--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A manager can't act like a role model…" description: "\"A manager can't act like a role model. They need to BE a role model.\" — Ben Horowitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/ben-horowitz-1791_leader_a-manager-can-t-act-like-a-role-model-th_1089682.png" --- # A manager can't act like a role model. They need to BE a… ![“A manager can't act like a role model. They need to BE a role model.” quote by Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/ben-horowitz-1791_leader_a-manager-can-t-act-like-a-role-model-th_1089682.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/ben-horowitz-1791_leader_a-manager-can-t-act-like-a-role-model-th_1089682.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/ben-horowitz-1791_leader_a-manager-can-t-act-like-a-role-model-th_1089682.png) > “A manager can't act like a role model. They need to BE a role model.” [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders must embody the role they expect others to follow, not just advise. **In simple terms:** Be the example you want others to follow. Key Takeaway Lead by example. Themes leadership integrity role models Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational ethical When to use this quote - team meetings - company culture - public speaking Key Concepts authenticity responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Can you be a role model today? - What actions show your values? A Different Perspective People may struggle to embody ideals consistently. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Like Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-role-422062/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Manager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manager/) [Manager Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manager-act-2810190/) [Managers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/managers/) [Models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/models/) [Need Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-role-785193/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Role model](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-model/) [Role models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-models/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) ## Related quotes > [When I'm out in public I need to be a role model for the kids. I need to be someone they can look up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-chalmers/when-i-m-out-in-public-i-need-to-be-a-role-model-for-the-kids-i-need/) [Mario Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-chalmers/) > [They need a role model. They need a star!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/they-need-a-role-model-they-need-a-star/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [It's just like being a father; you got to show them love and you got to show them the path. I don't like this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-chapman/it-s-just-like-being-a-father-you-got-to-show-them-love-and-you-got/) [Duane Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-chapman/) > [No, I like being a role model because I know how much comfort my musical idols brought me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/no-i-like-being-a-role-model-because-i-know-how-much-comfort-my/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) > [People need role models, and they need to feel that there's this opportunity to learn. They need to have people that will stick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-green/people-need-role-models-and-they-need-to-feel-that-there-s-this/) [Kirsten Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-green/) > [I think a lot of people do see me as like a role model or as an ambassador.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/i-think-a-lot-of-people-do-see-me-as-like-a-role-model-or-as-an/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [I like being a role model - people have told me that I am a role model for empowered women, but I don't see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/i-like-being-a-role-model-people-have-told-me-that-i-am-a-role-model/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [I'd like to be a role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorja-smith/i-d-like-to-be-a-role-model/) [Jorja Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorja-smith/) > [I've become someone else, really, like a role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/i-ve-become-someone-else-really-like-a-role-model/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [We need role models who are going to break the mold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/we-need-role-models-who-are-going-to-break-the-mold/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [When you're at a young age you need that one role model, or a few people, to push you along and transform your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-flip/when-you-re-at-a-young-age-you-need-that-one-role-model-or-a-few/) [G Flip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-flip/) > [I share my story to help other people. I know people need someone to be a role model and help them along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/i-share-my-story-to-help-other-people-i-know-people-need-someone-to/) [Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/) > [We absolutely need more role models. I think we need more people to come forward and be proud of who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/we-absolutely-need-more-role-models-i-think-we-need-more-people-to/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [Kids always need a role model. I let them know you can do it, too, if you really want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-spinks/kids-always-need-a-role-model-i-let-them-know-you-can-do-it-too-if/) [Leon Spinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-spinks/) > [There's always something that I really need to do for a role. And for Bridgerton,' it was, I need to make this person relatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-dynevor/there-s-always-something-that-i-really-need-to-do-for-a-role-and-for/) [Phoebe Dynevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-dynevor/) ## More by Ben Horowitz > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [Groupon looked like a very high valuation, but any investment in a great company at any stage is almost always a good investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/groupon-looked-like-a-very-high-valuation-but-any-investment-in-a/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [By far the most difficult skill I learned as a C.E.O. was the ability to manage my own psychology. Organizational design, process design, metrics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/by-far-the-most-difficult-skill-i-learned-as-a-c-e-o-was-the-ability/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“The hard thing is when those “great people” develop a sense of entitlement and start demanding unreasonable things. The hard thing isn’t setting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-hard-thing-is-when-those-great-people-develop-a-sense-of/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“As painful as it might be, I knew that we had to get into the broader market in order to understand it well enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/as-painful-as-it-might-be-i-knew-that-we-had-to-get-into-the-broader/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“On my grandfather’s tombstone, you will find his favorite Marx quote: “Life is struggle.” I believe that within that quote lies the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/on-my-grandfather-s-tombstone-you-will-find-his-favorite-marx-quote/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“Bill Campbell: "It's not about the money." Ben Horowitz: "What's it about, Bill?" Bill: "It's about the FUCKING money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/bill-campbell-it-s-not-about-the-money-ben-horowitz-what-s-it-about/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When the value of the company clearly has fallen below what its assets are worth, having a shareholder who says, 'Let's get a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-the-value-of-the-company-clearly-has-fallen-below-what-its/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group-of-people-that-s-why-they/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“out the right product is the innovator’s job, not the customer’s job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/out-the-right-product-is-the-innovator-s-job-not-the-customer-s-job/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [As companies move to web-based computing they get a lot more servers, which are difficult to manage and control. All kinds of problems can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/as-companies-move-to-web-based-computing-they-get-a-lot-more-servers/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [Breakthrough ideas usually come from guys who look like they're hallucinating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/breakthrough-ideas-usually-come-from-guys-who-look-like-they-re/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When screening engineers from other companies, its smart to value engineers from great companies more than those from mediocre companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-screening-engineers-from-other-companies-its-smart-to-value/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“No matter who you are, you need two kinds of friends in your life. The first kind is one you can call when something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/no-matter-who-you-are-you-need-two-kinds-of-friends-in-your-life-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“The difference between being mediocre and magical is often the difference between letting people take creative risk and holding them too tightly accountable. Accountability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-difference-between-being-mediocre-and-magical-is-often-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Explore all 207 Ben Horowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ## More Leader quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [I always wanted someone looking up to me and trying to understand where I'm coming from as a leader. I'm ready for that. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-brooks/i-always-wanted-someone-looking-up-to-me-and-trying-to-understand/) [Dillon Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-brooks/) > [I really don't think you need a letter on your jersey to be a leader on a hockey club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/i-really-don-t-think-you-need-a-letter-on-your-jersey-to-be-a-leader/) [Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [Leadership is made for service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hyles/leadership-is-made-for-service/) [Jack Hyles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hyles/) > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Browse all 10,680 Leader quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A manager can't act like a role model. 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