--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Successful leadership is not about being…" description: "\"Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character\" — Warre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/warren-g-bennis-3361_assertive_successful-leadership-is-not-about-being_3173566.png" --- # Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft… ![“Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character” quote by Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/warren-g-bennis-3361_assertive_successful-leadership-is-not-about-being_3173566.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/warren-g-bennis-3361_assertive_successful-leadership-is-not-about-being_3173566.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/warren-g-bennis-3361_assertive_successful-leadership-is-not-about-being_3173566.png) > “Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character” [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership hinges on character and a balanced set of traits rather than a single style; integrity guides effective influence. **In simple terms:** Character, not style, defines leadership. Key Takeaway Cultivate character and balanced traits. Themes leadership character balance integrity Mood reflective professional Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team management - political leadership - community organizing - entrepreneurship - crisis response Key Concepts organizational behavior ethics emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What character traits do you embody as a leader? - How can you develop balance in your leadership style? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on traits can ignore context and adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assertive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertive/) [Attributes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attributes/) [Attributes Foremost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attributes-foremost-5786815/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Foremost Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foremost-character-5786814/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-tough-5218184/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [Sensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-leadership/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) ## Related quotes > [Leadership is about tough choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/leadership-is-about-tough-choices/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [(We need) leadership that is tough enough to demand a great deal from everyone, and leadership that is tender enough to encourage the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-sergiovanni/we-need-leadership-that-is-tough-enough-to-demand-a-great-deal-from/) [Thomas J. Sergiovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-sergiovanni/) > [“One of the first steps to successful leadership is to forget your age and remember your dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/one-of-the-first-steps-to-successful-leadership-is-to-forget-your-age/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-key-to-successful-leadership-today-is-influence-not-authority/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [So long as the global economy continues to recover, that remains Obama's No. 1 claim to successful leadership. Nothing else even comes close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/so-long-as-the-global-economy-continues-to-recover-that-remains-obama/) [Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/) > [If we want leaders to make good decisions amid huge complexity, and learn how to build great teams, then we should send them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/if-we-want-leaders-to-make-good-decisions-amid-huge-complexity-and/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [“Set your stage of successful leadership so that your team will have a place to operate from and lead with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/set-your-stage-of-successful-leadership-so-that-your-team-will-have-a/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [To grasp and hold a vision, that is the very essence of successful leadership-not only on the movie set where I learned it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/to-grasp-and-hold-a-vision-that-is-the-very-essence-of-successful/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Biblical literacy is not to be confused with Christian maturity. Homiletic accuracy is not the same as godliness. Theological dexterity is very different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/biblical-literacy-is-not-to-be-confused-with-christian-maturity/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Agile leaders encourage their teams to adjust and experiment constantly. In today's age of oversharing, the best leaders also have to be more open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/agile-leaders-encourage-their-teams-to-adjust-and-experiment/) [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) > [“The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-key-to-successful-leadership-is-influence-not-authority/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [One key to successful leadership is continuous personal change. Personal change is a reflection of our inner growth and empowerment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-quinn/one-key-to-successful-leadership-is-continuous-personal-change/) [Robert E. Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-quinn/) > [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/) > [Absolute identity with one's cause is the first and great condition of successful leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/absolute-identity-with-one-s-cause-is-the-first-and-great-condition/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Leadership doesn't mean giving marching orders that others must follow blindly. Rather, it means causing others to want to follow. Successful leadership is personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-heim/leadership-doesn-t-mean-giving-marching-orders-that-others-must/) [Pat Heim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-heim/) ## More by Warren G. Bennis > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Great groups deliver great results. And for everyone involved in a great group, great work is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/great-groups-deliver-great-results-and-for-everyone-involved-in-a/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Leadership is like beauty - it's hard to define but you know it when you see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/leadership-is-like-beauty-it-s-hard-to-define-but-you-know-it-when/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Coaching will become the model for leaders in the future... I am certain that leadership can be learned and that terrific coaches... facilitate learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/coaching-will-become-the-model-for-leaders-in-the-future-i-am-certain/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Servant leadership teaches us that you have to lay your cards on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/servant-leadership-teaches-us-that-you-have-to-lay-your-cards-on-the/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/that-s-nonsense-in-fact-the-opposite-is-true-leaders-are-made-rather/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Recognize and respect mutual self-interests, then build creative collaborations to serve them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/recognize-and-respect-mutual-self-interests-then-build-creative/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [If great teams don't have an "enemy," they create one for themselves because, as former Coca-Cola CEO Roberto Goizueta pointed out, "you can't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/if-great-teams-don-t-have-an-enemy-they-create-one-for-themselves/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [All great leaders constantly seek new information and new ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/all-great-leaders-constantly-seek-new-information-and-new-ways-of/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Trust is difficult to define, but we know when it's present and when it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/trust-is-difficult-to-define-but-we-know-when-it-s-present-and-when/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Around the world, the generals are being ousted, and the poets are taking charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/around-the-world-the-generals-are-being-ousted-and-the-poets-are/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [A passion for continual learning, a refined, discerning ear for the moral and ethical consequences of their actions, and an understanding of the purposes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/a-passion-for-continual-learning-a-refined-discerning-ear-for-the/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [The failure to find the right niche for people - or to let them find their own perfect niches - is a major reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/the-failure-to-find-the-right-niche-for-people-or-to-let-them-find/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Effective leaders make a full commitment to be a learner, to keep increasing and nourishing their knowledge and wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/effective-leaders-make-a-full-commitment-to-be-a-learner-to-keep/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Encourage reflective backtalk: Leaders know the importance of having someone in their lives who will unfailingly and fearlessly tell them the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/encourage-reflective-backtalk-leaders-know-the-importance-of-having/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) [Explore all 132 Warren G. Bennis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) ## More Assertive quotes > [“Be calm; yet assertive. Be meek; yet courageous. Be gentle; yet bold. Be kind; yet strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman-2/be-calm-yet-assertive-be-meek-yet-courageous-be-gentle-yet-bold-be/) [Charles F Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman-2/) > [Of course you don't want to make outs on the bases , but there are times you have to be assertive in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-maddon/of-course-you-don-t-want-to-make-outs-on-the-bases-but-there-are/) [Joe Maddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-maddon/) > [Being assertive in the home does not produce any smiling faces, but it does bring out a few tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-fesler/being-assertive-in-the-home-does-not-produce-any-smiling-faces-but-it/) [Wes Fesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-fesler/) > [Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/arrogance-is-a-mixture-of-impertinence-disobedience-indiscipline/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [I think naturally, if you're an actor, there's a high level of assertiveness that you need to have to survive this business. There's boldness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/i-think-naturally-if-you-re-an-actor-there-s-a-high-level-of/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I was very shy and withdrawn as a child, but people know me as these assertive women. They are not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-was-very-shy-and-withdrawn-as-a-child-but-people-know-me-as-these/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [Let your desire for truth transcend all minor considerations. Ignorance is invariably confident. The man of knowledge learns to realize his own needs. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/let-your-desire-for-truth-transcend-all-minor-considerations/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/the-best-defense-against-usurpatory-government-is-an-assertive/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [Out of the closets and into the museums, libraries, architectural monuments, concert halls, bookstores, recording studios and film studios of the world. Everything belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-closets-and-into-the-museums-libraries-architectural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The word 'seek' means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-word-seek-means-to-go-in-search-of-try-to-discover-try-to-acquire/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [The North American intellectual tradition began, I maintain, in the encounter of British Romanticism with assertive, pragmatic North American English - the Protestant plain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-north-american-intellectual-tradition-began-i-maintain-in-the/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm not a very assertive person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prunella-scales/i-m-not-a-very-assertive-person/) [Prunella Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prunella-scales/) > [I'm as proud and assertive in my Quebec identity as any Quebecer. I believe it's to Quebec's advantage to be part of the Canadian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-couillard/i-m-as-proud-and-assertive-in-my-quebec-identity-as-any-quebecer-i/) [Philippe Couillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-couillard/) > [The person who knows a great deal about things but has never learnt to see, tends to be assertive; those who have once lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-vann/the-person-who-knows-a-great-deal-about-things-but-has-never-learnt/) [Gerald Vann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-vann/) > [Be assertive, but don't forget to look around. I realized there are other opinions that can be more useful to me than just sticking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-robertson/be-assertive-but-don-t-forget-to-look-around-i-realized-there-are/) [Britt Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-robertson/) [Browse all 167 Assertive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Warren G. 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