--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great leaders gain authority by giving it…" description: "\"Great leaders gain authority by giving it away.\" — James Stockdale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/james-stockdale-20298_authority_great-leaders-gain-authority-by-giving-i_1105188.jpg" --- # Great leaders gain authority by giving it away. ![“Great leaders gain authority by giving it away.” quote by James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/james-stockdale-20298_authority_great-leaders-gain-authority-by-giving-i_1105188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/james-stockdale-20298_authority_great-leaders-gain-authority-by-giving-i_1105188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/james-stockdale-20298_authority_great-leaders-gain-authority-by-giving-i_1105188.jpg) > “Great leaders gain authority by giving it away.” [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True leadership comes from empowering others, not hoarding power. **In simple terms:** Leaders gain authority by sharing it. Key Takeaway Share authority to build stronger teams. Themes leadership empowerment service humility influence Mood thoughtful inspirational Type leadership philosophical When to use this quote - management training - team building - nonprofit work Key Concepts Power dynamics organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you delegate effectively? - When is it appropriate to retain control? A Different Perspective Some contexts may require decisive authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Great leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-leader/) [Great leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-leaders/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [“Depression arises when one uses his power and authority. Whatever authority there is, it is there for giving happiness to others. Authority is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/depression-arises-when-one-uses-his-power-and-authority-whatever/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Get this into your head right from the start. Make backstage kids your best friends. Do not take all the glory. 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For one, because you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/if-you-want-to-be-a-great-leader-remember-to-treat-all-people-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Great leaders have three things; inner light, inner vision, and inner strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/great-leaders-have-three-things-inner-light-inner-vision-and-inner/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [“What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths - and can call on the right strength at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/what-great-leaders-have-in-common-is-that-each-truly-knows-his-or-her/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [All great leaders choose great advisors, people they really trust for their governance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/all-great-leaders-choose-great-advisors-people-they-really-trust-for/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [“Great leaders don't make excuses. 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There was also unrelenting resolve at home, in America's factories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/there-was-great-leadership-in-this-country-at-the-time-of-world-war/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [“When you are with Marines gathering to eat, you will notice that the most junior are served first and the most senior are served…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/when-you-are-with-marines-gathering-to-eat-you-will-notice-that-the/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by James Stockdale > [I mean, I didn't - I should have demanded attention of the boss maybe, or something like that that might have backfired. This I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-mean-i-didn-t-i-should-have-demanded-attention-of-the-boss-maybe-or/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [And so, I mean, he declared war right there and then in so many words and Alex says later in the book, nobody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/and-so-i-mean-he-declared-war-right-there-and-then-in-so-many-words/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [Do the right thing even if it means dying like a dog when no one's there to see you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/do-the-right-thing-even-if-it-means-dying-like-a-dog-when-no-one-s/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [So the first thing that went on was to decide... trying to find a time when we could get reprisal raids out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/so-the-first-thing-that-went-on-was-to-decide-trying-to-find-a-time/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [I was tortured fifteen times, that's total submission. 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And we had our own customs, and traditions, and proprieties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/and-we-had-our-own-laws-i-mean-i-wrote-them-and-we-had-our-own/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [On the eighteenth of December 1972, when we thought we were getting another of the hundreds of little tactical air raids, we heard the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/on-the-eighteenth-of-december-1972-when-we-thought-we-were-getting/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [But there were highs as well as lows, it was as though they said everybody was picking on the man who had more practical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/but-there-were-highs-as-well-as-lows-it-was-as-though-they-said/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [In order to do something you must be something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/in-order-to-do-something-you-must-be-something/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [We couldn't generalize on the people. 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