Foundations… In Search of Excellence

THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE INGREDIENT IN THE FORMULA OF SUCCESS IS THE KNACK OF GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

AS FOR THE BEST LEADERS, THE PEOPLE DO NOT NOTICE THEIR EXISTENCE… WHEN THE BEST LEADER’S WORK IS DONE, THE PEOPLE SAY, ‘WE DID IT OURSELVES’.

LAO-TZU

WE CANNOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT MANAGERS HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY HANDLED A PARTICULAR PROBLEM THE “ONLY WAY’ IT COULD BE DONE… MANAGERS ARE IMPRISONED ONLY TO THE DEGREE THAT THEIR PALETTE OF IDEAS IS IMPOVERISHED.

LEE BOLMAN AND TERRENCE DEAL

A GREAT MANY PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE THINKING WHEN THEY ARE MERELY REARRANGING THEIR PREJUDICES.

WILLIAM JAMES

ASSUME DIFFERENCES UNTIL SIMILARITY IS PROVEN

NANCY ADLER

Bringing Out the Best

Social Influence

TO MAKE AN OMELET, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO BREAK A FEW EGGS.

ROBERT PENN WARREN

TO DO A THING WELL, A MAN NEEDS POWER AND COMPETENCE.

ST. IGNATIUS

YOU CAN EASILY JUDGE THE CHARACTER OF OTHERS BY HOW THEY TREAT THOSE WHO CAN DO NOTHING FOR THEM OR TO THEM.

MALCOLM FORBES

Personality/Individual Differences

WHAT LIES BEHIND US AND WHAT LIES BEFORE US ARE SMALL MATTERS COMPARED TO WHAT LIES WITHIN US.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

KNOW THYSELF…

ATTRIBUTED TO PLATO, PYTHAGORAS, SOCRATES…

Motivation

A GOOD QUESTION: WHY DO PEOPLE NOT CREATE OR WORK? EVERYONE HAS THE MOTIVATION TO CREATE AND TO WORK, EVERY CHILD, EVERY ADULT. THIS CAN BE ASSUMED. WHAT HAS TO BE EXPLAINED ARE THE INHIBITIONS, THE BLOCKS, ETC. WHAT STOPS THESE MOTIVATIONS WHICH ARE THERE IN EVERYONE?

ABRAHAM MASLOW

Attitudes and Emotions

I CONVINCED THAT LIFE IS 10% WHAT HAPPENS TO ME AND 90% HOW I REACT TO IT.

CHUCK SWINDOLL

WE MAY AFFIRM ABSOLUTELY THAT NOTHING GREAT IN THE WORLD HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT PASSION.

GEORG WILHELM FRIEDRICH HEGEL

THE GREATEST REWARDS COME ONLY FROM THE GREATEST COMMITMENT.

ARLENE BLUM
MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, LEADER
AMERICAN WOMEN’S HIMALAYAN EXPEDITION

Engagement in Teams

TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE

MARY LOU RETTEN

WE MUST INDEED ALL HANG TOGETHER, OR MOST ASSUREDLY, WE SHALL ALL HANG SEPARATELY.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING. KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS. WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS.

HENRY FORD

IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE.

ALBERT EINSTEIN

WHATEVER MATTERS TO HUMAN BEINGS, TRUST IS THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH IT THRIVES

SISSELA BOK

Enabling Organizational Structures

WE TRAINED HARD - BUT IT SEEMED THAT EVERY TIME WE WERE BEGINNING TO FORM UP INTO TEAMS WE WERE REORGANIZED. I WAS TO LEARN LATER IN LIFE THAT WE TEND TO MEET ANY NEW SITUATION BY REORGANIZING, AND WHAT A WONDERFUL METHOD IT CAN BE FOR CREATING THE ILLUSION OF PROGRESS WHILE ACTUALLY PRODUCING CONFUSION, INEFFICIENCY, AND DEMORALIZATION.

PETRONIUS ARBITER, 210 BC.

LUCK IS THE RESIDUE OF DESIGN

BRANCH RICKEY

Enabling Organizational Cultures

HE WHO HAS A “WHY” TO LIVE FOR CAN BEAR MOST ANY “HOW.”

FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

WHERE THERE IS NO VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH

PROVERBS 29:18

ANY TIME YOU SACRIFICE WHO YOU ARE FOR WHAT YOU DO, YOU’VE GIVEN UP TOO MUCH OF YOURSELF.

DAVE ARNOTT

Integrative Perspective

Leading Change

THE ART OF PROGRESS IS TO PRESERVE ORDER AMID CHANGE AND TO PRESERVE CHANGE AMID ORDER.

ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD

FOR FAST-ACTING RELIEF, TRY SLOWING DOWN.

LILY TOMLIN

Decision Making, Risks and Returns

THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT.

SANTAYANA

EVERY TIME HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF THE PRICE GOES UP.

ANONYMOUS

Personal Perspective… In Search of Relevance

THE MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGERS IS NOT TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION OR ALWAYS TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION… AS LEADERS, THEY SERVE A DEEPER, MORE POWERFUL, AND MORE DURABLE FUNCTION WHEN THEY ARE MODELS AND CATALYSTS FOR SUCH VALUES AS EXCELLENCE, CARING, JUSTICE, AND FAITH.

LEE. G. BOLMAN AND TERRENCE E. DEAL

THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE IS IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, REGARDLESS OF FIELD OR ENDEAVOR.

VINCE LOMBARDI

HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THEIR DEATHBED WISH THEY’D SPENT MORE TIME AT THE OFFICE?

STEPHEN COVEY

SUCCESS IS EMPTY IF YOU ARRIVE AT THE FINISH LINE ALONE. THE BEST REWARD IS TO GET THERE SURROUNDED BY WINNERS. THE MORE WINNERS YOU CAN BRING WITH YOU… THE MORE GRATIFYING THE VICTORY.

HOWARD SCHULTZ
CEO, STARBUCKS

DON’T BECOME SO WELL ADJUSTED TO YOUR CULTURE THAT YOU FIT INTO IT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING.

PAUL ROMANS (12:2)