--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A sovereign of high character and…" description: "\"A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.\" — Sun Tzu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg" --- # A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be… ![“A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.” quote by Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg) > “A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.” [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A wise leader must recognize talent, delegate responsibility, and trust the appointed person to deliver results. **In simple terms:** Leaders should delegate to capable people. Key Takeaway Delegate wisely, trust outcomes. Themes leadership trust delegation Mood strategic pragmatic Type leadership advice When to use this quote - Hiring - project management - team leadership Key Concepts Strategic management character assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess competence? - What safeguards ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on one person can risk failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Sovereign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereign/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“if people do not have responsibility, do not expect them to behave responsibly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carne-ross/if-people-do-not-have-responsibility-do-not-expect-them-to-behave/) [Carne Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carne-ross/) > [The way you speak should not determine your intelligence. I should be able to say 'lit,' and you still know I'm intelligent. I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-way-you-speak-should-not-determine-your-intelligence-i-should-be/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I think true artificial general intelligence would be a system that is able to perform human-level reasoning, understanding, and accomplishing of complicated tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dean/i-think-true-artificial-general-intelligence-would-be-a-system-that/) [Jeff Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dean/) > [“Every person of intelligence should be able to use his mother tongue correctly. It only requires a little pains, a little care, a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-devlin/every-person-of-intelligence-should-be-able-to-use-his-mother-tongue/) [Joseph Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-devlin/) > [As a human being, one has been endowed with just enough intelligence to be able to see clearly how utterly inadequate that intelligence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-a-human-being-one-has-been-endowed-with-just-enough-intelligence/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Winning takes character and intelligence. It is the most important thing you can do because it's a reaffirmation of your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carril/winning-takes-character-and-intelligence-it-is-the-most-important/) [Pete Carril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carril/) > [Your brain is the organ of your personality, character, and intelligence and is heavily involved in making you who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-brain-is-the-organ-of-your-personality-character-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a novel, the author gives the leading character intelligence and distinction. Fate goes to less trouble: mediocrities play a part in great events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/in-a-novel-the-author-gives-the-leading-character-intelligence-and/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [ “\[Since\] a player controls every character, it is that player's intelligence that dictates the character's goals and actions, not an arbitrary number on a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-stafford/since-a-player-controls-every-character-it-is-that-player-s/) Greg Stafford > [Character and intelligence are the poles you talent spins on, displaying your gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/character-and-intelligence-are-the-poles-you-talent-spins-on/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [To be able to discern that what is true is true, and that what is false is false,--this is the mark and character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/to-be-able-to-discern-that-what-is-true-is-true-and-that-what-is/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-clever-combatant-looks-to-the-effect-of-combined-energy-and-does/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [When you see yourself as calm, positive, truthful and possessed of high character, you behave with greater strength. Other people respect you more. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/when-you-see-yourself-as-calm-positive-truthful-and-possessed-of-high/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [One thing I've always prided myself on is understanding that to have success, you have to have high-character kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/one-thing-i-ve-always-prided-myself-on-is-understanding-that-to-have/) [Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/) > [Intelligence has been commoner among American Presidents than high character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-mencken/intelligence-has-been-commoner-among-american-presidents-than-high/) [Henry Louis Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-mencken/) ## More by Sun Tzu > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-according-to-the-shapes-that-i-lay-the-plans-for-victory-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends hit him where he does not expect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/go-into-emptiness-strike-voids-bypass-what-he-defends-hit-him-where/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“In a similar way, The Art of War pinpoints anger and greed as fundamental causes of defeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/in-a-similar-way-the-art-of-war-pinpoints-anger-and-greed-as/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“The PEOPLE being regarded as the essential part of the State, and FOOD as the people's heaven, is it not right that those in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-people-being-regarded-as-the-essential-part-of-the-state-and-food/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/therefore-the-good-fighter-will-be-terrible-in-his-onset-and-prompt/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“So long as victory can be attained,  stupid haste is preferable to clever dilatoriness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/so-long-as-victory-can-be-attained-stupid-haste-is-preferable-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/you-can-ensure-the-safety-of-your-defense-if-you-only-hold-positions/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-we-do-not-wish-to-fight-we-can-prevent-the-enemy-from-engaging-us/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-wins-a-battle-makes-many-calculations-in-his-temple/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/in-all-fighting-the-direct-method-may-be-used-for-joining-battle-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy's numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/to-begin-by-bluster-but-afterwards-to-take-fright-at-the-enemy-s/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [ They \[spies\] cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/they-spies-cannot-be-properly-managed-without-benevolence-and/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) [Explore all 685 Sun Tzu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sun Tzu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intelligence-must-be-able-to-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intelligence-must-be-able-to-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/sun-tzu-283_able_a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intell_2125183.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the…” — Sun Tzu", "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": "Sun Tzu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A sovereign of high character and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intelligence-must-be-able-to-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/a-sovereign-of-high-character-and-intelligence-must-be-able-to-know/#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 } } ] } ```