--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that there is never an…" description: "\"I think that there is never an indispensable leader, you know? I think that there is a time with dignity that one needs to leave.\" — Madeleine Albright" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/madeleine-albright-1360_dignity_i-think-that-there-is-never-an-indispens_2351909.jpg" --- # I think that there is never an indispensable leader, you… ![“I think that there is never an indispensable leader, you know? I think that there is a time with dignity that one needs to leave.” quote by Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/madeleine-albright-1360_dignity_i-think-that-there-is-never-an-indispens_2351909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/madeleine-albright-1360_dignity_i-think-that-there-is-never-an-indispens_2351909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/madeleine-albright-1360_dignity_i-think-that-there-is-never-an-indispens_2351909.jpg) > “I think that there is never an indispensable leader, you know? I think that there is a time with dignity that one needs to leave.” [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership is not indispensable; there are moments when stepping down with dignity is necessary for progress. **In simple terms:** Leaders can be replaced; leaving gracefully is important. Key Takeaway Know when to step aside for greater good. Themes leadership dignity transition Mood analytical hopeful Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - corporate leadership - nonprofit governance - team management - career change Key Concepts political science ethics Questions to Reflect On - When have you needed to leave a role? - What dignity looks like in exit? A Different Perspective Leaving may cause instability if not planned. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Dignity Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity-needs-5728764/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Indispensable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indispensable/) [Indispensable Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indispensable-leader-5728763/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-leave-2163716/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Think Indispensable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-indispensable-2638281/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-dignity-2058041/) ## Related quotes > [To have a man who can flirt is next thing to indispensable to a leader of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/to-have-a-man-who-can-flirt-is-next-thing-to-indispensable-to-a/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [Confidence in markets and in institutions, it's a lot like oxygen. When you have it, you don't even think about it. It's indispensable. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/confidence-in-markets-and-in-institutions-it-s-a-lot-like-oxygen-when/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Instead of looking on discussion as a stumbling block in the way of action, we think it an indispensable preliminary to any wise action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pericles/instead-of-looking-on-discussion-as-a-stumbling-block-in-the-way-of/) [Pericles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pericles/) > [Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. The cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/don-t-think-of-yourself-as-indispensable-or-infallible-the-cemeteries/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [You need to make sure that you are where you think you are indispensable. And dedicate your task to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ghosn/you-need-to-make-sure-that-you-are-where-you-think-you-are/) [Carlos Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ghosn/) > [Time is a praise,praise of dignity. time take our dignity out of our praise. our answer lies within our dignity,our dignity lies within our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-a-praise-praise-of-dignity-time-take-our-dignity-out-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sign of our time is that the dignity of the human personality has no place: the age is, as are its laws, impersonal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/the-sign-of-our-time-is-that-the-dignity-of-the-human-personality-has/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [This party is just full of children, and someone needs to leave them in a hot car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/this-party-is-just-full-of-children-and-someone-needs-to-leave-them/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [After she swallows, she needs to leave..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j/after-she-swallows-she-needs-to-leave/) [J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j/) > [I am of the opinion that even if my role is merely 10 minutes long, it needs to leave an impact on the audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananya-panday/i-am-of-the-opinion-that-even-if-my-role-is-merely-10-minutes-long-it/) [Ananya Panday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananya-panday/) > [Netanyahu needs to leave Israel's political life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-gantz/netanyahu-needs-to-leave-israel-s-political-life/) [Benny Gantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-gantz/) > [Anybody that believes in separation of church and state needs to leave right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/star-parker/anybody-that-believes-in-separation-of-church-and-state-needs-to/) [Star Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/star-parker/) > [My career is the sum of the decisions I have made. Everyone can work hard, but I work on my own terms. I stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/my-career-is-the-sum-of-the-decisions-i-have-made-everyone-can-work/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-think-of-yourself-as-indispensable-or-infallible-as-charles-de/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If we have to use force, it is because we are America. We are the indispensable nation. We stand tall. We see further into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/if-we-have-to-use-force-it-is-because-we-are-america-we-are-the/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) ## More by Madeleine Albright > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [No matter how hard we might wish, we will not be able to transform China's behavior overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/no-matter-how-hard-we-might-wish-we-will-not-be-able-to-transform/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [There are a lot of similar aspects in all the religions. The question is which side of it you hold up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/there-are-a-lot-of-similar-aspects-in-all-the-religions-the-question/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Whatever the job you are asked to do at whatever level, do a good job because your reputation is your resume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/whatever-the-job-you-are-asked-to-do-at-whatever-level-do-a-good-job/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I am often asked if, when I was secretary, I had problems with foreign men. That is not who I had problems with, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-am-often-asked-if-when-i-was-secretary-i-had-problems-with-foreign/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Every new president inherits headaches, but President Obama has inherited an entire emergency room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/every-new-president-inherits-headaches-but-president-obama-has/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I am by nature a worried optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-am-by-nature-a-worried-optimist/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [If there's nobody in your way, you're not going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/if-there-s-nobody-in-your-way-you-re-not-going-anywhere/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I can't imagine what it is like to be raised in a society where their only statues that exist are to you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-can-t-imagine-what-it-is-like-to-be-raised-in-a-society-where-their/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I bought ... the pins with my three daughters in mind; the ships are beautiful, graceful, and moving along at full sail, having long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-bought-the-pins-with-my-three-daughters-in-mind-the-ships-are/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [“I also think it is important for women to help one another. I have a saying: There is a special place in hell for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-also-think-it-is-important-for-women-to-help-one-another-i-have-a/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only have to understand fully what you believe and what your national interests are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-capability-of-negotiating-is-something-that-means-you-not-only/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I know that war is very cruel and that life is harder when you aren't able to live in the place you called home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-know-that-war-is-very-cruel-and-that-life-is-harder-when-you-aren-t/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Women are more than 50% of almost every country in the world. Countries rob themselves of the resources of women if they keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/women-are-more-than-50-of-almost-every-country-in-the-world-countries/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [What you have to be concerned about are the extremists. On the whole, we need to understand the more moderate Muslims before they become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/what-you-have-to-be-concerned-about-are-the-extremists-on-the-whole/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) [Explore all 248 Madeleine Albright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) ## More Dignity quotes > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [One of the things I love about Africa is the amount of dignity and respect and humility you see all the time. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/one-of-the-things-i-love-about-africa-is-the-amount-of-dignity-and/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [It is well for a man when he has learned to endure what he cannot change, and to give up with dignity what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-well-for-a-man-when-he-has-learned-to-endure-what-he-cannot/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [There is something to be said for anyone who sits alone with dignity and silently begs for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/there-is-something-to-be-said-for-anyone-who-sits-alone-with-dignity/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/i-just-remember-that-disturbing-feeling-of-walking-into-that-prison/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [Henry Kissinger may have wished I had presented him as a combination of Charles DeGaulle and Disraeli, but I didn't…out of respect for DeGaulle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/henry-kissinger-may-have-wished-i-had-presented-him-as-a-combination/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [The dignity of a woman's life is infinite, her status immeasurable, her capacity unbounded, her role divine...In the fast changing world of today her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-dignity-of-a-woman-s-life-is-infinite-her-status-immeasurable-her/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) [Browse all 3,116 Dignity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that there is never an indispensable leader, you know? 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