---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ninety percent of leadership is the…"
description: "\"Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.\" — Dianne Feinstein"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png"
---

#  Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate…

![“Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.” quote by Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png)

> “Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.”

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Effective leadership hinges on communicating ideas that resonate with others' desires and needs.

**In simple terms:** Leaders succeed by sharing what people want.

Key Takeaway

Focus on audience needs.

Themes

leadership communication influence

Mood

inspirational pragmatic

Type

advice leadership

When to use this quote

- team meetings
- marketing campaigns
- political speeches
- customer service

Key Concepts

psychology messaging motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you better align your message with your audience?
- What needs are you overlooking?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring audience desires leads to disengagement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [Ninety-nine percent of leadership failures are failures of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/ninety-nine-percent-of-leadership-failures-are-failures-of-character/)

[Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/)

> [If you give only 80 percent leadership, your dog will give you 80 percent following. And the other 20 percent of the time he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/if-you-give-only-80-percent-leadership-your-dog-will-give-you-80/)

[Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/)

> [Ninety percent of politics is deciding whom to blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-greenfield/ninety-percent-of-politics-is-deciding-whom-to-blame/)

[Meg Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-greenfield/)

> [Ninety percent of the preparation we do as actors is just jive. It doesn't do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/ninety-percent-of-the-preparation-we-do-as-actors-is-just-jive-it/)

[William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/)

> [Ninety-nine percent of humanity does not know that we have the option to "make it" economically on this planet and in the Universe. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/ninety-nine-percent-of-humanity-does-not-know-that-we-have-the-option/)

[R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/)

> [Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by tone of voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/ninety-percent-of-the-friction-of-daily-life-is-caused-by-tone-of/)

[Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/)

> [Ninety-five percent of all statistics, including this one, are bogus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-waterhouse/ninety-five-percent-of-all-statistics-including-this-one-are-bogus/)

[Keith Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-waterhouse/)

> [Ninety percent of the cases of polio are in security-vulnerable areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/ninety-percent-of-the-cases-of-polio-are-in-security-vulnerable-areas/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Ninety percent of intelligence was knowing when to shut up.’ – Cherise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/ninety-percent-of-intelligence-was-knowing-when-to-shut-up-cherise/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [“If you’re not consistently carrying out your plan ninety percent of the time, you really don’t have a plan at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alwyn-cosgrove/if-you-re-not-consistently-carrying-out-your-plan-ninety-percent-of/)

Alwyn Cosgrove

> [And just being there is ninety-nine percent of what matters when your world falls apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-goldberg-sloan/and-just-being-there-is-ninety-nine-percent-of-what-matters-when-your/)

[Holly Goldberg Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-goldberg-sloan/)

> [Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/baseball-is-ninety-percent-mental-the-other-half-is-physical/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [Ninety percent of our managers started in the hourly ranks or started in the lower ranks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-bill-marriott-jr/ninety-percent-of-our-managers-started-in-the-hourly-ranks-or-started/)

[J. W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-bill-marriott-jr/)

> [Ninety-nine percent of getting over a problem is mental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-hopkins/ninety-nine-percent-of-getting-over-a-problem-is-mental/)

[Bernard Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-hopkins/)

> [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

## More by Dianne Feinstein

> [Domestic violence causes far more pain than the visible marks of bruises and scars. It is devastating to be abused by someone that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/domestic-violence-causes-far-more-pain-than-the-visible-marks-of/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [My mother emigrated from Russia as a young child. She couldn't speak English and had no education. Her father died at age 32, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/my-mother-emigrated-from-russia-as-a-young-child-she-couldn-t-speak/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [I think the greatest threat to the privacy of Americans is the drone, and the use of the drone and the very few regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/i-think-the-greatest-threat-to-the-privacy-of-americans-is-the-drone/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [We're not perfect, and there are some dark patches in our past, but what makes us special is that we recognize these evils, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/we-re-not-perfect-and-there-are-some-dark-patches-in-our-past-but/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [After a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, the federal government has a profound obligation to help those in need, .. Right now, the victims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/after-a-disaster-such-as-hurricane-katrina-the-federal-government-has/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/while-the-distance-between-the-united-states-and-iraq-is-great-saddam/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [I think that some restriction on speech is appropriate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/i-think-that-some-restriction-on-speech-is-appropriate/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [When the gunman realizes that nobody else is armed, he will lay down his weapons and turn himself in ... that's just human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/when-the-gunman-realizes-that-nobody-else-is-armed-he-will-lay-down/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [People who travel should be on guard. All our military, our police and I think the word has been spread. And people know to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/people-who-travel-should-be-on-guard-all-our-military-our-police-and/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [Survival is nothing more than recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/survival-is-nothing-more-than-recovery/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [I'm concerned about the role the court will play in protecting individual rights in this and the next century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/i-m-concerned-about-the-role-the-court-will-play-in-protecting/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [So there will be a bill. We've been working on it now for a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/so-there-will-be-a-bill-we-ve-been-working-on-it-now-for-a-year/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [Our climate is changing. The Earth's climate has, in fact, warmed by 1.1 to 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit since the industrial revolution. People look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/our-climate-is-changing-the-earth-s-climate-has-in-fact-warmed-by-1-1/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [Abortion, however, is a big threshold issue for me because the dominant majority of people in my state are pro-choice, .. I ran as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/abortion-however-is-a-big-threshold-issue-for-me-because-the-dominant/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

> [The criteria for serving one's country should be competence, courage and willingness to serve. When we deny people the chance to serve because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/the-criteria-for-serving-one-s-country-should-be-competence-courage/)

[Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

[Explore all 91 Dianne Feinstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dianne Feinstein"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-ability-to-communicate-something/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-ability-to-communicate-something/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/dianne-feinstein-7476_ability_ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-abil_380819.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.” — Dianne Feinstein",
                "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": "Dianne Feinstein",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Ninety percent of leadership is the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-ability-to-communicate-something/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-ability-to-communicate-something/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
