Great leaders understand that historical success tends to produce stable and inwardly focused organizations, and these outfits, in turn, reinforce a feeling of contentment with the status quo.
John P. KotterRead
Those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies and for themselves.
Interpretation
Effective leaders must understand and leverage storytelling to succeed.
This quote highlights the importance of storytelling in leadership. John P. Kotter emphasizes that leaders who do not recognize the power of narratives in influencing others and driving engagement may ultimately lead their teams and organizations toward failure, as stories help convey vision, values, and inspire action among followers.
In practice
During a keynote speech at a leadership conference to emphasize the role of storytelling.
Great leaders understand that historical success tends to produce stable and inwardly focused organizations, and these outfits, in turn, reinforce a feeling of contentment with the status quo.
We are always creating new tools and techniques to help people, but the fundamental framework is remarkably resilient, which means it must have something to do with the nature of organizations or human nature.
Managers are trained to make incremental, programmatic improvements. They aren't trained to lead large-scale change.
Because management deals mostly with the status quo and leadership deals mostly with change, in the next century we are going to have to try to become much more skilled at creating leaders.
Outsiders have the intuitive ability to continually view problems in fresh ways and to identify ineffective practices and traditions.
Many years ago, I think I got my first insight on how an incredibly diverse team can work together and do astonishing things, and not just misunderstand each other and fight.
If someone had told me I would be Pope one day, I would have studied harder.
You have to learn what makes this or that Sammy run. For one it's a pat on the back, for another it's eating him out, for still another it's a fatherly talk, or something else. You're a fool if you think as I did as a young coach, that you can treat them all alike.
We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers
Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.
Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfil my duty towards my country; I am very young and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.
The worst mistake a leader can make is to mentor no one, choose no successor and leave no legacy.
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