First place Quote by Terry Pratchett
““Intellectually, Ridcully maintained his position for two reasons. One was that he never, ever, changed his mind about anything. The other was that it took him several minutes to understand any new idea put to him, and this is a very valuable trait in a leader, because anything anyone is still trying to explain to you after two minutes is probably important and anything they give up after a mere minute or so is almost certainly something they shouldn’t have been bothering you with in the first place.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Discworld series, “Going Postal”, 2004
A leader’s stubbornness can be valuable because it forces others to clarify ideas, ensuring only truly important concepts survive prolonged scrutiny.
In simple terms: Stubbornness helps filter ideas; patience reveals importance.
Key Takeaway
Value patience and critical questioning in leadership.
Themes
leadership
stubbornness
critical thinking
patience
communication
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
leadership
philosophical
When to use this quote
- team meetings
- strategic planning
- mentor‑mentee discussions
- innovation reviews
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
decision making
information filtering
Questions to Reflect On
- When does stubbornness become a hindrance?
- How can leaders balance openness with necessary skepticism?
A Different Perspective
May cause delays or missed opportunities if overused.
