--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our political leaders have great…" description: "\"Our political leaders have great responsibilities, but as with many situations in life, people often rise or fall to meet your expectations. Our respon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg" --- # Our political leaders have great responsibilities, but as… ![“Our political leaders have great responsibilities, but as with many situations in life, people often rise or fall to meet your expectations. Our responsibility as citizens is to expect our leaders to lead and to give them enough support so that they may do so.” quote by Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg) > “Our political leaders have great responsibilities, but as with many situations in life, people often rise or fall to meet your expectations. Our responsibility as citizens is to expect our leaders to lead and to give them enough support so that they may do so.” [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders must meet public expectations, and citizens should support them to enable effective leadership. **In simple terms:** Leaders need support; citizens should hold them accountable. Key Takeaway Support leaders, demand accountability. Themes leadership citizenship expectations responsibility Mood reflective optimistic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - voting - community activism - policy advocacy - public forums Key Concepts social contract public trust governance Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens balance support with critical oversight? - What mechanisms ensure leaders stay true to expectations? A Different Perspective Leaders may still fail despite support; accountability can be uneven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Political Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leader/) [Political leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leaders/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [“Anti-government rhetoric appears to offer a vision of greater efficiency, self-reliance, and personal freedom. (For obvious reasons, it also usually enjoys greater financial backing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/anti-government-rhetoric-appears-to-offer-a-vision-of-greater/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“We need leaders, we need political leaders and we need business leaders, and my hope for this book is that it helps create that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-white-fellow-of-instaar/we-need-leaders-we-need-political-leaders-and-we-need-business/) James White Fellow of INSTAAR > [“I believed that work would save me, make me happy, solve my problems; that if I absolutely wore myself out, happiness would be waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-believed-that-work-would-save-me-make-me-happy-solve-my-problems/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Citizens expect their taxpayer dollars to go towards the basics, such as schools, public safety, transportation, and infrastructure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-malliotakis/citizens-expect-their-taxpayer-dollars-to-go-towards-the-basics-such/) [Nicole Malliotakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-malliotakis/) > [European citizens expect that there will be also a fair system inside the European Union and in the euro, and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarja-halonen/european-citizens-expect-that-there-will-be-also-a-fair-system-inside/) [Tarja Halonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarja-halonen/) > [Here, I am looking for a document issued by a public attorney. I don't find. He is accused by the political leaders of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-verges/here-i-am-looking-for-a-document-issued-by-a-public-attorney-i-don-t/) [Jacques Verges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-verges/) > [What's different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-s-different-now-is-that-while-political-leaders-used-to-give/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [“If a blanket could be used to keep one person warm, then it stands to reason that all the blankets in the world are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-blanket-could-be-used-to-keep-one-person-warm-then-it-stands-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Political leaders are sucking blood of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakhi-sawant/political-leaders-are-sucking-blood-of-the-people/) [Rakhi Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakhi-sawant/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [As a businessperson, I dont have the power to change the government. That is in the hands of the political leaders. However, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/as-a-businessperson-i-dont-have-the-power-to-change-the-government/) [Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/) > [What we need is political leadership which can give guidance to the development of global governance. We need business leadership which goes beyond shareholder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-somavia/what-we-need-is-political-leadership-which-can-give-guidance-to-the/) [Juan Somavia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-somavia/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [Among the many factors that make a return to halcyon days of the first decades of the postwar era virtually impossible is the decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gilpin/among-the-many-factors-that-make-a-return-to-halcyon-days-of-the/) [Robert Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gilpin/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) ## More by Paul Polman > [Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/renewable-energy-could-reduce-emissions-but-also-create-jobs-and/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [When women are provided with training and entrepreneurial opportunities in distribution networks, they become role models in their communities, showing it is possible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/when-women-are-provided-with-training-and-entrepreneurial/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [Companies are the first to see the costs of climate change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/companies-are-the-first-to-see-the-costs-of-climate-change/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [I don't subscribe to, 'Here are the top ten tips to successful leadership,' or, 'How to learn leadership in ten minutes.' A leader is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-don-t-subscribe-to-here-are-the-top-ten-tips-to-successful/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [I grew up in a small town in the Netherlands which, for years, had been a center of textile production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-grew-up-in-a-small-town-in-the-netherlands-which-for-years-had-been/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [I do not work for the shareholder, to be honest. I work for the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-do-not-work-for-the-shareholder-to-be-honest-i-work-for-the-customer/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [The moment you discover in life that it's not about yourself, that it is about investing in others, I think you're entering a steadier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/the-moment-you-discover-in-life-that-it-s-not-about-yourself-that-it/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [In certain cases, empowering women starts with making their lives easier and removing unnecessary burdens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/in-certain-cases-empowering-women-starts-with-making-their-lives/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [When the climate hurts, people and businesses also feel the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/when-the-climate-hurts-people-and-businesses-also-feel-the-pain/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [As CEO of Unilever, my personal mission is to galvanize our company to be an effective force for good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/as-ceo-of-unilever-my-personal-mission-is-to-galvanize-our-company-to/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [At the end of the day, people will follow you or people will be energised by you if they buy into your vision or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/at-the-end-of-the-day-people-will-follow-you-or-people-will-be/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [I discovered a long time ago that if I focus on doing the right thing for the long term to improve the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-discovered-a-long-time-ago-that-if-i-focus-on-doing-the-right-thing/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [Practically, systemic thinking can be used to identify problems, analyze their boundaries, design strategies and policy interventions, forecast and measure their expected impacts, implement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/practically-systemic-thinking-can-be-used-to-identify-problems/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [I work a lot with blind people in my spare time outside of Unilever, and I count my blessings every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-work-a-lot-with-blind-people-in-my-spare-time-outside-of-unilever/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [If we achieve our sustainability targets and no one else follows, we will have failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/if-we-achieve-our-sustainability-targets-and-no-one-else-follows-we/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) [Explore all 123 Paul Polman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) ## More Great quotes > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [I'm very proud of some of the stories I've been given thanks to the team at 'Emmerdale,' they've been great over the years so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-fletcher/i-m-very-proud-of-some-of-the-stories-i-ve-been-given-thanks-to-the/) [Kelvin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-fletcher/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/) [J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I always bump into people that Ive met. Not great friends, but if I bump into somebody Ive known and I wont recognise them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-franchitti/i-always-bump-into-people-that-ive-met-not-great-friends-but-if-i/) [Dario Franchitti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-franchitti/) > [Performance matters because games are built on great performance, but form factor and energy efficiency matter incredibly because they want to build something that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jensen-huang/performance-matters-because-games-are-built-on-great-performance-but/) [Jensen Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jensen-huang/) > [I'm a lot of things, but none of them are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-nelson/i-m-a-lot-of-things-but-none-of-them-are-great/) [Don Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-nelson/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) Browse all 24,273 Great quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our political leaders have great responsibilities, but as with many situations in life, people often rise or fall to meet your expectations. Our responsibility as citizens is to expect our leaders to lead and to give them enough support so that they may do so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Polman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/our-political-leaders-have-great-responsibilities-but-as-with-many/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/our-political-leaders-have-great-responsibilities-but-as-with-many/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/paul-polman-3721_great_our-political-leaders-have-great-respons_2338543.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our political leaders have great responsibilities, but as with many situations in life, people often rise or…” — Paul Polman", "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": "Paul Polman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our political leaders have great responsibilities,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/our-political-leaders-have-great-responsibilities-but-as-with-many/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/our-political-leaders-have-great-responsibilities-but-as-with-many/#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 } } ] } ```