“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.”

—  Henry Kissinger

Last update Nov. 2, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been." by Henry Kissinger?
Henry Kissinger photo
Henry Kissinger50
United States Secretary of State 1923–2023

Related quotes

Rosalynn Carter photo

“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”

Rosalynn Carter (1927) Wife of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter

Elia M. Ramollah photo

“Start from where the others have finished, those whom where successful and their results were acceptable. Useless repeating of a task is not suggested.”

Elia M. Ramollah (1973) founder and leader of the El Yasin Community

The Great Master of Thought (Amen- Vol.3), Observing management

Nick Diaz photo

“Where I come from, people like that get slapped”

Nick Diaz (1983) American mixed martial artist

Diaz warning Ariel Helwani, a sports reporter, about instigating fights (April 2011)

“You cannot know where your people are going if you don't know where your people have been.”

Forrest Carter book The Education of Little Tree

Source: The Education of Little Tree

George Galloway photo

“I can't mention, I'm sorry to say, any Arab leader… Where is the… Nasser? Where is the Arab leader who will stand up and tell these people the truth? This is what we are waiting for.”

George Galloway (1954) British politician, broadcaster, and writer

Interview on Abu Dhabi TV http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP91805, June 1, 2005

J.M. Coetzee photo

“Coming to the farm from Worcester, where Coloured people seem to have to beg for whatever they get, he is relieved at how correct and formal relations are between his uncle and the volk. Each morning, his uncle confers with his two men about the day's tasks. He does not give them orders. Instead he proposes the tasks that need to be done, as if dealing cards on a table; his men deal their own cards too. In between, there are pauses, long, reflective silences in which nothing happens.”

J.M. Coetzee (1940) South African writer

Boyhood (1998)

“People more willingly follow a leader who knows where he is going.”

Ralph C. Smedley (1878–1965) Founder of Toastmasters International

Michael McIntyre photo

“It's never enough to say you’re from London, people want to know exactly where you’re from. They see it as more of a test of their own geographical knowledge. You say "I’m from London" people go [high pitched excited voice] "Where abouts, where abouts, where abouts, where abouts exactly, where abouts?" "Uh… North London." If they know it they get more excited. [more excited voice] "Where abouts, where abouts, where abouts?" "Muswell Hill" [even more excited voice] "Where abouts? Where abouts?!" "Do you know Sainsbury’s?"”

Michael McIntyre (1976) British comedian

"Yeeeeeeessssssssss!"
Live at the Apollo (November 26, 2007)

Laozi photo

“With the best leaders when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say, "We have done this ourselves."”

Laozi (-604) semi-legendary Chinese figure, attributed to the 6th century, regarded as the author of the Tao Te Ching and fou…

Only the final bold section is connected to Laozi (see Ch. 17 of Tao Te Ching above). The origin of the added first section is unclear.
Misattributed
Variant: A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.
Context: "Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. With the best leaders when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say, "We have done this ourselves."

C.G. Jung photo

“Where your fear is, there is your task.”

C.G. Jung (1875–1961) Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist who founded analytical psychology

Related topics