65 Strategic Leadership Quotes

In the ever-evolving world of business and leadership, the right words can inspire and guide us toward success. Strategic leadership is not just about making the right decisions; it's about having the vision, courage, and insight to lead teams effectively through turbulence and growth. To help you tap into the wisdom of those who have mastered the art of strategic leadership, we've curated a collection of the top 65 quotes from renowned leaders, thinkers, and visionaries. Whether you're a seasoned executive, an emerging leader, or someone looking to inspire your team, these quotes are sure to provide valuable insights and motivation. Dive in and let these words of wisdom guide you on your leadership journey.

1. “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

2. “Gentlemen, when the enemy is committed to a mistake we must not interrupt him too soon.” - Horatio Nelson

3. “Resilience is based on the ability to embrace the extremes -- while no becoming an extremist. ... **Most companies don't do paradox very well.**(emphasis by author)[2002] p.25f” - Gary Hamel

4. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” - Sun Tzu

5. “Never send a battalion to take a hill if a regiment is available.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

6. “Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft!” - Theodore Roosevelt

7. “The primary thing when you take a sword in your hands is your intention to cut the enemy, whatever the means. Whenever you parry, hit, spring, strike or touch the enemy's cutting sword, you must cut the enemy in the same movement. It is essential to attain this. If you think only of hitting, springing, striking or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him.” - Miyamoto Musashi

8. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” - Sun Tzu

9. “We do not place especial value on the possession of a virtue until we notice its total absence in our opponent.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

10. “No one can tell what is righteous and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil.” - Tsugumi Ohba

11. “The man of thought who will not act is ineffective; the man of action who will not think is dangerous.” - Richard M. Nixon

12. “If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .” - Sun Tzu

13. “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” - Sun Tzu

14. “It is a long-cherished tradition among a certain type of military thinker that huge casualties are the main thing. If they are on the other side then this is a valuable bonus.” - Terry Pratchett

15. “...this protracted war will pass through three stages. The first stage covers the period of the enemy's strategic offensive and our strategic defensive. The second stage will be the period of the enemy's strategic consolidation and our preparation for the counter-offensive. The third stage will be the period of our strategic counter-offensive and the enemy's strategic retreat.” - Mao Zedong

16. “Study the past if you would define the future.” - Confucius

17. “When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteoousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders'.” - Sun Tzu

18. “The worst place to be is in the middle. When elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.” - Andrew Vachss

19. “I'd paralyze anyone who wanted to hurt me.” - Toba Beta

20. “Camouflage doesn't help when the other guy is willing to defoliate the whole jungle.” - Andrew Vachss

21. “Persistence. Perfection. Patience. Power. Prioritize your passion. It keeps you sane.” - Criss Jami

22. “Make foes of bowmen if you must,Never of penmen.” - Tiruvalluvar

23. “Previous journeys in search of treasure have taught me that a zigzag strategy is the best way to get ahead.” - Tahir Shah

24. “Maxim 20: If you’re not willing to shell your own position, you’re not willing to win.-The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries” - Howard Tayler

25. “To be honest, one can only feel glad that so many modern iconoclasts consider Christianity to be full of exceptionally hypocritical, religious zealots - it's biblically accurate and a prophecy fulfilled. The old smoke screen is one of Satan's favorite tricks. He conceals the authentic. He has a persistent strategy of targeting those who remind him of Christianity because he fears those who remind him of Christ.” - Criss Jami

26. “Strategy is about shaping the future.” - Max Mckeown

27. “Strategy was first used in Athens (508 BC) to describe the art of leadership used by the ten generals on the war council. Some argue for the more creative, human side, while others argue for the more analytic side of strategy.” - Max Mckeown

28. “Strategy is about out-thinking your competition. Mark Zuckerberg, while at Harvard, built a website called Facemash ‘for fun’. Even today, Facebook believe that ‘done is better than perfect’.” - Max Mckeown

29. “Give serious thought to why your company should care about your strategy. Specifically, find problems that the board wants to be solved. What are senior managers scared of? Part of becoming a credible strategic thinker is learning effective approaches to selling ideas for your situation. You’ll know that you’re getting better at selling (or pitching) strategy when managers start coming to you when there is strategic thinking to be done.” - Max Mckeown

30. “Cole envisioned the next few weeks passing as a sort of painless montage: there'd be music, and different moments of the townspeople hard at work building a defensive wall around the perimeter of the town, and digging holes to serve as traps, and training with the few weapons they had. There'd be a wiping of perspiration and drinks raised to one another and the exchange of friendly smiles between comrades, and perhaps deeper, more meaningful glances between him and MaryAnn.But by midmorning of the first day, Cole had come to the unavoidable conclusion that the remainder of the experience would in fact drag on in exceedingly real time, with lots of heaving and hoing and digging and hauling under the hot sun, full of the kind of intense straining that raised the danger of a really spectacular hernia. And, judging from the few tense conversations he'd had so far, he foresaw a series of increasingly strident arguments with Nora regarding matters strategic. Plus, of course, at the end of all this effort they'd all probably be dead.” - Michael Rubens

31. “The doctrine of "exit strategy" fundamentally misunderstands the nature of war and, more generally, the nature of historical action. for the knowledge of the end is not given to us at the beginning.” - Leon Wieseltier

32. “Consider and then act, don't react. A worthy opponent will calculate his move to entice a response from you. Make your own play.” - R.D. Ronald

33. “When God plays chess, you will notice that he never has to move a single piece...in order to win.” - Lionel Suggs

34. “Learn how to think a few moves ahead at once. In life, if you can anticipate the human mind, you can anticipate all possible futures.” - Lionel Suggs

35. “Following the rules of your industry will only get you so far.” - Max Mckeown

36. “Strategy and culture should have breakfast together.” - Max Mckeown

37. “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity” - Sun Tzu

38. “Wine gives one 'ideas,' whereas champagne gives one 'strategies.” - Roman Payne

39. “Thinking there had to be a better way was a brilliant stroke of serendipity!” - Lorii Myers

40. “Time is the friend of the wonderful business, the enemy of the mediocre.” - Alice Schroeder

41. “Whenever we want to combat our enemies, first and foremost we must start by understanding them rather than exaggerating their motives.” - Criss Jami

42. “If his forces are united, separate them.” - Sun Tzu

43. “These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.” - Sun Tzu

44. “do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat” - Sun Tzu

45. “So long as victory can be attained,  stupid haste is preferable to clever dilatoriness.” - Sun Tzu

46. “Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive.” - Sun Tzu

47. “Conceal your dispositions, and your condition will remain secret, which leads to victory;  show your dispositions, and your condition will become patent, which leads to defeat.” - Sun Tzu

48. “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.” - Sun Tzu

49. “You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.” - Sun Tzu

50. “You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.” - Sun Tzu

51. “The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points;” - Sun Tzu

52. “We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors.” - Sun Tzu

53. “We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country -- its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.” - Sun Tzu

54. “Whether in an advantageous position or a disadvantageous one, the opposite state should be always present to your mind.” - Sun Tzu

55. “If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking themselves, the army is suffering from thirst. [One may know the condition of a whole army from the behavior of a single man.]” - Sun Tzu

56. “When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is INSUBORDINATION.” - Sun Tzu

57. “When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is COLLAPSE.” - Sun Tzu

58. “When your army has crossed the border, you should burn your boats and bridges, in order to make it clear to everybody that you have no hankering after home.” - Sun Tzu

59. “Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.” - Sun Tzu

60. “The principle on which to manage an army is to set up one standard of courage which all must reach.” - Sun Tzu

61. “Danger has a bracing effect.” - Sun Tzu

62. “Conform to the enemy's tactics until a favorable opportunity offers; then come forth and engage in a battle that shall prove decisive.” - Sun Tzu

63. “Never venture, never win!” - Sun Tzu

64. “If you do not take opportunity   to   advance and reward   the   deserving,   your subordinates will not carry out your commands, and disaster will ensue.” - Sun Tzu

65. “If every day at work feels like a Friday, then you are doing what you were meant to do.” - Alan W. Kennedy