Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do. Max De Pree More Quotes by Max De Pree More Quotes From Max De Pree Understanding the diversity of our gifts enables us to begin taking the crucial step of trusting each other. Max De Pree trusting-each-otherdiversityunderstanding The simple act of recognizing diversity in corporate life helps us to connect the great variety of gifts that people bring to the work and service of the corporation. Max De Pree diversitysimplepeople A whale is as unique as a cactus. But don't ask a whale to survive Death Valley. We all have special gifts. Where we use them and how determines whether we actually complete something. Max De Pree whalesdiversityunique Everyone in a successful organization must be willing and ready to risk. Risk is like change; it's not a choice. Max De Pree choicesorganizationsuccessful When things go awry, trust powers the generators until the problem is fixed. Max De Pree generatorfixedproblem Leaders should leave behind them assets and a legacy. Max De Pree assetslegacyleader We see a decline of civility, and, sadly, it’s often modeled by the very people from whom we have the least right to expect it. Max De Pree civilitydeclinepeople Intimacy is at the heart of competence. It has to do with understanding, with believing, and with practice. It has to do with the relationship to one's work. Max De Pree practiceheartbelieve A team of giants needs giant pitchers who throw good ideas but every pitcher needs an outstanding catcher. Without giant catchers, the ideas of the giant pitchers may eventually disappear. Max De Pree teambaseballideas Innovation is the lifeblood of an organization. Knowing how to lead and work with creative people requires knowledge and action that often goes against the typical organizational structure. Protect unusual people from bureaucracy and legalism typical of organizations. Max De Pree organizationknowingpeople Without forgiveness, there can be no real freedom to act within a group. Max De Pree team-buildingrealteamwork We cannot avoid growing old; but we can avoid growing cold. Max De Pree growing-oldcoldgrowing We can go through anything because Jesus goes before us. Max De Pree jesus Earning trust is not easy, nor is it cheap, nor does it happen quickly. Earning trust is hard and demanding work. Trust comes only with genuine effort, never with a lick and a promise. Max De Pree effortdoepromise A friend of mine characterizes leaders simply like this: Leaders don't inflict pain. They bear pain. Max De Pree painmotivationalinspirational A short term view will lead to a partial and perhaps twisted view of the whole picture. A crucial element may be missing. We may not be running the entire race. A friend of mine described a colleague as great at running the "ninety-five yard dash." That is a distinction I can do without. Lacking the last five yards makes the first ninety-five pointless. In fact, serious runners thing of it as a 110 yard dash so that no one will best them in the last few yards. You've got to think beyond the whole. Max De Pree runningfriendshipthinking The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. Max De Pree
