20 Inspirational Leadership Quotes for 21st Century School Leaders

03 May 20 Inspirational Leadership Quotes for 21st Century School Leaders

Yes, I know only too well, it can be tough being a school leader. Your job is incredibly significant, leading and managing change in schools. We ask ourselves, what makes a good school leader?

There are times when you need some inspiration to uplift and motivate you. Out of years of experience training principals and leading professional development for school leaders, I’ve compiled a list of inspirational leadership quotes to help. Choosing a favorite each week and using it as a mantra will definitely take you to a new leadership level. Writing your own leadership quotes is even more inspirational. Why not try it? I hope you will share your favorite leadership quotes with the world too.

1. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.  – President John Quincy Adams, USA

2. Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.  – Jack Welch, former GE chairman and CEO

3. No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you’ve come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself. – Madonna

4. Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do. – Mother Teresa

5. A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. – Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady, USA

6. As we look ahead into the 21st century, leaders will be those who empower others.  – Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft

7. Leadership is the capacity to transform vision into reality. –Warren G. Bennis, founding chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California

8. To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence … When the best leader’s work is done, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!’  – Lao Tsu, Chinese philosopher

9. A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit. – Arnold Glasow, humorist and author

10. The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. – John Buchan, novelist, historian and politician

11. Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. – Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple

12. Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others. – Robert Louis Stevenson, author

13. I have three precious things, which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men. – Lao Tsu, Chinese philosopher

14. Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. – John Kennedy, former President, USA

15. Great leaders harness personal courage, capture the hearts and minds of others and empower new leaders to make the world a better place. – Maxine Driscoll, Founder Think Strategic

16. You have to be unique, and different, and shine in your own way. – Lady Gaga

17. You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things. – Mother Teresa

18. Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world. – Nelson Mandela, former President South Africa

19. You can’t lead anyone if you can’t lead yourself! – Maxine Driscoll, Founder Think Strategic

20.  Looking for some contemporary leadership strategies to use in our changing world? Why not take a look at my book, LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS ? It’s jam-packed with leadership strategies to have you leading like a rock star.