10 inspirational quotes on teamwork and leadership to get you thinking

Leadership and team management are not easy tasks –if you want to thrive in this area, it takes effort, constant learning, and a commitment to personal development. Even so, there’s a side to it that demands a bit of touch and finesse.

That’s why we wanted to share these ten quotes about leadership and teamwork that we hope will inspire you as you deal with your team.

1. “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” – Andrew Carnegie, Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and philanthropist.

Sometimes we have a tendency to want to do everything ourselves. This way we can control every aspect of a job or task. However, if you’re in charge of a team, you have to be able to trust them and delegate tasks to them, and sometimes being able to do so effectively is a major hurdle.

2. “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam Walton, American businessman and founder of Walmart.

Trust is a bond that strengthens teams. It’s important for managers to spend time connecting with each person on their team and creating a cooperative and honest workspace. People are more motivated to work for a boss that invests time in them and their team.

3. “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” – Henry Ford, American entrepreneur, founder of Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the mass assembly line.

Dependability is crucial to forming and maintaining a team. A good manager needs to skirt conflict and promote transparency so that processes flow naturally and the team can build towards longevity.

4. “Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.“ – Lester R. Bittel, American industrial engineer, management professor, and author several books on team management and supervision.

A good leader is not only clear about his own goals but also about what his team should be shooting for. For this reason, clear planning is crucial in that it allows everyone involved to conceptualize where they want to go and how exactly they’re going to get there.

5. “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” – James Humes, author and speechwriter for presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan.

A great leader must make sure communication is flowing at all times. This helps you cut down on misunderstandings, better analyze situations, and just generally keep everyone on the same page.

6. “Leaders will be those who empower others.” – Bill Gates, American businessman, co-founder of Microsoft.

A leader’s role is to spur growth in their team and motivate each person to be the best version of themselves they can be. This is where training, preparation, and knowledge come into play.

7. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the USA.

Each person is different, but take time to understand what motivates your team. Having clear goals, creating an environment of belonging, and emphasizing professional development are some general ways to keep people driven and focused.

8. “I have always believed that the way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers and that people flourish when they are praised.” – Richard Branson, an English billionaire businessman and founder of Virgin Group in 1970.

If your team isn’t receiving positive feedback, they can easily lose motivation, which can be echoed in other aspects of their jobs. Whenever you can, immediately recognize and reward hard work, progress, and success.

9. “We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.“ – Bill Gates.

Keeping on topic with number 8, feedback is crucial for letting people know what they’re doing well and what they could work on. Feedback can be positive or negative but it should always be given with a purpose.

10. “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” – Albert Schweitzer, French theologian, philosopher, musician, and winner of the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize.

A great leader leads by example not by barking orders. As the old adage goes: actions speak louder than words. This can apply to feedback as well. If you let your team give you feedback, they’ll be much more receptive to yours.

Another place for some memorable quotes on leadership is the show House of Cards, which is a surprisingly adept leadership course if you look at it the right way. Check out our article on that.

Also, if you’re looking to work on your leadership skills, we have the perfect course for you: Pacific, the serious game on effective team management.