--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are two kinds of leaders: those who…" description: "\"There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.\" — Evan Esar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg" --- # There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested… ![“There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.” quote by Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg) > “There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.” [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders can be motivated by caring for people (the flock) or by exploiting them for profit (the fleece). **In simple terms:** Leaders care for people or for profit. Key Takeaway Motivation defines leadership style. Themes Leadership Motivation Ethics Profit Mood Reflective Critical Type Proverb Observation When to use this quote - Corporate CEOs choosing employee welfare over shareholder gains - Political figures prioritizing constituents vs. campaign donors Key Concepts Altruism vs. self‑interest Practical Applications - Align incentives with collective well‑being - Implement transparent profit‑sharing models Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term effects of flock‑focused leadership? - Can fleece‑focused leaders ever act altruistically? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fleece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleece/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ## Related quotes > [Leaders are less interested in their position and more interested in their positive impact on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leaders-are-less-interested-in-their-position-and-more-interested-in/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I worry that business leaders are more interested in material gain than they are in having the patience to build up a strong organization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-worry-that-business-leaders-are-more-interested-in-material-gain/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Shepherds don't look after sheep because they love them - although I do think some shepherds like their sheep too much. They look after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/shepherds-don-t-look-after-sheep-because-they-love-them-although-i-do/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There's nothing of any importance in life — except how well you do your work. Nothing. Only that. Whatever else you are, will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-s-nothing-of-any-importance-in-life-except-how-well-you-do-your-2/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I got fleeced once, by a sweater—a fleece, if you will. And won’t you? Please do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-got-fleeced-once-by-a-sweater-a-fleece-if-you-will-and-won-t-you/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [ I don't have any regrets about the album \[Veedon Fleece\]. But it's the same old story - an album is basically 35 or 40… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-about-the-album-veedon-fleece-but-it-s-the/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Ask of Her, the mighty Mother. Her reply puts this other Question: What is Spring?- Growth in every thing - Flesh and fleece, fur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/ask-of-her-the-mighty-mother-her-reply-puts-this-other-question-what/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [People are wearing fleece, which is a hard fabric to be angry in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/people-are-wearing-fleece-which-is-a-hard-fabric-to-be-angry-in/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [Write what you know. Every guide for the aspiring author advises this. Because I live in a long-settled rural place, I know certain things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/write-what-you-know-every-guide-for-the-aspiring-author-advises-this/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [I feel in my bones that Lady Gaga is a true strident feminist and good for my soul - but how do I square…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/i-feel-in-my-bones-that-lady-gaga-is-a-true-strident-feminist-and/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Every new stroke of civilization has cost the lives of countless brave men, who have fallen defeated by the dragon, in their efforts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/every-new-stroke-of-civilization-has-cost-the-lives-of-countless/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [It is the height of stupidity to claim that men who for a thousand years have had the power to berate us, to fleece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/it-is-the-height-of-stupidity-to-claim-that-men-who-for-a-thousand/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [On Wenlock Edge the wood's in trouble;His forest fleece the Wrekin heaves;The wind it plies the saplings double, And thick on Severn snow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman/on-wenlock-edge-the-wood-s-in-trouble-his-forest-fleece-the-wrekin/) [A. E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman/) > [For the last time, you cannot wear that cropped fleece vest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/for-the-last-time-you-cannot-wear-that-cropped-fleece-vest/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [What's a good metaphor for a Harvard student? A talking, gold-plated pile of manure, wearing a fleece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/what-s-a-good-metaphor-for-a-harvard-student-a-talking-gold-plated/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) ## More by Evan Esar > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [A vacation is like love - anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-vacation-is-like-love-anticipated-with-pleasure-experienced-with/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Las Vegas is a resort whose two chief sources of income are seven and eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/las-vegas-is-a-resort-whose-two-chief-sources-of-income-are-seven-and/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“Let those who want to, arrive Let those who want to, leave Let those who want to, stay With out harm to me or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/let-those-who-want-to-arrive-let-those-who-want-to-leave-let-those/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The only medicine that needs no prescription, has no unpleasant taste, and costs no money is laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-only-medicine-that-needs-no-prescription-has-no-unpleasant-taste/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The word impossible is peculiar because if you examine it closely, you'll find that most of it is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-word-impossible-is-peculiar-because-if-you-examine-it-closely-you/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/walking-isn-t-a-lost-art-one-must-by-some-means-get-to-the-garage/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The man who avoids debt doesn't have to worry about avoiding his creditors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-man-who-avoids-debt-doesn-t-have-to-worry-about-avoiding-his/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The diamond is the hardest stone -- to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-diamond-is-the-hardest-stone-to-get/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The lecturer who is full of his subject is usually very slow in emptying himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-lecturer-who-is-full-of-his-subject-is-usually-very-slow-in/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Etymology: from Latin ad-, "to" + visum, past participle of videre, "to see". Advice is what you get from your parents when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/etymology-from-latin-ad-to-visum-past-participle-of-videre-to-see/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [A husband may forget where he went on his honeymoon, but he never forgets why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-husband-may-forget-where-he-went-on-his-honeymoon-but-he-never/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [You can always tell the golfer who's winning: he's the one who keeps telling his opponent that it's only a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/you-can-always-tell-the-golfer-who-s-winning-he-s-the-one-who-keeps/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The man who has a girl in every port is not a sailor but a wholesaler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-man-who-has-a-girl-in-every-port-is-not-a-sailor-but-a-wholesaler/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) [Explore all 215 Evan Esar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## More Fleece quotes > [Write what you know. Every guide for the aspiring author advises this. Because I live in a long-settled rural place, I know certain things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/write-what-you-know-every-guide-for-the-aspiring-author-advises-this/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [For the last time, you cannot wear that cropped fleece vest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/for-the-last-time-you-cannot-wear-that-cropped-fleece-vest/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [On Wenlock Edge the wood's in trouble;His forest fleece the Wrekin heaves;The wind it plies the saplings double, And thick on Severn snow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman/on-wenlock-edge-the-wood-s-in-trouble-his-forest-fleece-the-wrekin/) [A. E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman/) > [It is the height of stupidity to claim that men who for a thousand years have had the power to berate us, to fleece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/it-is-the-height-of-stupidity-to-claim-that-men-who-for-a-thousand/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [Every new stroke of civilization has cost the lives of countless brave men, who have fallen defeated by the dragon, in their efforts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/every-new-stroke-of-civilization-has-cost-the-lives-of-countless/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [I feel in my bones that Lady Gaga is a true strident feminist and good for my soul - but how do I square…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/i-feel-in-my-bones-that-lady-gaga-is-a-true-strident-feminist-and/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [People are wearing fleece, which is a hard fabric to be angry in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/people-are-wearing-fleece-which-is-a-hard-fabric-to-be-angry-in/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [Ask of Her, the mighty Mother. Her reply puts this other Question: What is Spring?- Growth in every thing - Flesh and fleece, fur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/ask-of-her-the-mighty-mother-her-reply-puts-this-other-question-what/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [ I don't have any regrets about the album \[Veedon Fleece\]. But it's the same old story - an album is basically 35 or 40… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-about-the-album-veedon-fleece-but-it-s-the/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [“I got fleeced once, by a sweater—a fleece, if you will. And won’t you? Please do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-got-fleeced-once-by-a-sweater-a-fleece-if-you-will-and-won-t-you/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [There's nothing of any importance in life — except how well you do your work. Nothing. Only that. Whatever else you are, will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-s-nothing-of-any-importance-in-life-except-how-well-you-do-your-2/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Shepherds don't look after sheep because they love them - although I do think some shepherds like their sheep too much. They look after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/shepherds-don-t-look-after-sheep-because-they-love-them-although-i-do/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [What's a good metaphor for a Harvard student? A talking, gold-plated pile of manure, wearing a fleece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/what-s-a-good-metaphor-for-a-harvard-student-a-talking-gold-plated/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [It is not always the most brilliant speculations nor the choice of the most exotic materials that is most profitable. I prefer Monsieur de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-antoine-pluche/it-is-not-always-the-most-brilliant-speculations-nor-the-choice-of/) Noel-Antoine Pluche > [In every society where property exists there will ever be a struggle between rich and poor. Mixed in one assembly, equal laws can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/in-every-society-where-property-exists-there-will-ever-be-a-struggle/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) [Browse all 29 Fleece quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleece/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evan Esar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fleece" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/evan-esar-1689_fleece_there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who_116121.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the…” — Evan Esar", "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": "Evan Esar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are two kinds of leaders:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/#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 } } ] } ```