Live Notes From The Global Leadership Summit – 51 Quotes From Condoleeza Rice And Jim Collins

Thanks to Injoy Stewardship Solutions (ISS), I am attending the WCA Global Leadership Summit for the next two days. ISS has a deep passion for church leaders and I am so glad they invest in its employees so we can carry out that mission.

Session 2 featured Condoleeza Rice and Jim Collins.  They were incredible!  The following are their comments:

Condoleeza Rice

  • “If you were in leadership on September 11th your concept of personal security was never the same.”
  • “The economic shock of 2008 changed people’s concept of prosperity and personal security.”
  • “The Arab Spring taught us that authoritarianism is never stable.”
  • “Anger is a terrible way to make political reform.  That is what we are seeing in the Middle East…Revolutions are notoriously difficult to control.”
  • “No man, woman, or child wants to live in tyranny.”
  • “Democracy is the institutionalization of freedom….With freedom comes responsibility.”
  • “Democracy cannot mean the tyranny of the majority…The strong cannot exploit the weak.”
  • “Every life is worthy.”
  • “Every life is capable of greatness…We have a responsibility to make sure the opportunity is there.”
  • “Our Lord Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us.”
  • “There is a lot the government can do but it cannot deliver compassion.”
  • “Delivering compassion to an AIDS orphan has got to be done by people who think every life is worthy.”
  • “The best thing you can do for a person is to give them control over their own future.  And you do that through education.”
  • “With education it doesn’t matter where you’re coming from.  It matters where you’re going.”
  • “The greatest responsibility…Leadership is helping people see their own leadership capabilities.”
  • “The most important characteristic of a leader is that they are irrepressible optimists.”
  • “Out of struggle, very often comes victory.  That is the message of our Christian faith.  After Friday, comes Sunday.”
  • “What seemed impossible seemed inevitable in retrospect.”
  • “Never accept the world as it is.  Accept it as it should be.”
  • “I like debate.  I don’t mind verbal combat.”
  • “Today’s headlines and history’s judgement are rarely the same.”
  • “When someone is brutal to their own people, it’s a proxy for something else.”
  • “When things become tough, people become more of who they are.”
  • “Don’t play the resignation card unless you plan to carry it through.”
  • “He may be your friend but he’s the President…Use the relationship to be a truth teller.  When you’re in positions of authority you need truth tellers around you…Say difficult things in private.”
  • “Friendship should be the place where you can have difficult conversations.”
  • “I have always allowed for guidance through ambiguity.”
  • “I want a message (from a pastor) that makes me think ‘I never heard it that way.'”
  • “Music is inspirational to me…How can you not believe the Lord inspired this?”
  • “I love policy. I don’t love politics.”

Jim Collins

  • “The X Factor of great leadership is humility combined with will.”
  • “Fanatic discipline is also not going too far and being over-exposed.”
  • “A 20-mile march turns good intentions into great works.”
  • “The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency.”
  • “Comparison (companies) don’t fire enough bullets, little things, to figure out what will work.”
  • “The marriage of creativity and discipline.”
  • “Creativity is natural.  Discipline is not…The challenge is not to become creative.  The challenge is to remove what is preventing you from doing that.”
  • “The only mistakes you can learn from are the ones you can survive.”
  • “Paranoia must be transitioned into preparation.”
  • “Preparation makes you strong for when people need it.”
  • “The greatest danger is not failure.  The greatest danger is being successful without understanding why in the first place.”
  • “Luck is not an aura.  Luck is a specific event that meets three tests – You didn’t cause it.  It has potentially significant consequence.  It is a surprise.”
  • “The great winners are not luckier.”
  • “What is your return on luck?  What will you do with it when it comes?”
  • “What is your return on bad events?”
  • “Superior performance in moments of distortion…that is a very special brand of leadership.”
  • “Greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance.  Greatness is primarily a matter of choice and discipline.”
  • “3 signs of a great organization.  Superior performance relative to your mission.  Distinctive impact – what would be lost if we disappeared?  It achieves lasting endurance beyond any single leader.  No organization is great if it cannot be great without you.”
  • “Bill Hybels has always extended to me a hand of friendship…He has always made me feel useful in your world.”
  • “Is there a better sign of friendship than I will always be here for you.  You will never be alone.”
  • “It is impossible to have a great life without a meaningful life.”

Getting ready for a great afternoon.

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Brian Dodd

Brian Dodd is the author and content coordinator for Brian Dodd On Leadership. In addition to overseeing this site's content, Brian is Director of New Ministry Partnerships for INJOY Stewardship Solutions where he helps churches develop cultures of generosity. Brian has also authored the critically-acclaimed book The 10 Indispensable Practices Of The 2-Minute Leader.