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About this quote

What does it mean?
Balfour was so cautious or inactive that nothing got done under his leadership.
In plain terms
If you want no progress, pick Balfour to lead.
What can you take from it?
Inaction in leadership can prevent necessary change.

Where it applies

  • evaluating political leaders
  • discussing bureaucratic delays

Putting it to work

  • assess leadership styles
  • prioritize action over caution

Questions to consider

  • When is inaction the right choice?
  • How do you judge a leader's success?

Another view

It oversimplifies Balfour's actual political achievements.

More from Winston Churchill

  1. I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colours. I rejoice with the brilliant ones, and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns.

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  2. I gather, young man, that you wish to be a Member of Parliament. The first lesson that you must learn is, when I call for statistics about the rate of infant m…

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  3. I am reminded of the professor who, in his declining hours, was asked by his devoted pupils for his final counsel. He replied, 'Verify your quotations.'

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