Latest John Baldoni Quotes from Interviews

• Good leaders are focused, directive, and inspiring... in other words, purposeful. People want to look up to leaders, not because they think they are better than us, but because good leaders provide us with a sense of purpose that inspires us to do better.

  John Baldoni

  Thinking, People, Leader

• Purposeful organizations develop the next generation, not simply the next leader. My friend Marshall Goldsmith, bestselling author and leading executive coach, does not like the term succession planning. Better to say, "succession development." That means you are focusing on multiple managers and grooming them to lead.

  John Baldoni

  Mean, Leader, Planning

• From the hindsight of history George Washington seems larger than life, more statuesque than man. Too bad! Washington's greatness as a leader was courage under fire and persistence in the face of obstacles. Yet even he at times doubted himself. But he put those doubts aside and forged ahead, convinced of his noble purpose.

  John Baldoni

  Persistence, Greatness, Men

• Leaders who lead purposeful organizations are those who put people first. No, it's not a cliché when they actually do it. It means they set clear expectations, provide adequate resources, coach for success, and evaluate for results.

  John Baldoni

  Mean, People, Expectations

• Results come from purpose because it is the outcome of what you striving to do. For example, if you run a cardiac care center your goal is best in class cardiac career. Your purpose is to help people leave more healthy lives. Communicating that outcome to all stakeholders physicians, nurses, support staff, etc. a clear goal.

  John Baldoni

  Running, Nurse, People

• Focusing on one's own purpose is a matter of considering what you want to do, why you want to do it, and how you will do it. Easy questions, but they do provide deep thought.

  John Baldoni

  Deep Thought, Purpose, Easy

• Purpose needs to be nurtured. It gains resolve when faced with adversity. The ability to overcome obstacles and challenges is daunting but when accomplished gives us a great feeling of achievement. At the same time we need to nurture purpose by exposing ourselves to new opportunities. We need to learn continuously and we need to teach what we learn to others. Such things like that, and many more, help shape and develop the sense of a leader's purpose so that he or she can provide greater service to the organization.

  John Baldoni

  Adversity, Opportunity, Giving

• Leaders instill purpose through their words and their actions. Their communications demonstrate a commitment to vision and mission, but their behaviors underscore its real importance. What a leader does is far more important than what he or she says. People want to see action and help achieve results.

  John Baldoni

  Real, Communication, Commitment

• No one can dictate purpose to another. We discover it for ourselves. Typically leaders know what makes them tick so they do have a purpose, be it to advance their career, achieve some wealth, and be recognized for their efforts. Where they need help is reminding themselves of why they chose their career and their company. They also need to decide periodically if they need to do something new and different. Purpose is an inner compass that points us in the right direction.

  John Baldoni

  Effort, Leader, Different

• We are living in times of great uncertainty. Likely no more so than in previous times but the sense of ambiguity may be more pervasive in light of the financial crash from which we have yet to recover. That means leaders need to step up their game. They need to more specifically in providing direction and in delivering inspiration.

  John Baldoni

  Inspiration, Mean, Leader

• There are some terrific resources on how to find individual purpose but relative resources on how to discover purpose and apply to an organization. My challenge was to show organizations how they could unlock the purpose of their organizations and put it to good use for employees to apply to their own jobs. The net effect is to help individuals, teams and organizations to optimize performance by understanding how to use purpose for good intention.

  John Baldoni

  Team, Understanding, Challenges

• Communication comes with practice. As a leader you must speak the truth; listen for understanding; and learn from what you hear and do not hear.

  John Baldoni

  Communication, Leader, Understanding

• Leaders do not motivate per se. They create conditions for people to motivate themselves. They do it by communicating clearly, setting clear expectations, following through and recognizing performance.

  John Baldoni

  People, Expectations, Leader

• All leaders must be good communicators. But let's be clear, communications is not the same as oratory. Let me give you an example. General George C. Marshall was an exemplary public servant and military officer. He helped mobilize our nation for the Second World War and helped lay the foundation for peace as Secretary of State. He communicated through words, but more loudly through his actions.

  John Baldoni

  Military, War, Communication

• I began my career in communications and had the privilege of working with senior leaders in a variety of different business sectors. Eventually I decided that rather than helping them develop messages I wanted to help shape lives, that is through teaching, coaching and writing.

  John Baldoni

  Senior, Communication, Teaching

• Three leaders must do: be seen, be heard, be there. One, let people know you are around. Two, connect the dots between purpose and work and listen, listen, listen. Three, be available to do whatever the organization needs you to do. That's leadership.

  John Baldoni

  People, Leader, Purpose

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