Vladimir Putin

Russia needs a strong state power and must have it. But I am not calling for totalitarianism.

A figure who receives money from abroad for his political work, and thus serves some foreign interest, cannot be a politician in Russia.

I have a private life in which I do not permit interference. It must be respected.

I think our Russian Football Union must play an active part in this… and develop a new generation of sportsmen and soccer players.

All attempts to appease the Nazis between 1934 and 1939 through various agreements and pacts were morally unacceptable and politically senseless, harmful and dangerous.

This is a sad negative element of the U.S. political system. One can argue, but one should not show disrespect, not even to him personally, but also to the people who voted for him.

The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

Respect people with less power then you. I don’t care if you’re the most powerful cat in the room, I will judge you on how you treat the least powerful. So there.

Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.

A great leader has to be flexible, holding his ground on the major principles but finding room for compromises that can bring people together. A great leader has to be savvy at negotiations so we don’t drown every bill in pork barrel bridges to nowhere. I know how to stand my ground – but I also know that Republicans and Democrats need to find common ground to stand on as well.

But real leadership comes from the quiet nudging of an inner voice. It comes from realizing that the time has come to move beyond waiting to doing.

If you wouldn’t follow yourself, why should anyone else?

When the leader lacks confidence, the followers lack commitment.

Leaders who are effective are leaders who are disciplined in their daily lives.

In real life, if I were firing you, I’d tell you what a great job you did, how fantastic you are, and how you can do better someplace else. If somebody steals, that’s different, but generally speaking, you want to let them down as lightly as possible. It’s not a very pleasant thing. I don’t like firing people.

The very essence of leadership is having vision.

I like to praise and reward in a loud voice and to scold in a whisper.

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

I have a very simple rule when it comes to management: hire the best people from your competitors, pay them more than they were earning, and give them bonuses and incentives based on their performance. That’s how you build a first-class operation.

As a leader, the first person I need to lead is me. The first person that I should try to change is me.

The best leaders are humble enough to realize their victories depend upon their people.