Chairman Quote by Colin Powell
“When I was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I would still have junior officers brief me. Usually these people knew more about the subject we were discussing than I did. I had to make sure that they felt confident enough to tell me everything they believed.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Remarks as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1990s
Leaders should encourage junior staff to speak openly, valuing their expertise to improve decision‑making.
In simple terms: Ask for input from those who know more.
Key Takeaway
Listen and empower subordinates.
Themes
leadership
humility
communication
Mood
respectful
collaborative
Type
advisory
motivational
When to use this quote
- military briefings
- team meetings
- project reviews
Key Concepts
organizational hierarchy
expertise sharing
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance confidence with openness?
- When is it better to defer to senior judgment?
A Different Perspective
May cause over‑reliance on junior opinions, risking in.
![“I was in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Bahrain. The first year I went pretty much by myself. Then I went with General [Richard] Myers, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The shows and audiences were amazing. You'll never get a better group of people.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bf0/robin-williams-682_afghanistan_i-was-in-iraq-afghanistan-djibouti-bahra_593154.jpg)
![“[Barack] Obama's out there saying it's the number one national security threat [climate change], and he's got his Joint Chiefs of Staff out there planning American battles, military engagements on that basis.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/631/rush-limbaugh-28_barack_barack-obama-s-out-there-saying-it-s-the_1211360.jpg)
