8 Colin Powell Quotes on Leadership

Colin Powell quotes on leadership

1. 'Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most.'

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

4. In September 2005, Powell was asked about the Security Council speech during an interview with Barbara Walters and responded that it was a 'blot' on his record. He went on to say, 'it will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now.' [2]

6. 'You break it, you own it.'

9. 'This may sound a little improper, but when the Vice President and I are alone it's Colin and Dick.'

14. 'Many of my generation, the career captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels seasoned in that war [Vietnam], vowed that when our turn came to call the shots, we would not quietly acquiesce in halfhearted warfare for half-baked reasons that the American people could not understand.'

15. 'Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.'

16. 'Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.'

18. 'Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes.'