Catherine the Great

It is better to inspire a reform than to enforce it.

For to tempt and to be tempted are things very nearly allied – whenever feeling has anything to do in the matter, no sooner is it excited than we have already gone vastly farther than we are aware of.

Your wit makes others witty.

If Russians knew how to read they would write me off.

I have no way to defend my borders but to extend them.

I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.

Most great leaders in history that I’ve studied always need to get as wide a range of opinions as possible so that they can have sufficient information to make the right decisions.

Your performance depends on your people. Select the best, train them and back them. When errors occur, give sharper guidance. If errors persist or if the fit feels wrong, help them move on. The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.

Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team.

The art of leadership is a serious matter. One must not lag behind a movement, because to do so is to become isolated from the masses. But one must not rush ahead, for to rush ahead is to lose contact with the masses. He who wished to lead a movement must conduct a fight on two fronts–against those who lag behind and those who rush ahead.

Leaders, true leaders, take responsibility for the success of the team, and understand that they must also take responsibility for the failure.

The challenge of leadership is to create change and facilitate growth.

Don’t blame the boss. He has enough problems.

I judge people based on their capability, honesty, and merit.

Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.

If you wouldn’t follow yourself, why should anyone else?

I feel like the thing we can do is celebrate people doing great work and create more cultural momentum and awareness that this is an important thing in the world. So when the next economic crisis hits and people are talking about where to cut from the budget, science isn’t the thing.

As a leader, the first person I need to lead is me. The first person that I should try to change is me.

A great leader has to be flexible, holding his ground on the major principles but finding room for compromises that can bring people together. A great leader has to be savvy at negotiations so we don’t drown every bill in pork barrel bridges to nowhere. I know how to stand my ground – but I also know that Republicans and Democrats need to find common ground to stand on as well.

But real leadership comes from the quiet nudging of an inner voice. It comes from realizing that the time has come to move beyond waiting to doing.

Respect people with less power then you. I don’t care if you’re the most powerful cat in the room, I will judge you on how you treat the least powerful. So there.