---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great leaders must be able to realize…"
description: "\"Great leaders must be able to realize when something isn’t working-no matter how hard they’ve worked to make it succeed.\" — Jim Rohn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg"
---

#  Great leaders must be able to realize when something isn’t…

![“Great leaders must be able to realize when something isn’t working-no matter how hard they’ve worked to make it succeed.” quote by Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg)

> “Great leaders must be able to realize when something isn’t working-no matter how hard they’ve worked to make it succeed.”

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

## About This Quote

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

Effective leaders must notice when a strategy fails, despite effort, and be willing to change course.

**In simple terms:** Leaders need to recognize failure and adapt.

Key Takeaway

Adapt quickly when plans falter.

Themes

leadership adaptability strategic thinking self‑awareness

Mood

determined pragmatic

Type

inspirational practical

When to use this quote

- business pivots
- team projects
- personal goal setting
- crisis response

Key Concepts

management theory behavioral economics

Questions to Reflect On

- What signs indicate a plan isn’t working?
- How can you foster a culture that embraces change?

A Different Perspective

Changing course can be seen as weakness, not strength.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Great leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-leader/) [Great leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-leaders/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders/) [Leaders Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-able-577785/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Make Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-succeed-650162/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/)

## Related quotes

> [Great leaders are those who are able to look reality in the face, however painful it may be, and deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/great-leaders-are-those-who-are-able-to-look-reality-in-the-face/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Good leaders set vision, missions, and goals. Great leaders inspire every follower at every level to internalize their purpose, and to understand that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/good-leaders-set-vision-missions-and-goals-great-leaders-inspire/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [“Great leaders love what they do, who they do it with, and who they do it for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-scroggins/great-leaders-love-what-they-do-who-they-do-it-with-and-who-they-do/)

[Clay Scroggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-scroggins/)

> [Great leaders don’t try to be perfect. They try to be themselves. And that’s what makes them great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/great-leaders-don-t-try-to-be-perfect-they-try-to-be-themselves-and/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [“Great leaders inspire greatness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-daskal/great-leaders-inspire-greatness-in-others/)

[Lolly Daskal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-daskal/)

> [“Great leaders have to think outside the box sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/great-leaders-have-to-think-outside-the-box-sometimes/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [All great leaders constantly seek new information and new ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/all-great-leaders-constantly-seek-new-information-and-new-ways-of/)

[Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/)

> [“Great leaders don't just know the sweet spots of their people. They tap into and unchain the infinite potential imprisoned within their people...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/great-leaders-don-t-just-know-the-sweet-spots-of-their-people-they/)

[Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/)

> [The world doesn't need more great leaders, it needs more great people who lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/the-world-doesn-t-need-more-great-leaders-it-needs-more-great-people/)

[Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/)

> [“Great leaders are most wanted. They are most wanted for what they do with their gifts and talents. Their dreams are so unique in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/great-leaders-are-most-wanted-they-are-most-wanted-for-what-they-do/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [GREAT leaders do not desire to lead but to SERVE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/great-leaders-do-not-desire-to-lead-but-to-serve/)

[Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/)

> [Great leaders create leaders, not followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-tariq/great-leaders-create-leaders-not-followers/)

[Yasmine Tariq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-tariq/)

> [Great leaders inspire incredible loyalty in their followers and subordinates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lonsdale/great-leaders-inspire-incredible-loyalty-in-their-followers-and/)

[Joe Lonsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lonsdale/)

> [Most experts and great leaders agree that leaders are made, not born, and that they are made through their own drive for learning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/most-experts-and-great-leaders-agree-that-leaders-are-made-not-born/)

[Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/)

> [“Great leaders don't make excuses. They make things better. They are not unrealistic or blind to the difficulties they face. They simply are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-t-blackaby/great-leaders-don-t-make-excuses-they-make-things-better-they-are-not/)

[Henry T. Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-t-blackaby/)

## More by Jim Rohn

> [A well-fashioned day - with a beginning and an end, a purpose and a content, a color and a character, a feel and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/a-well-fashioned-day-with-a-beginning-and-an-end-a-purpose-and-a/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [The amount you give isn't important. What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [If the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labour, entertainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/if-the-idea-of-having-to-change-ourselves-makes-us-uncomfortable-we/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [When a new idea comes our way, we must put it on our mental scales and weigh it carefully before deciding its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/when-a-new-idea-comes-our-way-we-must-put-it-on-our-mental-scales-and/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [The best motivation is self-motivation. The guy says, I wish someone would come by and turn me on. What if they don't show up?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-best-motivation-is-self-motivation-the-guy-says-i-wish-someone/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Faith is the ability to see things that don't yet exist. Faith, though, can turn difficulty into reality, positive reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/faith-is-the-ability-to-see-things-that-don-t-yet-exist-faith-though/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Service to others leads to greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/service-to-others-leads-to-greatness/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Dreams are a projection of the kind of life you want to lead. Dreams can drive you. Dreams can make you skip over obstacles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/dreams-are-a-projection-of-the-kind-of-life-you-want-to-lead-dreams/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/without-a-sense-of-urgency-desire-loses-its-value/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [The greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-greatest-form-of-maturity-is-at-harvest-time-this-is-when-we-must/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Big achievements come one small advantage at a time, one step at a time, one day at time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/big-achievements-come-one-small-advantage-at-a-time-one-step-at-a/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/excuses-are-the-nails-used-to-build-a-house-of-failure/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-ultimate-reason-for-setting-goals-is-to-entice-you-to-become-the/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

[Explore all 837 Jim Rohn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

[Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/)

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

[Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Great leaders must be able to realize when something isn’t working-no matter how hard they’ve worked to make it succeed.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jim Rohn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-when-something-isn-t-working-no/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-when-something-isn-t-working-no/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/jim-rohn-243_able_great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-wh_777906.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Great leaders must be able to realize when something isn’t working-no matter how hard they’ve worked to make…” — Jim Rohn",
                "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": "Jim Rohn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Great leaders must be able to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-when-something-isn-t-working-no/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/great-leaders-must-be-able-to-realize-when-something-isn-t-working-no/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
