--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When leadership set the goals by…" description: "\"When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not goals, they are quotas.\" — Dave Ramsey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg" --- # When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not… ![“When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not goals, they are quotas.” quote by Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg) > “When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not goals, they are quotas.” [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When leaders create goals alone, they become mere quotas rather than shared objectives. **In simple terms:** Leadership goals set without team input become top‑down mandates. Key Takeaway Involve the team in goal setting. Themes leadership goal setting team dynamics ownership Mood inspirational critical Type business advice When to use this quote - corporate planning - project management - strategic meetings Key Concepts collaboration motivation accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders ensure goals feel collaborative? - What processes foster shared ownership of objectives? A Different Perspective Top‑down goals can reduce engagement and creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Goals Quotas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals-quotas-1375579/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-set-1375580/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Quota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quota/) [Quotas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotas-617829/) [Set Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-goals/) ## Related quotes > [The very first task of leadership is to set the vision for the organization. If you don't set the vision, you're not the leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-very-first-task-of-leadership-is-to-set-the-vision-for-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) > [Nobody thinks quotas are a great win for women - the win would be removing the discrimination and inequality that creates under-representation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bates/nobody-thinks-quotas-are-a-great-win-for-women-the-win-would-be/) [Laura Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bates/) > [The Australian way of affirmative action is setting goals and recognising discrimination and lack of opportunity and deciding to take action and setting some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-bryce/the-australian-way-of-affirmative-action-is-setting-goals-and/) [Quentin Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-bryce/) > [Here's the point - you're looking at affirmative action, and you're looking at marijuana. You legalize marijuana, no need for quotas, because really, who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/here-s-the-point-you-re-looking-at-affirmative-action-and-you-re/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [If you think quotas mean the best person not getting the job, you have to believe that the best person always gets the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bates/if-you-think-quotas-mean-the-best-person-not-getting-the-job-you-have/) [Laura Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bates/) > [Quotas are bad for America. It's not the way America is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/quotas-are-bad-for-america-it-s-not-the-way-america-is-all-about/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm not a believer that you should set quotas for these things, because I think what happens is no matter how qualified the woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-clark/i-m-not-a-believer-that-you-should-set-quotas-for-these-things/) [Christy Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-clark/) > [If you still are growing, you go through the archetype of the statesman or stateswoman. You stop asking "What are my quotas?" and stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/if-you-still-are-growing-you-go-through-the-archetype-of-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I don't believe in quotas. America was founded on a philosophy of individual rights, not group rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-don-t-believe-in-quotas-america-was-founded-on-a-philosophy-of/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I'm not out for quotas. I'm out to attract the best young men and women of our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-amos/i-m-not-out-for-quotas-i-m-out-to-attract-the-best-young-men-and/) [James F. Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-amos/) > [A quota for women always amounts to a failure of politics. For me, economics is first and foremost the ability to act freely without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/a-quota-for-women-always-amounts-to-a-failure-of-politics-for-me/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [Affirmative action based on quotas is wrong - wrong because it is antithetical to the genius of the American idea: individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/affirmative-action-based-on-quotas-is-wrong-wrong-because-it-is/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [We believe that visa quotas should be lifted and people should visit anywhere they wish freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/we-believe-that-visa-quotas-should-be-lifted-and-people-should-visit/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [Hiring quotas reduce efficiency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/hiring-quotas-reduce-efficiency/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) ## More by Dave Ramsey > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Stupid is not illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/stupid-is-not-illegal/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Work is a surefire money-making scheme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/work-is-a-surefire-money-making-scheme/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [You can't work three hours a week and make $100,000. Get rich quick doesn't work. Crock pot mentality always defeats microwave mentality!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-can-t-work-three-hours-a-week-and-make-100-000-get-rich-quick/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [No one got rich on a government program. Do not choose to be a common man. You can be uncommon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/no-one-got-rich-on-a-government-program-do-not-choose-to-be-a-common/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [A lower interest rate doesn't make a debt go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/a-lower-interest-rate-doesn-t-make-a-debt-go-away/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [It's never too late to turn things around. You are the only obstacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/it-s-never-too-late-to-turn-things-around-you-are-the-only-obstacle/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [You don't want to have so much money going toward your mortgage every month that you can't enjoy life or take care of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-don-t-want-to-have-so-much-money-going-toward-your-mortgage-every/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Once I will warn you, and then I will fire you! I have a zero-tolerance-plus-one policy for gossip. I will teach you once, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/once-i-will-warn-you-and-then-i-will-fire-you-i-have-a-zero-tolerance/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [This is not a game, ... Debt has become a part of who we are. It's become that spoiled child in the grocery store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/this-is-not-a-game-debt-has-become-a-part-of-who-we-are-it-s-become/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [We are all in the business of sales. Teachers sell students on learning, parents sell their children on making good grades and behaving, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/we-are-all-in-the-business-of-sales-teachers-sell-students-on/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Trust me, I know, you can make mistakes with money and still raise money-smart kids. You can start a new family tradition of handling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/trust-me-i-know-you-can-make-mistakes-with-money-and-still-raise/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [More wealth doesn't fix your life. More wealth makes you more of what you already are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/more-wealth-doesn-t-fix-your-life-more-wealth-makes-you-more-of-what/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [“I have heard it said that if you tell a lie often enough, loudly enough, and long enough, the myth will become accepted as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/i-have-heard-it-said-that-if-you-tell-a-lie-often-enough-loudly/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [A good financial planner is going to do more than pick your funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/a-good-financial-planner-is-going-to-do-more-than-pick-your-funds/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) [Explore all 239 Dave Ramsey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) ## More Goal quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“my role my goal my dream my life not yours -all mine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emi-sisk/my-role-my-goal-my-dream-my-life-not-yours-all-mine/) [Emi Sisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emi-sisk/) > [Eugenic goals are most likely to be attained under another name than eugenics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-osborn/eugenic-goals-are-most-likely-to-be-attained-under-another-name-than/) [Frederick Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-osborn/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [Everybody tries to score a great goal, and I am lucky I have netted a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/everybody-tries-to-score-a-great-goal-and-i-am-lucky-i-have-netted-a/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [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/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [When you look around the room during meetings and practice, you see that everyone has the same goal. It's obvious by the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kendricks/when-you-look-around-the-room-during-meetings-and-practice-you-see/) [Eric Kendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kendricks/) > [I like to wake up and just feel gratitude. Gratitude for waking up, for my health, for my kids, for my family. A lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-corcoran/i-like-to-wake-up-and-just-feel-gratitude-gratitude-for-waking-up-for/) [Barbara Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-corcoran/) > [“Dreams will come true as long as you give some effort towards your goal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayana/dreams-will-come-true-as-long-as-you-give-some-effort-towards-your/) [Dayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dayana/) > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) [Browse all 9,890 Goal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not goals, they are quotas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Ramsey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themselves-they-are-not-goals-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themselves-they-are-not-goals-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/dave-ramsey-1362_goal_when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themsel_2534549.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not goals, they are quotas.” — Dave Ramsey", "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": "Dave Ramsey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When leadership set the goals by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themselves-they-are-not-goals-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/when-leadership-set-the-goals-by-themselves-they-are-not-goals-they/#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 } } ] } ```