In my customer work I try to communicate powerful concepts in simple and memorable ways. One of my favorite tools to do this is using relevant and powerful quotes.

To that end I've collected scores of quotes during my career. Whittling that collection down to a "top 10" for this article was a tough exercise. Many excellent quotes didn't make the final list.

I ended up choosing this list because these are the quotes that I find most inspiring for myself and our customers. I hope you find them helpful.

Quotes on Good Communication

"All problems exist in the absence of a good conversation." Chris Barrow

When I consider all of the problems our customers face in their organizations, nearly every single one could have been prevented with good communication. I love this quote and use it all of the time to reinforce the importance of stronger communication.

"Seek first to understand, then be understood." Stephen Covey

This phrase is the fifth habit of Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.  If you're trying to strengthen the communication within your team or organization, consider using this line as a mantra. It’s gold.

Quotes on Planning

"Plans are worthless, but planning is everything." Dwight Eisenhower

Eisenhower’s quote is related to the battlefield where having an effective planning process literally means the difference between life or death. Even though planning at your organization may not have the same degree of urgency, the intent of this quote applies beautifully to nonprofit strategic planning.  We wouldn’t say that your plan is “worthless”, but we definitely emphasize the critical importance of building a planning culture. (Here is a good article that shares other military quotes that relate to strategic planning.)

"Execution IS the Strategy." Laura Stack

Execution IS the Strategy is the title of Stack's 2014 book on creating a more effective organization. Similar to Eisenhower’s quote, above, this highlights the power of integrating execution into your planning process. 

“There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis." From Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

In their search for the perfect plan, organizational leaders can spend months and months analyzing their organization. The crazy thing is, as Gladwell argues as a central theme of Blink, leaders can, instead, conduct a quick analysis that has as much accuracy as several months of navel gazing.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo da Vinci

Years ago when I started to promote the value of simple and practical strategic plans, I had a concern that people would consider them "dumbed-down" versions of larger plans. Then I came across this quote and my intuitive sense of the power of simplicity was validated. (Steve Jobs once said this about simplicity: “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”)

Quotes on Sales and Fundraising

"I have more fun and enjoy more financial success when I stop trying to get what I want and start helping others get what they want."  From The One-minute Salesperson by Spencer Johnson, MD

I came across this quote over twenty years ago. At the time I viewed sales as a pushy and uncomfortable process. This quote helped me create an entirely new paradigm that sales and fundraising are, at their core, simply about serving others.  

"Intention matters more than technique."  Mahan Khalsa, Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play

This quote helps to solidify the prior quote. I always know that if my intention in the sales process is to serve -- even if my technique isn't perfect -- then everybody will be better off.

Organizational Culture and Teamwork

"Systems = Freedom"  Gary Stauble

I attribute this quote to my good friend, Gary Stauble. (He said he heard it from a colleague several years ago.) The obvious irony in the quote is that people often think of systems as confining and limiting freedom. But I've found the opposite to be true. When you and your organization put the right systems in place to strengthen organizational efficiency, then you gain more freedom.

“Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.” Pat Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

If you've read my other blog articles then you may know that I'm a huge fan of Lencioni and his work at The Table Group. I'll often pull this quote out about the tremendous leverage provided by strong teamwork.

I hope these quotes resonate for you. If you have a quote that has inspired you and your work, please share it below.