--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In other words, don't expect to always be…" description: "\"In other words, don't expect to always be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/colin-powell-691_company_in-other-words-don-t-expect-to-always-be_1474850.jpg" --- # In other words, don't expect to always be great… ![“In other words, don't expect to always be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say 'we have a problem, let's go and get it'.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/colin-powell-691_company_in-other-words-don-t-expect-to-always-be_1474850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/colin-powell-691_company_in-other-words-don-t-expect-to-always-be_1474850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/colin-powell-691_company_in-other-words-don-t-expect-to-always-be_1474850.jpg) > “In other words, don't expect to always be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say 'we have a problem, let's go and get it'.” [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## 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 accept imperfection, address problems promptly, and keep moving forward. **In simple terms:** Leaders should confront issues quickly. Key Takeaway Embrace and act on setbacks. Themes leadership resilience problem solving Mood pragmatic steady Type leadership inspirational When to use this quote - project management - crisis response - team meetings Key Concepts continuous improvement organizational health accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance problem‑solving with morale? - What processes help identify real issues? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on problems can demoralize teams. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Disappointments Failures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointments-failures-3037256/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failures/) [Failures Setbacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failures-setbacks-1287631/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Setback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setback/) [Setbacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setbacks/) [Setbacks Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setbacks-normal-5360889/) [Units](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/units/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [Failures and setbacks are a part of this experience, and it will remain in you as wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuho-okawa/failures-and-setbacks-are-a-part-of-this-experience-and-it-will/) [Ryuho Okawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuho-okawa/) > [If we experience any failures or setbacks, we do not forget them because they offend our self-esteem. Instead we reflect on them deeply, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/if-we-experience-any-failures-or-setbacks-we-do-not-forget-them/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“Soar higher on the wings of failures and setbacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-apetsi/soar-higher-on-the-wings-of-failures-and-setbacks/) [Emmanuel Apetsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-apetsi/) > [Failures and setbacks are inevitable for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/failures-and-setbacks-are-inevitable-for-all-of-us/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [So who are we going to blame for our disappointments and our failures?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/so-who-are-we-going-to-blame-for-our-disappointments-and-our-failures/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [“Be grateful for all the disappointments and failures you have had. They give you something extremely valuable: experience!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-christ/be-grateful-for-all-the-disappointments-and-failures-you-have-had/) [Jonathan Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-christ/) > [You have to keep pushing toward those dreams no matter what setbacks happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hamilton/you-have-to-keep-pushing-toward-those-dreams-no-matter-what-setbacks/) [Anthony Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hamilton/) > [The beautiful thing about setbacks is they introduce us to our strengths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/the-beautiful-thing-about-setbacks-is-they-introduce-us-to-our/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [It would be wonderful if we could avoid the setbacks with timely exits, but nobody has figured out how to predict them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/it-would-be-wonderful-if-we-could-avoid-the-setbacks-with-timely/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [I hear that players tend to burn out of basketball, but I absolutely never had that experience myself. There were many times in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/i-hear-that-players-tend-to-burn-out-of-basketball-but-i-absolutely/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [Enduring setbacks while maintaining the ability to show others the way to go forward is a true test of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitin-nohria/enduring-setbacks-while-maintaining-the-ability-to-show-others-the/) [Nitin Nohria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nitin-nohria/) > [Temporary setbacks are overshadowed by persistence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-l-cook/temporary-setbacks-are-overshadowed-by-persistence/) [Quentin L. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-l-cook/) > [If I don't ask "Why me?" after my victories, I cannot ask "Why me?" after my setbacks and disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/if-i-don-t-ask-why-me-after-my-victories-i-cannot-ask-why-me-after-my/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [You can tell a lot about a person not just by their successes, but by how they deal with their setbacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mlynowski/you-can-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-not-just-by-their-successes-but-by/) [Sarah Mlynowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mlynowski/) > [New things have to experience difficulties and setbacks as they grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/new-things-have-to-experience-difficulties-and-setbacks-as-they-grow/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) ## More by Colin Powell > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [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/) > [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. 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It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. 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