Top 30 James M. Kouzes Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “Do what you say you will do.”

— James M. Kouzes

Featured in: Integrity Quotes, Commitment Quotes, Expectations Quotes, Responsibility Quotes, Quotes About Trust

2. “If you think you’re a leader and you turn around and no one is following you, then you’re simply out for a walk.”

— James M. Kouzes

3. “The best way to lead people into the future is to connect with them deeply in the present.”

— James M. Kouzes

4. “Leadership isn’t the private reserve of a few charismatic men and women. It’s a process ordinary people use when they’re bringing forth the best from themselves and others. Liberate the leader in everyone, and extraordinary things happen.”

— James M. Kouzes

5. “Exemplary leaders know that if they want to gain commitment and achieve the highest standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect of others.”

— James M. Kouzes

6. “When leaders are doing their best, they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart.”

— James M. Kouzes

7. “It always takes a group of people working together with a common purpose in an atmosphere of trust and collaboration to get extraordinary things done.”

— James M. Kouzes

8. “You can’t lead others to places you don’t want to go yourself. If you don’t feel a burning passion for something, how in the world can you inspire and encourage others to share it?”

— James M. Kouzes

9. “Leading by example is more effective than leading by command.”

— James M. Kouzes

10. “Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow.”

— James M. Kouzes

11. “If you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message.”

— James M. Kouzes

12. “The word “story” is short for the word “history.” They both have the same root and fundamentally mean the same thing. A story is a narrative on an event or series of events, just like history.”

— James M. Kouzes

13. “Only those leaders who act boldly in times of crisis and change are willingly followed.”

— James M. Kouzes

14. “In the end, leaders don’t decide who leads. Followers do.”

— James M. Kouzes

15. “You must unite your constituents around a common cause and connect with them as human beings.”

— James M. Kouzes

16. “There’s nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can’t clearly articulate why we’re doing what we’re doing.”

— James M. Kouzes

17. “The Truth Is That Challenge Is the Crucible for Greatness. The study of leadership is the study of how men and women guide people through uncertainty, hardship, disruption, transformation, transition, recovery, new beginnings, and other significant challenges. It’s also the study of how men and women, in times of constancy and complacency, actively seek to disturb the status quo, awaken new possibilities, and pursue opportunities.”

— James M. Kouzes

18. “There is no freeway to the future, no paved highway from here to there. There is only wilderness, uncertain terrain. There are no roadmaps, no signposts. So pioneering leaders rely upon a compass and a dream.”

— James M. Kouzes

19. “A leader with integrity has one self, at home and at work, with family and with colleagues. He or she has a unifying set of values that guide choices of action regardless of the situation.”

— James M. Kouzes

20. “Leaders must know where they are going if they expect others to willingly join them on the journey.”

— James M. Kouzes

21. “Research indicates that the highest performing managers and leaders are the most open and caring. The best leaders demonstrate more affection toward others and want others to be more open with them. They are more positive and passionate, more loving and compassionate, and more grateful and encouraging than their lower performing counterparts.”

— James M. Kouzes

22. “How did you do it?” we asked Don. “How did you make it to the top of Mount Rainier on one leg?” “One hop at a time,” he said.”

— James M. Kouzes

23. “If we’re going to be authentic in our leadership, we will have to be willing to serve, and we have to be willing to suffer.”

— James M. Kouzes

24. “Interestingly, one of the most important times to listen well is when you disagree with the message, especially as it relates to how we affect others.”

— James M. Kouzes

25. “The instrument of leadership is the self, and mastery of the art of leadership comes from mastery of the self.”

— James M. Kouzes

26. “The climb to the top is arduous and steep. People become exhausted, frustrated, and disenchanted, and are often tempted to give up. Genuine acts of caring draw people forward.”

— James M. Kouzes

27. “It is striking how our language reveals the visual nature of our thoughts about the future state of affairs. When we invent the future, we try to get a mental picture of what things will be like long before we have begun the journey. Visions are our windows on the world of tomorrow.”

— James M. Kouzes

28. “When seen through the lens of a servant’s heart, leadership becomes not just a job but a calling. Lives are changed for the better. Next-generation leaders are molded. Along the way, the sense of destiny God planted in each individual soul finds fulfillment.”

— James M. Kouzes

29. “Change is the province of leaders. It is the work of leaders to inspire people to do things differently, to struggle against uncertain odds, and to persevere toward a misty image of a better future.”

— James M. Kouzes

30. “You have to believe, and you have to develop the skills to transmit your belief. It’s your passion that brings the vision to life. If you’re going to lead, you have to recognize that your enthusiasm and expressiveness are among your strongest allies in your efforts to generate commitment in others. Don’t underestimate your talents.”

— James M. Kouzes

31. “The domain of leaders is the future. The work of leaders is change. The most significant contribution leaders make is not to today’s bottom line; it is to the long-term development of people and institutions so they can adapt, change, prosper, and grow.”

— James M. Kouzes

32. “Who I am, what I do, and how I do it make a difference.” And.”

— James M. Kouzes

33. “When you give people a choice about being a part of what’s happening, they’re more likely to be committed to a project. Is there a piece of something you are working on that you could open up to others? It.”

— James M. Kouzes

34. “Leaders mobilize others to want to struggle for shared aspirations, and this means that, fundamentally, leadership is a relationship. Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow.”

— James M. Kouzes