--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I ignore polling as a method of…" description: "\"I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that shows a certain weakness of mind - an inability to chart a course whichever way the wind blows..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/lee-kuan-yew-3939_blow_i-ignore-polling-as-a-method-of-governme_1615945.jpg" --- # I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that… ![“I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that shows a certain weakness of mind - an inability to chart a course whichever way the wind blows, whichever way the media encourages the people to go, you follow. If you can't force or are unwilling to force your people to follow you, with or…” quote by Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/lee-kuan-yew-3939_blow_i-ignore-polling-as-a-method-of-governme_1615945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/lee-kuan-yew-3939_blow_i-ignore-polling-as-a-method-of-governme_1615945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/lee-kuan-yew-3939_blow_i-ignore-polling-as-a-method-of-governme_1615945.jpg) > “I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that shows a certain weakness of mind - an inability to chart a course whichever way the wind blows, whichever way the media encourages the people to go, you follow. If you can't force or are unwilling to force your people to follow you, with or without threats, you are not a leader.” [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) ## 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 the ability to guide people, not merely force compliance; true leaders inspire, not coerce. **In simple terms:** Leaders must inspire, not just force people. Key Takeaway Cultivate influence through vision and trust. Themes leadership influence integrity Mood thoughtful serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigns - organizational change - public policy - crisis management Key Concepts political theory authority social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Can authority be exercised without coercion? - How do you balance firmness with empathy? A Different Perspective Forceful tactics can backfire and erode legitimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Force People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-people/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-think-347322/) [Ignore Polling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignore-polling-6162516/) [Inability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inability/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Polling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polling/) [Polling Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polling-method-6162517/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [If you can't force or are unwilling to force your people to follow you, with or without threats, you are not a leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/if-you-can-t-force-or-are-unwilling-to-force-your-people-to-follow/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Too many people in government seem to think they are above regular folks, and I said I would expect humility in the way each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sanford/too-many-people-in-government-seem-to-think-they-are-above-regular/) [Mark Sanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-sanford/) > [Obama is trying to paint us as a caricature, as if we're some bizarre individualists who are hardcore libertarians. It's a false dichotomy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/obama-is-trying-to-paint-us-as-a-caricature-as-if-we-re-some-bizarre/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [When making public policy decisions about new technologies for the Government, I think one should ask oneself which technologies would best strengthen the hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-zimmermann/when-making-public-policy-decisions-about-new-technologies-for-the/) [Phil Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-zimmermann/) > [An important task for government is to think about the future as well as to learn from the past, and the Foresight Programme, run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/an-important-task-for-government-is-to-think-about-the-future-as-well/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [I mean, look, the government is not a startup obviously. But projects to change government I think are best thought of as startups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-park/i-mean-look-the-government-is-not-a-startup-obviously-but-projects-to/) [Todd Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-park/) > [If I was in government and running government, I think I would use the government data, because I wouldn't know where else to look,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/if-i-was-in-government-and-running-government-i-think-i-would-use-the/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I can't sit here and be a hypocrite and say I'm for limited government, but I think the government should decide what women do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/i-can-t-sit-here-and-be-a-hypocrite-and-say-i-m-for-limited/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [There are people in communities who are actually out there fighting poverty eye-to-eye, soul-to-soul, in neighborhoods that actually do well, that succeed. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/there-are-people-in-communities-who-are-actually-out-there-fighting/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [In the end whatever the government might think, including the prime minister, we are all MPs, there to represent our constituencies. We are there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/in-the-end-whatever-the-government-might-think-including-the-prime/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [We have to find ways in which, collectively, we agree there's some things that government needs to do to help protect us, that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-find-ways-in-which-collectively-we-agree-there-s-some/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think the American public can accept the fact if you tell them that every time you pick up the phone it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/i-think-the-american-public-can-accept-the-fact-if-you-tell-them-that/) [Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/) > [I don't have any insight or understanding on anything about the government. All I think is that it's stupid - which is the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-don-t-have-any-insight-or-understanding-on-anything-about-the/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [When Conservatives crusade against government while they are trying to be appointed to head the government, I think that's weird!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/when-conservatives-crusade-against-government-while-they-are-trying/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [...the Government must not think that they can stop this agitation. It will go on...We are here not because we are law-breakers; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmeline-pankhurst/the-government-must-not-think-that-they-can-stop-this-agitation-it/) [Emmeline Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmeline-pankhurst/) ## More by Lee Kuan Yew > [“You know, the cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government. You get that alternative and you'll never put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-know-the-cure-for-all-this-talk-is-really-a-good-dose-of/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [The Bell curve is a fact of life. The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I'm not saying that everything I did was right, but everything I did was for an honourable purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-m-not-saying-that-everything-i-did-was-right-but-everything-i-did/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/if-for-instance-you-put-in-a-malay-officer-who-s-very-religious-and/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Supposing Catherine Lim was writing about me and not the prime minister...She would not dare, right? Because my posture, my response has been such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/supposing-catherine-lim-was-writing-about-me-and-not-the-prime/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [You marry a non-graduate, then you are going to worry if your son or daughter is going to make it to the university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-marry-a-non-graduate-then-you-are-going-to-worry-if-your-son-or/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [That was the year the British decided to get out and sell everything. So I immediately held an election. I knew the people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/that-was-the-year-the-british-decided-to-get-out-and-sell-everything/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [A leader without the vision, to strive to improve things, is no good. Then you will just stay put, you won't progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/a-leader-without-the-vision-to-strive-to-improve-things-is-no-good/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [India is scared of the competition... because Chinese goods will go into India and compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/india-is-scared-of-the-competition-because-chinese-goods-will-go-into/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I was a product of the times, the war, the occupation, the reoccupation, my 4 years in Britain, admiring but at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-was-a-product-of-the-times-the-war-the-occupation-the-reoccupation/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Three women were brought to the Singapore General Hospital, each in the same condition and needing a blood transfusion. The first, a Southeast Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/three-women-were-brought-to-the-singapore-general-hospital-each-in/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [What I fear is complacency. When things always become better, people tend to want more for less work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/what-i-fear-is-complacency-when-things-always-become-better-people/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I have said this on many a previous occasion: that had the mix in Singapore been different, had it been 75% Indians, 15% Malays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-said-this-on-many-a-previous-occasion-that-had-the-mix-in/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I have decided that we shall make and build and never give way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-decided-that-we-shall-make-and-build-and-never-give-way/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Nine holes of golf will take you one-and-a-half, two hours. I run in 20 minutes, I feel better off. So the cost benefit made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/nine-holes-of-golf-will-take-you-one-and-a-half-two-hours-i-run-in-20/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) [Explore all 119 Lee Kuan Yew quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) ## More Blow quotes > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our teeples, drowned the cocks! You sulphurour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/blow-winds-and-crack-your-cheeks-rage-blow-you-cataracts-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If he wants to blow his head off, let him. I don't give a damn about Jim Bakker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/if-he-wants-to-blow-his-head-off-let-him-i-don-t-give-a-damn-about/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Not I, not I, but the wind that blows through me! A fine wind is blowing the new direction of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/not-i-not-i-but-the-wind-that-blows-through-me-a-fine-wind-is-blowing/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Music is a wind that blows away the years, memories, and fear, that crouching animal I carry inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/music-is-a-wind-that-blows-away-the-years-memories-and-fear-that/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [One of the wonderful things about Portlandia - and I'm not just blowing smoke, although I can blow smoke, but I'm not - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-raab/one-of-the-wonderful-things-about-portlandia-and-i-m-not-just-blowing/) [Scott Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-raab/) > [I would always find a way to blow the deal and I'm not sure why. 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