--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the most important variables in…" description: "\"“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner motivations, c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/rosettabooks-25066_ambition_one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-w_2076246.jpg" --- # One of the most important variables in whether an… ![“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner motivations, character, and ambition of those who hold power? Their true, internal motivations will absolutely show up in their decisions and actions—if not…” quote by RosettaBooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/rosettabooks-25066_ambition_one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-w_2076246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/rosettabooks-25066_ambition_one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-w_2076246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/rosettabooks-25066_ambition_one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-w_2076246.jpg) > ““One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner motivations, character, and ambition of those who hold power? Their true, internal motivations will absolutely show up in their decisions and actions—if not immediately, then over time, and certainly under duress”” [RosettaBooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosettabooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding leaders’ true motives reveals their future actions, especially under pressure. **In simple terms:** Know leaders’ motives to predict decisions. Key Takeaway Examine motives, anticipate actions. Themes leadership motivation ethics decision‑making Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - corporate governance - political leadership - non‑profit management - crisis situations Key Concepts inner motivation character ambition stress response Questions to Reflect On - What hidden motives drive your leaders? - How do pressures reveal true character? A Different Perspective Motives can be hidden or change over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Character Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-ambition-2821707/) [Inner Motivations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-motivations-2821705/) [Internal Motivations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal-motivations-1278431/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Motivations Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivations-character-2821706/) [Truth Inner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-inner-980093/) ## Related quotes > [“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-whether-an-enterprise-remains/) [Stephen R. 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There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner motivations, character, and ambition of those who hold power? 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