Colin Powell Quotes - 11 quotes

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Colin Powell

Colin Powell (1937-2021) was an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was born on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York City, to Jamaican immigrant parents. Powell served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005, becoming the first African American to hold this position. Before that, he was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993 and National Security Advisor from 1987 to 1989. Powell played a significant role in several military operations, including the Gulf War and the invasion of Panama. He was known for his moderate political views and efforts to build international coalitions. Powell passed away on October 18, 2021, due to complications from COVID-19.

quote icon If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

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quote icon Don't be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world.

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quote icon You don't know what you can get away with until you try.

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quote icon Keep looking below surface appearances. Don't shrink from doing so (just) because you might not like what you find.

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quote icon Endeavours succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.

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quote icon Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.

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quote icon Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

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quote icon Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.

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quote icon The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.

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quote icon There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.

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quote icon The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.

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