--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Leadership does take work. And it should…" description: "\"Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to be a leader, you ought to treat leadership as a craft, you ought to become a student of it, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg" --- # Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to… ![“Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to be a leader, you ought to treat leadership as a craft, you ought to become a student of it, and you ought to work at it. And if you're not willing to work at it, well, you get what you give.” quote by Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg) > “Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to be a leader, you ought to treat leadership as a craft, you ought to become a student of it, and you ought to work at it. And if you're not willing to work at it, well, you get what you give.” [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership requires deliberate practice and continuous learning; treating it as a craft leads to effective influence. **In simple terms:** Leadership is a skill that must be practiced. Key Takeaway Treat leadership as a craft and practice it. Themes leadership craft practice growth Mood determined inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team management - career advancement - personal development Key Concepts skill development mentorship continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - Are you actively learning leadership skills? - How can you make leadership practice a daily habit? A Different Perspective If you avoid effort, you’ll achieve less than you could. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the person you want on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-can-become-the-leader-you-ought-to-be-on-the-inside-you-will/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Leadership does not mean getting people to do their job. It means getting people to do their best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/leadership-does-not-mean-getting-people-to-do-their-job-it-means/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Leadership does not mean domination. The world is always well supplied with people who wish to rule and dominate others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/leadership-does-not-mean-domination-the-world-is-always-well-supplied/) [Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/) > [“Yes. Oh no! I don't subject myself to a leadership that does not break new territories! It is the job of leadership to succeed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/yes-oh-no-i-don-t-subject-myself-to-a-leadership-that-does-not-break/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Leadership does not depend on being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/leadership-does-not-depend-on-being-right/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [Leadership does not mean domination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/leadership-does-not-mean-domination/) [Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/) > [Great leadership does not mean running away from reality. Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-leadership-does-not-mean-running-away-from-reality-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Leadership does not come from being in a position of authority; it comes from exhibiting the qualities of a leader. The ability recognizes these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kennedy/leadership-does-not-come-from-being-in-a-position-of-authority-it/) Chris Kennedy > [Sustainable leadership does not compromise the future by expanding and accelerating too quickly in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/sustainable-leadership-does-not-compromise-the-future-by-expanding/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [Leadership does not always wear the harness of compromise. Once and again one of those great influences which we call a Cause arises in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/leadership-does-not-always-wear-the-harness-of-compromise-once-and/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [People are yearning for leadership, and leadership to them does not mean a life spent as a career politician in North Dakota. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/people-are-yearning-for-leadership-and-leadership-to-them-does-not/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [In the end, North Korea's conduct may change only when its leadership does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/in-the-end-north-korea-s-conduct-may-change-only-when-its-leadership/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [I know that millions of Americans from all walks of life agree with me that leadership does not mean putting the ear to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/i-know-that-millions-of-americans-from-all-walks-of-life-agree-with/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [Leadership does not mean being bossy, always telling others what to do. No, leadership means going ahead, not putting others in the front. Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/leadership-does-not-mean-being-bossy-always-telling-others-what-to-do/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) > [“Leadership does never compete, but completes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/leadership-does-never-compete-but-completes/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) ## More by Douglas Conant > [You must bring great resolve to your work. It's not all a bed of roses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/you-must-bring-great-resolve-to-your-work-it-s-not-all-a-bed-of-roses/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [I would assert that highly effective leaders are made more than they're born. Every leader I know who's been highly effective has worked hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/i-would-assert-that-highly-effective-leaders-are-made-more-than-they/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [You have to be a well-rounded leader. You can't fly by the seat of your pants anymore. You have to be incredibly tough-minded about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/you-have-to-be-a-well-rounded-leader-you-can-t-fly-by-the-seat-of/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [I strongly believe that you can't win in the marketplace unless you win first in the workplace. If you don't have a winning culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/i-strongly-believe-that-you-can-t-win-in-the-marketplace-unless-you/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [All of us introverts aspire to be more outgoing, but it's not in our nature. When I was nearly 50, I discovered that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/all-of-us-introverts-aspire-to-be-more-outgoing-but-it-s-not-in-our/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [People lead complicated lives and aren't hanging on your every word or the company mission statement. You have to become a broken record of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/people-lead-complicated-lives-and-aren-t-hanging-on-your-every-word/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [You have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact on the lives of the people with whom you work and live. Make the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/you-have-the-opportunity-to-make-a-tremendous-impact-on-the-lives-of/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [If you're a wounded company, the other companies that have been around for a hundred years will smell it, and they will take advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/if-you-re-a-wounded-company-the-other-companies-that-have-been-around/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Most people that derail as leaders in the corporate world, it's not because they couldn't do the math and calculate return on investment properly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/most-people-that-derail-as-leaders-in-the-corporate-world-it-s-not/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Too many leaders are so caught up in the momentum of work that they lose sight of the opportunity to connect with people. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/too-many-leaders-are-so-caught-up-in-the-momentum-of-work-that-they/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Courage means feeling all those hard human emotions - all that uncertainty and anxiety - and getting the job done anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/courage-means-feeling-all-those-hard-human-emotions-all-that/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Most people think of leaders as being these outgoing, very visible, and charismatic people, which I find to be a very narrow perception. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/most-people-think-of-leaders-as-being-these-outgoing-very-visible-and/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Extroverts may get places faster, but for introverts it's all about working at the pace you need and, at the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/extroverts-may-get-places-faster-but-for-introverts-it-s-all-about/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [It would be counterproductive to tell people exactly what they are supposed to do and exactly how they are supposed to do it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/it-would-be-counterproductive-to-tell-people-exactly-what-they-are/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Trust gives you the permission to give people direction, get everyone aligned, and give them the energy to go get the job done. Trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/trust-gives-you-the-permission-to-give-people-direction-get-everyone/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) [Explore all 40 Douglas Conant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) ## More Aspire quotes > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [At the end of the day, everyone knows what it is to be loved and to aspire to love someone, to want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/at-the-end-of-the-day-everyone-knows-what-it-is-to-be-loved-and-to/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [We should all aspire in life to do a multitude of things well - to be a great father, to be a good husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-modine/we-should-all-aspire-in-life-to-do-a-multitude-of-things-well-to-be-a/) [Matthew Modine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-modine/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I aspire my country eventually has a league where all players play 50 games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-chhetri/i-aspire-my-country-eventually-has-a-league-where-all-players-play-50/) [Sunil Chhetri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-chhetri/) > [I'm exceptional in everything that I do and I aspire to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omarosa-manigault-newman/i-m-exceptional-in-everything-that-i-do-and-i-aspire-to-do/) [Omarosa Manigault Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omarosa-manigault-newman/) > [One of the reasons you study at great institutions or aspire to work in great corporations is that you hope to acquire the values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/one-of-the-reasons-you-study-at-great-institutions-or-aspire-to-work/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) > [So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/so-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-good-conversationali-st-be-an-attentive/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [... the majority of colored men do not yet think it worth while that women aspire to higher education… The three R's, a littlemusic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-julia-cooper/the-majority-of-colored-men-do-not-yet-think-it-worth-while-that/) [Anna Julia Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-julia-cooper/) > [For me, there has always been a disconnect with the sort of elitist structure of the high-art world - and my distaste for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/for-me-there-has-always-been-a-disconnect-with-the-sort-of-elitist/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [There is not a right too long denied to which we do not aspire in order to achieve; there is not a wrong too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-gompers/there-is-not-a-right-too-long-denied-to-which-we-do-not-aspire-in/) [Samuel Gompers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-gompers/) Browse all 650 Aspire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to be a leader, you ought to treat leadership as a craft, you ought to become a student of it, and you ought to work at it. And if you're not willing to work at it, well, you get what you give.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Conant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-leader/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aspire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-leader/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/douglas-conant-16197_aspire_leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should_1306288.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Leadership does take work. And it should. If you aspire to be a leader, you ought to treat leadership as a…” — Douglas Conant", "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": "Douglas Conant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Leadership does take work. And it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-leader/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/leadership-does-take-work-and-it-should-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-leader/#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 } } ] } ```