--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My complaint is not against the work that…" description: "\"“My complaint is not against the work that the churches have done, but the work that they could have done through leadership that was based upon the pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg" --- # My complaint is not against the work that the churches… ![“My complaint is not against the work that the churches have done, but the work that they could have done through leadership that was based upon the principle of co-ordinated, co-operative effort which would have carried civilization at least a thousand years ahead of where it is today. It is not…” quote by Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg) > ““My complaint is not against the work that the churches have done, but the work that they could have done through leadership that was based upon the principle of co-ordinated, co-operative effort which would have carried civilization at least a thousand years ahead of where it is today. It is not yet too late for such leadership.”” [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments missed opportunities for coordinated, cooperative leadership that could have dramatically accelerated civilization's progress, urging action before it’s too late. **In simple terms:** Missed coordinated leadership stalls progress. Key Takeaway Cooperative leadership can fast‑track societal advancement. Themes Leadership Cooperation History Progress Potential Mood Urgent Reflective Type Inspirational Historical When to use this quote - Policy making - Organizational strategy - Community planning Key Concepts Coordinated effort Civilizational development Practical Applications - Strategic leadership consulting - Historical analysis of missed opportunities Questions to Reflect On - What structures hinder coordinated leadership today? - How can we foster cooperative effort in modern institutions? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Churches Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/churches-work-878282/) [Late Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late-leadership-878281/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-based-878284/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Work Churches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-churches-538601/) [Work Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-leadership-878283/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going to work in churches, you have to stay very clean and really careful for the rest of your career. Otherwise, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-tomlinson/if-you-re-going-to-work-in-churches-you-have-to-stay-very-clean-and/) [Taylor Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-tomlinson/) > [I want to be a partner with business, labor, civic leaders, foundations, other churches so that we can work together... If I can talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/i-want-to-be-a-partner-with-business-labor-civic-leaders-foundations/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [American churches work very hard at reaching out to people to bring them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/american-churches-work-very-hard-at-reaching-out-to-people-to-bring/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [We should always be learning or we will cease to be able to change or adapt. I think the best work on leadership today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-espinoza/we-should-always-be-learning-or-we-will-cease-to-be-able-to-change-or/) [Chip Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-espinoza/) > [“In most congregations, the people will not rise up to work until after they first see the leadership rise up and work. Leaders lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/in-most-congregations-the-people-will-not-rise-up-to-work-until-after/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) > [“People are inspired by action. So, when it comes to charity work and leadership, leaders should always remember that it is a lot easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/people-are-inspired-by-action-so-when-it-comes-to-charity-work-and/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Winning is what happens when commitment, desire, talent, preparation, hard work, and leadership all come together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coughlin/winning-is-what-happens-when-commitment-desire-talent-preparation/) [Tom Coughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coughlin/) > [Communication is the real work of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitin-nohria/communication-is-the-real-work-of-leadership/) [Nitin Nohria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nitin-nohria/) > [As with any skill, you have to work at leadership. Watch how the best do it, review what you've done, and look at what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/as-with-any-skill-you-have-to-work-at-leadership-watch-how-the-best/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [“A good leader recognizes that effective leadership is based on responsibility, respect, care, and helping others. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-raybans/a-good-leader-recognizes-that-effective-leadership-is-based-on/) [Hannah Raybans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-raybans/) > [“Since then, I've observed that a charismatic personality who's willing to take risks only for personal gain does not make a good leader. Principle-centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-behring/since-then-i-ve-observed-that-a-charismatic-personality-who-s-willing/) [Kenneth E. Behring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-behring/) > [Lincoln's leadership is based on a number of precepts, but my favorite one is that he acted in the name, and for the good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/lincoln-s-leadership-is-based-on-a-number-of-precepts-but-my-favorite/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Leadership rests not only upon ability, not only upon capacity; having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/leadership-rests-not-only-upon-ability-not-only-upon-capacity-having/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Leadership is based on a spiritual quality; the power to inspire, the power to inspire others to follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/leadership-is-based-on-a-spiritual-quality-the-power-to-inspire-the/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Leadership is based on complex phenomena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-khurana/leadership-is-based-on-complex-phenomena/) [Rakesh Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-khurana/) ## More by Napoleon Hill > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The mind requires regular use to remain strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-requires-regular-use-to-remain-strong/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/tell-the-world-what-you-intend-to-do-but-first-show-it-this/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You become what you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-become-what-you-think-about/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Every man's own character is written so all who will may read it, in the expression of his eyes, the tone of his voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-man-s-own-character-is-written-so-all-who-will-may-read-it-in/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/life-is-a-mirror-of-your-consistent-thoughts/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-requires-no-explanations-failure-permits-no-alibis/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/there-are-no-limitations-to-the-mind-except-those-that-we-acknowledge/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Explore all 928 Napoleon Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More Leadership quotes > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Under the treaty of Sevres in 1920 Greece had been given Smyrna, and by 1922 the Greek army was trying to push its way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/under-the-treaty-of-sevres-in-1920-greece-had-been-given-smyrna-and/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [Some people you speak to you speak into their heads. It's logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/some-people-you-speak-to-you-speak-into-their-heads-it-s-logical/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You can have Asians being leading men that are sex symbols. You can have leading women powering through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-can-have-asians-being-leading-men-that-are-sex-symbols-you-can/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) [Browse all 20,954 Leadership quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My complaint is not against the work that the churches have done, but the work that they could have done through leadership that was based upon the principle of co-ordinated, co-operative effort which would have carried civilization at least a thousand years ahead of where it is today. It is not yet too late for such leadership.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-that-the-churches-have-done-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Leadership" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-that-the-churches-have-done-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d4/napoleon-hill-201_leadership_my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-tha_65877.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My complaint is not against the work that the churches have done, but the work that they could have done…” — Napoleon Hill", "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": "Napoleon Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“My complaint is not against the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-that-the-churches-have-done-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/my-complaint-is-not-against-the-work-that-the-churches-have-done-but/#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 } } ] } ```