One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice-president, and that one word is ‚to be prepared‘.

When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you’ve got to be prepared, as we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, to become the government, and I’m not sure any country, either the United States or I don’t hear of anyone else, who’s willing to take on that responsibility.

Since the team understands that the leader is de facto in charge, in that respect, a leader has nothing to prove. But in another respect, a leader has everything to prove: Every member of the team must develop the trust and confidence that their leader will exercise good judgment, remain calm, and make the right decisions when it matters most.

To supervise people, you must either surpass them in their accomplishments or despise them.

From a young age, I learned to focus on the things I was good at and delegate to others what I was not good at. That’s how Virgin is run. Fantastic people throughout the Virgin Group run our businesses, allowing me to think creatively and strategically.

I know I have a responsibility to the fans.

We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.

A leader is a dealer in hope.

A lot of times, people make other people responsible for their joy: ‚You’re not making me happy, you’re not doing this, you’re not doing that.‘

Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.

The best government is that which teaches us to govern ourselves.

I’m responsible for starting a whole new school of pretension.

First, how do we give everyone a fair shot at opportunity and security in this new economy? Second, how do we make technology work for us, and not against us – especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change? Third, how do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman?

We should work with the principle that a work that can be done at a lower level should never be escalated to a higher level.

We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.

Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.

Put two or three men in positions of conflicting authority. This will force them to work at loggerheads, allowing you to be the ultimate arbiter.

I am sometimes a fox and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other.

Today we did what we had to do. They counted on America to be passive. They counted wrong.

Who will take responsibility for raising the next generation?

Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.

One of my direct subordinates, one of my guys that worked for me, he would call me up or pull me aside with some major problem, some issue that was going on. And he’d say, ‚Boss, we’ve got this, and that, and the other thing.‘ And I’d look at him and I’d say, ‚Good.‘

I think I’d be a better president because I was in combat.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.

The best leaders are readers of people. They have the intuitive ability to understand others by discerning how they feel and recognizing what they sense.

Man is fully responsible for his nature and his choices.

I’m going to be so much better a president for having been at the CIA that you’re not going to believe it.

Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the earth’s surface relative to other matter; second, telling other people to do so.

The art of delegation is one of the key skills any entrepreneur must master.

I want to marry Arline because I love her – which means I want to take care of her. That is all there is to it. I want to take care of her. I am anxious for the responsibilities and uncertainties of taking care of the girl I love.

Until the men of action clear out the talkers we who have social consciences are at the mercy of those who have none.

Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.

I am a child but I have to think and act like a woman, this business forces you to.

We should all be obliged to appear before a board every five years and justify our existence… on pain of liquidation.

If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.

When the party gives me a responsibility, I must do it with complete dedication. God has given me the ability, which I utilise to its optimum.

Those who govern, having much business on their hands, do not generally like to take the trouble of considering and carrying into execution new projects. The best public measures are therefore seldom adopted from previous wisdom, but forced by the occasion.

When you meet chimps you meet individual personalities. When a baby chimp looks at you it’s just like a human baby. We have a responsibility to them.

My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility.

I think if someone gets kicked in the face it is their fault – they watched the foot come towards their face.

If you’re going to change things, you have to be with the people who hold the levers.

I’ve seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are. It reveals who you are.

There are some women I definitely would not want to succeed me… but a man like David Souter, that would be great.

As president, I’m committed to making Washington work better and rebuilding the trust of the people who sent us here.

I have always believed in evolving a consensus before taking any major decision.

What Washington needs is adult supervision.

Act well your part, there all the honour lies.

There is no necessity to separate the monarch from the mob; all authority is equally bad.

From an eternal perspective, the only death that is truly premature is the death of one who is not prepared to meet God.

A president has an inescapable responsibility to provide direction: What are we trying to achieve? What are we trying to prevent? Why? To do that, he has to both analyze and reflect.

The price of greatness is responsibility.

The best leaders understand the motivations of their team members and know their people – their lives and their families. But a leader must never grow so close to subordinates that one member of the team becomes more important than another, or more important than the mission itself.

Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you.

The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse.

Responsibility is the price of freedom.

I try to lead by example, being conscious of others and being responsible.

I am not saying I am the best manager in the world. But I’m quite good.

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.

Never forget that no military leader has ever become great without audacity.

People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.