What do Bill Gates, Tina Fey, and Lao Tzu, the 6th-century Chinese philosopher, have in common? Wait for it -- they’ve all made our unofficial list of 10 laugh-out-loud-worthy quotes about leadership.
While business leaders aren’t exactly known for their comedic pearls -- and why should they be, they’re too busy multitasking and winning -- observations about leadership can make for some laughs.
Without further ado, here’s the list. Enjoy.
When being admired just isn't good enough.
While Michael Scott from the NBC television series The Office was an HR nightmare, he’s spot on about this: It would rule to have your employees fear how much they love you.
Related: 8 of the Greatest Commencement Quotes From Business Leaders
Why yell when you can ... cry?
Bawling at work is generally discouraged, but if you’re Tina Fey, with a few Emmys under her belt, bawling works.
Related: 7 Funny Quotes With Serious Leadership Lessons
Newsflash: Working hard leads to more hard work.
Wikimedia Commons | Walter Albertin | Library of Congress
You’d think that his winning four Pulitzers and more than 40 honorary degrees would score Robert Frost some more me-time; but Frost -- who spent the bulk of his career teaching in academia -- seems to have had some seriously long office hours.
Related: Get Motivated With 2014's Inspiring, Unforgettable Quotes
Insecurity? Bah!
Wikimedia Commons | Library of Congress
No guts, no glory, right? Confidence is key!
Clichés are fun, but the point is this: If you’re gonna lead then own it. You can’t convince others to follow you if you aren’t comfortable leading.
Related: How Improv Comedy Can Seriously Grow Your Business
Divide and conquer-ish.
Street-smart Casey Stengel had a point about the whole divide and conquer thing. Leaders have to manage the haters -- get some thick skin -- and cultivate trust and loyalty with the rest.
Related: Honoring Joan Rivers: 12 of the Trailblazing Comedian's Wisest Quotes
Know-it-alls are annoying -- unless they're me, of course.
Leaders are supposed to let the world know that they know everything, right? Hm. Well...
Related: Improv and Comedy Can Infuse Companies With an Inventive Spirit
Geeks shall rule the earth.
Don’t be fooled by the smile. He was not joking.
Related: How to Use Humor at Work Without Acting Like a Jerk
Lead yourself away from all the meetings.
This Stanford University economist is widely respected for his expertise, but this might be his most insightful yet.
Related: 5 Insanely Inspirational Quotes For Entrepreneurs
What deadline?
Wikimedia Commons | Michael Hughes
Leaders and employees can all relate to that crushing, anxiety-inducing thing called a deadline. Reality is, though, a great leader can’t be too cavalier about deadlines. That kind of attitude will kill your business quick. No joke.
Related: Steve Jobs' 13 Most Inspiring Quotes
Mask your panic.
Be cool. Like the Fonz. Or Lao Tzu. Either is fine.
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