Max De Pree, an American entrepreneur and author, was the son of D. J. De Pree, the founder of the Herman Miller office furniture company. In the early 1960s, Max and his brother Hugh De Pree assumed leadership roles in the company, with Hugh taking on the positions of CEO and president in 1962. Wikipedia
”In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”Resist the urge to structure all things alike.” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders are also responsible for future leadership. They need to identify, develop, and nurture future leaders.” ~ Max De Pree
”Understanding the diversity of our gifts enables us to begin taking the crucial step of trusting each other.” ~ Max De Pree
”No question about it: potential is wrapped in great mystery. Like rainbows, which are really circles-we see only the upper halves, the horizon hides the rest-potential never reveals its entirety.” ~ Max De Pree
Read more: Inspirational Quotes by Jesse Jackson
”The art of leadership, as Max says, is ”liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.” Thus, the leader is the ”servant” of his followers in that he removes the obstacles that prevent them from doing their jobs.” ~ Max De Pree
”There may be no single thing more important in our efforts to achieve meaningful work and fulfilling relationships than to learn to practice the art of communication.” ~ Max De Pree
”Above all, leadership is a position of servanthood.” ~ Max De Pree
”Notice I did not say what people can do–what we can do is merely a consequence of what we can be.” ~ Max De Pree
”Intimacy is at the heart of competence. It has to do with understanding, with believing, and with practice. It has to do with the relationship to one’s work.” ~ Max De Pree
”Everyone in a successful organization must be willing and ready to risk. Risk is like change; it’s not a choice.” ~ Max De Pree
”We do not grow by knowing all of the answers, but rather by living with the questions.” ~ Max De Pree
”The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential…the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons.” ~ Max De Pree
”In some South Pacific cultures, a speaker holds a conch shell as a symbol of temporary position of authority. Leaders must understand who holds the conch-that is, who should be listened to and when.” ~ Max De Pree
”We cannot avoid growing old; but we can avoid growing cold.” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” ~ Max De Pree
”Everyone in a successful organization must be willing and ready to risk. Risk is like change; it’s not a choice.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can go through anything because Jesus goes before us.” ~ Max De Pree
”We see a decline of civility, and, sadly, it’s often modeled by the very people from whom we have the least right to expect it.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can go through anything because Jesus goes before us.” ~ Max De Pree
”From a leader’s perspective, the most serious betrayal has to do with thwarting human potential, with quenching the spirit, with failing to deal equitably with each other as human beings.” ~ Max De Pree
”(Productive Workers + Innovative Products = Industry Leadership, no?).” ~ Max De Pree
”From a leader’s perspective, the most serious betrayal has to do with thwarting human potential, with quenching the spirit, with failing to deal equitably with each other as human beings.” ~ Max De Pree
”By ourselves we suffer serious limitations. Together we can be something wonderful.” ~ Max De Pree
”The leader is the servant who removes the obstacles that prevent people from doing their jobs.” ~ Max De Pree
”Sometimes we think we’re a little too gifted to show up, yo uknow. But none of us truly is…By avoiding risk we really risk what’s most important in life—reaching toward growth, our potential, and a true contribution to a common good.” ~ Max De Pree
”We talk about the quality of product and service. What about the quality of our relationships and the quality of our communications and the quality of our promises to each other?” ~ Max De Pree
”Trust grows when people see leaders translate their personal integrity into organizational fidelity. At the heart of fidelity lies truth-telling and promise-keeping.” ~ Max De Pree
”The greatest thing is, at any moment, to be willing to give up who we are in order to become all that we can be.” ~ Max De Pree
”Management has a lot to do with answers. But leadership is a function of questions. And the first question for a leader always is: ‘Who do we intend to be?’ Not ‘What are we going to do?’ but ‘Who do we intend to be?” ~ Max De Pree
”The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential? Are they learning? Serving? Do they achieve the required results? Do they change with grace? Manage conflict?” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of an artful leader.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can choose to see life as a series of trials and tribulations, or we can choose to see life as an accumulation of treasures.” ~ Max De Pree
”The leader is the servant who removes the obstacles that prevent people from doing their jobs.” ~ Max De Pree
”Without forgiveness, there can be no real freedom to act within a group.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders who keep promises and followers who respond in kind create an opportunity generate enormous energy around their commitment to serve others.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can teach ourselves to see things the way they ARE. Only with vision can we begin to see things the way they CAN BE.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do.” ~ Max De Pree
”Integrity in all things precedes all else. The open demonstration of integrity is essential.” ~ Max De Pree
”By ourselves we suffer serious limitations. Together we can be something wonderful.” ~ Max De Pree
”Innovation is the lifeblood of an organization. Knowing how to lead and work with creative people requires knowledge and action that often goes against the typical organizational structure. Protect unusual people from bureaucracy and legalism typical of organizations.” ~ Max De Pree
”Intimacy is at the heart of competence. It has to do with understanding, with believing, and with practice. It has to do with the relationship to one’s work.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders who keep promises and followers who respond in kind create an opportunity generate enormous energy around their commitment to serve others.” ~ Max De Pree
”When things go awry, trust powers the generators until the problem is fixed.” ~ Max De Pree
”We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet; and amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog has made an alliance with us.” ~ Max De Pree
”We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders should leave behind them assets and a legacy.” ~ Max De Pree
”The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential…the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leadership is liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.” ~ Max De Pree
”In some South Pacific cultures, a speaker holds a conch shell as a symbol of temporary position of authority. Leaders must understand who holds the conch that is, who should be listened to and when.” ~ Max De Pree
”In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”To be a leader means, especially, having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who permit leaders to lead.” ~ Max De Pree
”Change without continuity is chaos. Continuity without change is sloth-and very risky.” ~ Max De Pree
”The greatest thing is, at any moment, to be willing to give up who we are in order to become all that we can be.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders should be able to Stand Alone, Take the Heat, Bear the Pain, Tell the Truth, and Do What’s Right” ~ Max De Pree
Read more: Inspirational Quotes by Walter Lippmann
”In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”There may be no single thing more important in our efforts to achieve meaningful work and fulfilling relationships than to learn to practice the art of communication.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leadership is like third grade: it means repeating the significant things.” ~ Max De Pree
”Trust comes only with genuine effort, never with a lick and a promise.” ~ Max De Pree
”I don’t come with the wheelchair. The wheelchair comes with me.” ~ Max De Pree
”Integrity in all things precedes all else. The open demonstration of integrity is essential.” ~ Max De Pree
”We talk about the quality of product and service. What about the quality of our relationships and the quality of our communications and the quality of our promises to each other?” ~ Max De Pree
”To be a leader means, especially, having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who permit leaders to lead.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can choose to see life as a series of trials and tribulations, or we can choose to see life as an accumulation of treasures.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leadership is liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.” ~ Max De Pree
”The greatest thing is, at any moment, to be willing to give up who we are in order to become all that we can be.” ~ Max De Pree
”In most vital organizations, there is a common bond of interdependence, mutual interest, interlocking contributions, and simple joy.” ~ Max De Pree
”We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet; and amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog has made an alliance with us.” ~ Max De Pree
”Understanding the diversity of our gifts enables us to begin taking the crucial step of trusting each other.” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of an artful leader. Concepts.” ~ Max De Pree
”Jazz, like leadership, combines the unpredictability of the future with the gifts of individuals.” ~ Max De Pree
”Everyone in a successful organization must be willing and ready to risk. Risk is like change; it’s not a choice.” ~ Max De Pree
”A team of giants needs giant pitchers who throw good ideas but every pitcher needs an outstanding catcher. Without giant catchers, the ideas of the giant pitchers may eventually disappear.” ~ Max De Pree
”To be a leader means, especially, having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who permit leaders to lead.” ~ Max De Pree
”A whale is as unique as a cactus. But don’t ask a whale to survive Death Valley. We all have special gifts. Where we use them and how determines whether we actually complete something.” ~ Max De Pree
”Trust cannot be bought or commanded, inherited or enforced. To maintain it, leaders must continually earn it.” ~ Max De Pree
”From a leader’s perspective, the most serious betrayal has to do with thwarting human potential, with quenching the spirit, with failing to deal equitably with each other as human beings.” ~ Max De Pree
”A friend of mine characterizes leaders simply like this: Leaders don’t inflict pain. They bear pain.” ~ Max De Pree
”When trust permeates a ministry, great things are possible, not the least of which is an opportunity to reach the ministry’s potential.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can accomplish more together than we can alone.” ~ Max De Pree
”The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leadership is like third grade: it means repeating the significant things.” ~ Max De Pree
”A team of giants needs giant pitchers who throw good ideas but every pitcher needs an outstanding catcher. Without giant catchers, the ideas of the giant pitchers may eventually disappear.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders don’t inflict pain – they share pain.” ~ Max De Pree
”We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”The simple act of recognizing diversity in corporate life helps us to connect the great variety of gifts that people bring to the work and service of the corporation.” ~ Max De Pree
”Productive Workers + Innovative Products = Industry Leadership, no?” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders should leave behind them assets and a legacy.” ~ Max De Pree
”We can accomplish more together than we can alone.” ~ Max De Pree
”Change without continuity is chaos. Continuity without change is sloth-and very risky.” ~ Max De Pree
”In some South Pacific cultures, a speaker holds a conch shell as a symbol of temporary position of authority. Leaders must understand who holds the conch-that is, who should be listened to and when.” ~ Max De Pree
”Jazz, like leadership, combines the unpredictability of the future with the gifts of individuals.” ~ Max De Pree
”Understanding and accepting diversity enables us to see that each of us is needed.. It also enables us to begin to think about being abandoned to the strengths of others, of admitting that we cannot know or do everything.” ~ Max De Pree
”Understanding and accepting diversity enables us to see that each of us is needed.. It also enables us to begin to think about being abandoned to the strengths of others, of admitting that we cannot know or do everything.” ~ Max De Pree
”History can’t be left to fend for itself. For when it comes to history and beliefs and values, we turn our future on the lathe of the past.” ~ Max De Pree
”Jazz, like leadership, combines the unpredictability of the future with the gifts of individuals.” ~ Max De Pree
”Earning trust is not easy, nor is it cheap, nor does it happen quickly. Earning trust is hard and demanding work. Trust comes only with genuine effort, never with a lick and a promise.” ~ Max De Pree
”Channeled correctly and integrated properly, our diversity can be our greatest strength.” ~ Max De Pree
”We cannot avoid growing old; but we can avoid growing cold.” ~ Max De Pree
”In some South Pacific cultures, a speaker holds a conch shell as a symbol of temporary position of authority. Leaders must understand who holds the conch-that is, who should be listened to and when.” ~ Max De Pree
”We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”A friend of mine characterizes leaders simply like this: Leaders don’t inflict pain. They bear pain.” ~ Max De Pree
”There may be no single thing more important in our efforts to achieve meaningful work and fulfilling relationships than to learn to practice the art of communication” ~ Max De Pree
”A team of giants needs giant pitchers who throw good ideas but every pitcher needs an outstanding catcher. Without giant catchers, the ideas of the giant pitchers may eventually disappear.” ~ Max De Pree
”Trust cannot be bought or commanded, inherited or enforced. To maintain it, leaders must continually earn it.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do.” ~ Max De Pree
”A friend of mine characterizes leaders simply like this: Leaders don’t inflict pain. They bear pain.” ~ Max De Pree
”We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” ~ Max De Pree
”When we think about the people with whom we work, people on whom we depend, we can see that without each individual, we are not going to go very far as a group. By ourselves, we suffer serious limitations. Together we can be something wonderful.” ~ Max De Pree
”Without forgiveness, there can be no real freedom to act within a group.” ~ Max De Pree
”Earning trust is not easy, nor is it cheap, nor does it happen quickly. Earning trust is hard and demanding work. Trust comes only with genuine effort, never with a lick and a promise.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders should be able to Stand Alone, Take the Heat, Bear the Pain, Tell the Truth, and Do What’s Right.” ~ Max De Pree
”Above all, leadership is a position of servanthood.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders don’t inflict pain – they share pain.” ~ Max De Pree
Read more: Inspirational Quotes by Dwight Eisenhower
”We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet; and amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog has made an alliance with us.” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders should leave behind them assets and a legacy.” ~ Max De Pree
”The art of leadership, as Max says, is ”liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.” Thus, the leader is the ”servant” of his followers in that he removes the obstacles that prevent them from doing their jobs. In short, the true leader enables his or her followers to realize their full potential.” ~ Max De Pree
”We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” ~ Max De Pree
”Leaders who keep promises and followers who respond in kind create an opportunity generate enormous energy around their commitment to serve others.” ~ Max De Pree
”We talk about the quality of product and service. What about the quality of our relationships and the quality of our communications and the quality of our promises to each other?” ~ Max De Pree
”The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers.” ~ Max De Pree
”History can’t be left to fend for itself. For when it comes to history and beliefs and values, we turn our future on the lathe of the past.” ~ Max De Pree
”When we think about the people with whom we work, people on whom we depend, we can see that without each individual, we are not going to go very far as a group. By ourselves, we suffer serious limitations. Together we can be something wonderful.” ~ Max De Pree
”We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.” ~ Max De Pree
”The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” ~ Max De Pree