--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Authority doesn't come from a rank.,\"…" description: "\"Authority doesn't come from a rank.,\" Kaladin said, fingering the spheres in his pocket. \"Where does it come from?\" \"From the men who give it to you. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg" --- # Authority doesn't come from a rank.," Kaladin said… ![“Authority doesn't come from a rank.," Kaladin said, fingering the spheres in his pocket. "Where does it come from?" "From the men who give it to you. That's the only way to get it.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg) > “Authority doesn't come from a rank.," Kaladin said, fingering the spheres in his pocket. "Where does it come from?" "From the men who give it to you. That's the only way to get it.” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores the source of authority as granted by people, not rank. **In simple terms:** Authority comes from people’s grant, not rank. Key Takeaway Earn authority through service. Themes leadership authority trust Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team building - community organizing - public speaking Key Concepts social contract ethical leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders earn genuine authority? - What responsibilities accompany granted authority? A Different Perspective Power dynamics can complicate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“Why do we fight, Kal? Why do we keep going?” “I don’t know,” Kaladin whispered. “I’ve forgotten.” “It’s so we can be with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-do-we-fight-kal-why-do-we-keep-going-i-don-t-know-kaladin/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I have full requisition right from the quartermasters too,” Kaladin said, ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-have-full-requisition-right-from-the-quartermasters-too-kaladin-said/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“You still think I’m too optimistic, don’t you?” Shallan said. “It’s not your fault,” Kaladin said. “I’d rather be like you. I’d rather not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-still-think-i-m-too-optimistic-don-t-you-shallan-said-it-s-not/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“How . . .” Dalinar said. “You fell into a chasm!” “I fell face-first, sir,” Kaladin said, “and fortunately, I’m particularly hard-headed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/how-dalinar-said-you-fell-into-a-chasm-i-fell-face-first-sir-kaladin/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [ “Storms, woman,” \[Kaladin\] said. “I don’t know what to make of you.” “Preferably not a corpse.” “I’m surprised someone hasn't already done that.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/storms-woman-kaladin-said-i-don-t-know-what-to-make-of-you-preferably/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Storms, boy. What did you do? Hit a lighteyes?” “Yes,” Kaladin said. Then punched him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/storms-boy-what-did-you-do-hit-a-lighteyes-yes-kaladin-said-then/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Fleet kept running,” Kaladin growled, getting back under Elhokar’s arm. “What?” “He couldn't win, but he kept running. And when the storm caught him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/fleet-kept-running-kaladin-growled-getting-back-under-elhokar-s-arm/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [What did you put in the fire?" Kaladin said. "To make that special smoke?" "Nothing. It was just and ordinary fire." "But, I saw-"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/what-did-you-put-in-the-fire-kaladin-said-to-make-that-special-smoke/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I need you, Teft,” Kaladin said. “I said—” “Not your food. You. Your loyalty. Your allegiance.” The older man continued to eat. He didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-need-you-teft-kaladin-said-i-said-not-your-food-you-your-loyalty/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“You want me to lead the caravan?” “Instructions will be acceptable.” “All right. First, find a cliff.” “That, it will give you a vantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-want-me-to-lead-the-caravan-instructions-will-be-acceptable-all/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I’m mysterious,” Kaladin said. “I used to think you were. Then I found out you don’t like good puns—it’s truly possible to know too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-m-mysterious-kaladin-said-i-used-to-think-you-were-then-i-found-out/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Kaladin frowned. “Wait. Are you wearing cologne? In prison?” “Well, there was no need to be barbaric, just because I was incarcerated.” “Storms, you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/kaladin-frowned-wait-are-you-wearing-cologne-in-prison-well-there-was/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If the afterlife really is a big war,” Kaladin said, “then I hope I end up in Damnation. At least there I might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-the-afterlife-really-is-a-big-war-kaladin-said-then-i-hope-i-end/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Tradition is the blind witness they use to condemn us, Teft,” Kaladin said. “It’s the pretty box they use to wrap up their lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/tradition-is-the-blind-witness-they-use-to-condemn-us-teft-kaladin/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“What is madness?” she asked, sitting with one leg up against her chest, vaporous skirt flickering around her calves and vanishing into mist. “It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/what-is-madness-she-asked-sitting-with-one-leg-up-against-her-chest/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More by Brandon Sanderson > [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/they-say-a-man-doesn-t-know-himself-until-he-faces-death-for-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Why, Elend! That’s almost romantic—in a twisted ‘I’m going to make my wife want to kill me’ sort of way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-elend-that-s-almost-romantic-in-a-twisted-i-m-going-to-make-my/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elantris was the one place where she could remember feeling unconditional acceptance. She had not been a princess, she had been something far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elantris-was-the-one-place-where-she-could-remember-feeling/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elend smiled. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that you're unusual, Vin. You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-are-inexperienced-so-was-i-once-so-is-every-man-the-measure-of-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) [Explore all 1,238 Brandon Sanderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Authority doesn't come from a rank.,\" Kaladin said, fingering the spheres in his pocket. \"Where does it come from?\" \"From the men who give it to you. That's the only way to get it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brandon Sanderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kaladin-said-fingering-the-spheres/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kaladin-said-fingering-the-spheres/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/brandon-sanderson-112_authority_authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kalad_2702626.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Authority doesn't come from a rank.,\" Kaladin said, fingering the spheres in his pocket. \"Where does it come…” — Brandon Sanderson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brandon Sanderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Authority doesn't come from a rank.,\"...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kaladin-said-fingering-the-spheres/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/authority-doesn-t-come-from-a-rank-kaladin-said-fingering-the-spheres/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```