Latest Robert S. Kaplan Quotes from Interviews

Quotes about:

• Reaching your potential is a disciplined process. Like losing weight or getting in shape - there is no final destination and it requires you to dust off atrophied muscles. You have to work at it. If you do, I think you will dramatically improve your leadership.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Thinking, Losing

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Personal relationships are often based on affection - professional relationships can have affection but they must have mutual understanding, trust and respect.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Understanding, Affection, Mutual

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• You never do arrive at a destination. You have to work at it and take ownership of the process. What resonates at age 25 is likely to change by age 35 and 45. The process never ends. Realizing this has been a big breakthrough for me.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Age, Realizing, Ownership

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• The vision must be realistic - it has to be based on clear distinctive competencies. Again, what would the world lose if you didn't exist? A vision is very powerful because it gives you a basis to judge every action you take. Every action should be viewed through the prism of whether it furthers the vision.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Powerful, Giving, Judging

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Great companies create an environment in which employees act like owners. They do this through clear communication, articulation of clear vision and priorities, coaching and openness to debate/discussion. I would argue that this type of environment helps people to be at their best - and helps the company to be at its best.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Communication, People, Priorities

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• There is usually a clock in our heads regarding decisions we make and the course of our lives. Sometimes this clock is helpful in that it get us to move rather than put off key actions. Other times, it creates us false sense of urgency that can cause us to overreact, lost patience and make poor decisions. In raising this issue in my book, I want people to be aware of the clock in their heads and question whether that clock is helping or hindering the quality of each particular decision.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Moving, Book, People

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• In my opinion, you have to have a vision for how you add value to others through your product or service. Why do you exist? All of us need a reason to get out of bed in the morning and enthusiastically approach each day. Some people say money is their purpose - - my reaction is that, if money is your purpose, you risk running out steam well before you make a lot of money. Money is an outcome that comes as a result of adding value for a sustained period of time. I encourage people and companies to search for and articulate the vision for why they are doing what they're doing.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Running, Morning, People

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Passion is the rocket fuel that helps you perform at your best. It helps you get through bad days, injustices, hardships and disappointments. It is hard to perform at a high level for a sustained period of time without passion for what you're doing.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Disappointment, Passion, Bad Day

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• We have all had injustice happen to us. It often shapes our failure narrative. For example, maybe you were fired and not you don't trust colleagues as easily in the future. You may not overcome injustice but you need to be aware of how it affects you today. You can't avoid injustice but that doesn't mean you need to be a prisoner of it.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Mean, Overcoming, Today

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Step one is to take ownership of figuring strengths ans weaknesses out. It starts with writing them down but, to take ownership, you have got to seek feedback of those who directly observe you - this is scary and uncomfortable for many people. It's no fun to hear negative feedback and most people don't want to stick their necks out to give it to you. So, you have to ask.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Fun, Writing, People

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• The better strategy is to focus on strengths and surround yourself with people who can complement your skills. However, you have to first do the analysis.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  People, Focus, Strategy

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Rather than the word career, I prefer to discuss how you make a positive I pact on the world. This could mean raising your children, professional activities, non-profit work, or various other actions you take that impact others. I have found that, at all ages, people want to be needed and play a role in impacting the world.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Children, Mean, People

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Screening out peer pressure and conventional wisdom. It is so powerful, that most of us aren't even aware of how much it is influencing our decisions.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Powerful, Decision, Peer Pressure

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• To help people with the struggle, I have to reveal my own struggles.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Struggle, People, Helping

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• You're changing, the world is changing, and your hopes and aspirations are regularly being updated. That's why I say this is a life long struggle - for everybody.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Struggle, Long, World

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• There's a step that leaders need to take; they've got to understand themselves.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Leader

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Every person I meet is struggling with how to understand themselves and reach their full potential. No one has it fully figured out. It is a life long struggle - -there isn't a precise destination or arrival.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Struggle, Long, Long Life

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• There are three main areas of focus: vision, priorities and alignment. It is critical to articulate a clear vision - how do we add value based on what key competences? Some leaders fail to be clear enough or fail to update the vision based on changes in their industry and in the world.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Focus, Priorities, Leader

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Change efforts happen when a firm is out of alignment with achieving its vision. If the organization has broad buy-in on a clear vision, the need for change becomes much clearer. It also helps to over-communicate what you're doing and why you're doing it. Lastly, the leadership needs to spend as much time on "how" changes are being made and "what" changes are being made. Human beings are involved and there are winners and losers.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Effort, Vision, Helping

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Business education must constantly be changing and being updated to improve the quality of the student experience. On line courses will be a key part of supplementing course offerings and providing opportunities for life-long learning. Like any industry, business schools must continue to think and re-think how they add value to students and create thought leadership.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  School, Opportunity, Thinking

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Why do leaders fail? Isolation and inability to learn. They are afraid to express doubt, admit vulnerability or seek advice from subordinates. Leaders must actively work to seek feedback and a reality check. They must be open to asking questions and framing issues. As the world becomes more complex and global, the risk of isolation becomes greater. The need for leaders to be open to learning becomes greater. Great leaders will need to ask the right questions and balance inquiry with advocacy.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Reality, Leader, Advice

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• If you're the smartest person in the room, it can sometimes be hard to learn to delegate - the person to whom you're delegating will do the task worse than you would - and it will annoy you!

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Sometimes, Annoying

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• One reason leaders don't delegate is they haven't been sufficiently clear with the team regarding their vision and key priorities - so that the team understands where the firm is going. If everyone is on the same page, it's a lot easier to delegate effectively.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Team, Priorities, Leader

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Vision and priorities should precede actions. Actions should be judged through the prism of how the firm adds value and the key competencies it seeks to build.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Priorities, Vision, Action

  Source: bobmorris.biz

• Authenticity is critical to leadership. That means trying to be yourself - this involves some self-disclosure, admitting what you don't know and being willing to ask questions.

  Robert S. Kaplan

  Being Yourself, Mean, Trying

  Source: bobmorris.biz