I always thought I was Jeanne d'Arc and Bonaparte. How little one knows oneself.
Charles De GaulleRead
A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A great leader maintains an unpredictable quality that keeps people engaged and anticipatory.
This quote by Charles De Gaulle emphasizes the importance of surprise and unpredictability in effective leadership. It suggests that a true leader possesses unique strategies and insights that others may not fully comprehend, creating an aura of excitement and intrigue. This unpredictability not only captivates the public but also reinforces a leader's ability to inspire and motivate others, driving passion and engagement within their team or community.
Themes
LeadershipSurpriseEngagementMotivationInspiration
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote at a leadership conference to discuss the qualities of effective leaders.
More from Charles De Gaulle
All quotes →Don't ask me who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life.
Charles De GaulleRead
Today we are crushed by the sheer weight of the mechanized forces hurled against us, but we can still look to the future in which even greater mechanized forces will bring us victory. Therein lies the destiny of the world.
Charles De GaulleRead
The perfection preached in the gospels never yet built an empire. Every man of action has a strong dose of egotism, pride, hardness, and cunning.
Charles De GaulleRead
One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day was; one cannot judge life until death.
Charles De GaulleRead
Soyons fermes, purs et fidèles ; au bout de nos peines, il y a la plus grande gloire du monde, celle des hommes qui n'ont pas cédé. [Let us be firm, pure and faithful; at the end of our sorrow, there is the greatest glory of the world, that of the men who did not give in.]
Charles De GaulleRead
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