A good leader needs to have a compass in his head and a bar of steel in his heart.
– Robert Townsend
A good manager doesn't try to eliminate conflict; he tries to keep it from wasting the energies of his people. If you're the boss and your people fight you openly when they think that you are wrong - that's healthy.
– Robert Townsend
Consultants are people who borrow your watch and tell you what time it is, and then walk off with the watch.
– Robert Townsend
If you don't do it excellently, don't do it at all. Because if it's not excellent, it won't be profitable or fun, and if you're not in business for fun or profit, what the hell are you doing there?
– Robert Townsend
If you have to have a policy manual, publish the Ten Commandments.
– Robert Townsend
Is what I'm doing or about to do getting us closer to our objective?
– Robert Townsend
Make every decision as if you owned the whole company.
– Robert Townsend
Many ideas are good for a limited time - not forever.
– Robert Townsend
Most people in big companies are administered, not led. They are treated as personnel, not people.
– Robert Townsend
One of the most important tasks of a manager is to eliminate his people's excuses for failure.
– Robert Townsend
The artist must conceive with warmth yet execute with coolness.
– Robert Townsend
The soul is made for action, and cannot rest till it be employed. Idleness is its rust. Unless it will up and think and taste and see, all is in vain.
– Robert Townsend
Top management is supposed to be a tree full of owls-hooting when management heads into the wrong part of the forest. I'm still unpersuaded they even know where the forest is.
– Robert Townsend
True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.
– Robert Townsend
Getting there isn't half the fun - it's all the fun.