WIST Quotations

Polk, James K. -- Diary (1848-12-29)

Dave — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 21:03:55 +0000

I attended to some of the business on my table to-day. Many matters of minor importance and of detail remain on my table to be attended to. The public have no idea of the constant accumulation of business requiring the President’s attention. No President who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure. If he entrusts the details and smaller matters to subordinates constant errors will occur. I prefer to supervise the whole operations of the government myself rather than entrust the public business to subordinates, and this makes my duties very great.

James K. Polk (1795-1849) American lawyer, politician, US President (1845-1849)
Diary (1848-12-29)
(Source)

Hock, Dee W. -- “Unit of One Anniversary Handbook,” Fast Company (1997-02-28)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

If you don’t understand that you work for your mislabeled “subordinates,” then you know nothing of leadership. You know only tyranny.

Dee W. Hock (1929-2022) American businessman
“Unit of One Anniversary Handbook,” Fast Company (1997-02-28)
(Source)

Catherine II (the Great) -- Letter (23 Aug. 1794)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

I praise loudly, I blame softly.

Catherine II (1762-1796) Russian empress [Catherine the Great; b. Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst]
Letter (23 Aug. 1794)

Schwarzkopf, Norman -- Journal-World (27 March 1991)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

I admire men of character, and I judge character not by how men deal with their superiors, but mostly how they deal with their subordinates, and that, to me, is where you find out what the character of a man is.

Norman Schwarzkopf (1934-2012) American military leader
Journal-World (27 March 1991)