. The most important aspects of leadership are not words.
22. Where are we going? How are we going to work together to get the work done? How will I develop my team? How are we going to measure progress? What counts as success?
23. Reorganization is an illusion of progress. Nothing is getting done.
24. Structure should always follow strategy. You have to know why you’re doing what you’re doing.
25. What gets measured is what gets done.
26. Measurement says what is important.
27. Culture is “What’s it like to work around here?”
28. People will listen to “the talk” for a while. Then they will start watching “the walk”.
29. The hardest decision I ever made as an executive was to fire a direct report…His behavior was something we would not tolerate.
30. In the end actions always speak louder than words.
31. An organization cannot achieve its potential if its people cannot achieve theirs.
32. 20/20 Rule. 20% of the people are change warriors. Change is a battle. They are warriors. 20% of the people are “Hell no. I won’t go.” They become the source of resistance. 60% are skeptics. They’re waiting.
33. Successful change never happens unless the 60% are moved.
34. When 80% of the people are engaged, forward momentum is possible.
35. Leaders are made. Not born.
36. Leadership is a profoundly human gift. It is available to us all.
37. True leadership requires faith.
38. A love of God makes leadership easier. Faith gives us the gift of humility. True leadership requires a leader to understand it is not about us. It is about others.
39. Faith gives us the gift of empathy. I could be where this person is.
40. Faith gives us the gift of optimism. A leader knows things can get better.
41. You must have a lot of faith in others. You must know people can rise to the occasion.
42. Faith teaches us everyone is equal. No one is better than anyone else.
43. Leadership is a choice.
44. Resistance is tough. Criticism is worse. Leaders are sorely tested.

As a gift to all pastors and church leaders reading this post, INJOY Stewardship Solutions is pleased to offer your the FREE copy of our latest Ebook Nothing Grows A Church Faster.  This resource contains a complete done-for-you sermon series with outlines on stewardship and generosity.  This information will relieve stress and make you a better preacher.  Click HERE or on the image to the left to download this information.  Enjoy!