Quotes About Leadership by Bob Terry

These quotes about leadership by Bob Terry include quotes on leadership from his books, articles and conversations.

The world is crying out for leadership. In both the crises that affect the future of the globe and the urgent everyday issues that confront every family and village, the time is at hand to pause, to step back and ask ourselves: What is leadership and what is expected of us as leaders?

~Dr. Robert Terry, Authentic Leadership: Courage in Action

Many roads open pathways to authenticity. For some it is disciplined practice, for others revelation, for others service. Regardless of how we get in touch with authenticity, or how authenticity gets in touch with us, the engagement is ongoing and forever challenging.

~ Dr. Robert Terry, Seven Zones For Leadership: Acting Authentically in Stability and Chaos, 2000

As one ponders leadership and wonders if one is called and sent to practice it, always remember that leadership follows servanthood, not the other way around. Serve, and leadership will take care of itself.

~Dr. Robert Terry, Zone Leadership: Mapping the World for Wise Entrepreneurial Action (article)

Authenticity is rarely silent. It speaks for us to listen. The challenge is to test whether authenticity is speaking or some side tracker is misleading. I am sure we have all experienced both.

~ Bob Terry, On Being a Secular Theologian (unpulished manuscript)

In addition to offering a puzzling array of theories, the field of leadership studies raises many exceedingly complicated and provocative questions. Beyond the tantalizing fundamental question—namely, what is leadership—there arise such questions as: What is courage? Is it inherent in leadership? What is vision? How crucial is vision to leadership? What is the relationship between ethics and leadership? How do leaders deal with ethical relativism? Is there any connection between spirituality and leadership? What is effective leadership action? What strategies and skills are essential to leadership?

~Dr. Robert Terry, Authentic Leadership: Courage in Action

One of the reasons leadership theory often fails to work consistently or to be inclusive is that it starts from the wrong premise. My premise is that leadership is a subset of action. This theoretical shift carries enormous consequences for consideration of courage, vision, ethics and spirituality as they relate to leadership. In addition to a starting point, a comprehensive view of leadership must propose a central organizing principle. What idea or notion can unite theory and practice, the one and the many, and the true and the real? What principle can appreciate the richness and diversity of the other leadership theories, be both forever open and self-correcting and be grounded in action? I propose that this principle is authenticity. It is the union of authenticity and action that forms the basis of my definition of leadership.

~Dr. Robert Terry, Authentic Leadership: Courage in Action

Perfection is dangerous. Not only is it impossible, it leads to self-righteousness and arrogance, denial or even despair. No one can measure up to all the standards all the time. Rigidity can replace flexibility if the standards are assumed to be etched in stone.

~Dr. Robert Terry, Seven Zones For Leadership,2000

As one ponders leadership and wonders if one is called and sent to practice it, always remember that leadership follows servanthood, not the other way around. Serve, and leadership will take care of itself.

~Dr. Robert Terry, Zone Leadership: Mapping the World for Wise Entrepreneurial Action (article)

Do You Have A Story About Bob Terry?

We know that Bob had hundreds of best friends, colleagues and students. More likely thousands. Please help us compile a tribute to the leadership legacy that he left to all of us by sharing your stories. Tell us how/where you knew Bob. Share something you learned from him. Tell about the impact his writings had on your leadership thought and practice. Share something humorous that you remember about him or his time with your group or organization. And thank you!