Barack Obama Quotes

My role at Lockheed Martin puts me in contact with extraordinary leaders in many fields - from science and engineering to philanthropy and government. And since we also work closely with our nation's armed forces, we tend to reflect a lot on leadership and how we can inspire successful teamwork, cooperation, and partnerships.

I walked in and inherited a management group that I didn't know very well. They didn't know me, and we had a very short window to put together a credible recovery plan.

I believe when the country feels threatened it is important that we are seen to be working together to find an appropriate structure for dealing with terrorists in our midst.

I wish I had played team sports. I think every kid should. Teamwork builds character - teaches people about leadership and cooperation.

I think that one thing I have learned as a freshman is that it is really important to collaborate.

My message to Washington is the United States has gone through incredible crises, and our leaders have been able to find common ground. And that's what our leaders have to do.

No team works out teamwork.

I have reaffirmed my political will to work towards national unity.

Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together.

The art of government is the art of negotiating and compromise.

I’ve worked as a leader for many years and I’ve always trained myself to be prepared for the worst.

In campaigning, you want to slay your opponent. In governing, you want to make love to your opponent.

I, for the time being, am at the head of a nation which is in great peril; and you are at the head of the greatest State of that nation. As to maintaining the nation’s life, and integrity, I assume, and believe, there can be no difference of purpose between you and me. If we should differ as to the means, it is important that such differences should be as small as possible—that it should not be enhanced by unjust suspicions on one side or the other. In the performance of my duty, the co-operation of your State, as that of others, is needed—in fact, is indispensable.

Compromise is the oil that makes government go.

When you're a leader at any level of any scale, leaders are defined at times of crisis.

I'm a teamworker.

I think with the right leadership on both sides and the right president, we can get a lot done.

A good team needs time to play together.

You become a leader in times of trouble. Leaders emerge when things don't go well. When everyone else starts pointing fingers, a leader takes responsibility.

Collaborative decision-making is very poor in crises.

There's always going to be a time when there's a difficult period and my responsibility is to manage the players through that. You have to make sure you bring stability back to the club and get where you want to be.

I think an appeal to American idealism and willingness to sacrifice would be an important contribution, because what is happening now in many countries, not yet in the United States, but in many European countries, it's the inability of government to ask for sacrifices of its people.

I think we can end the divisions within the United States. What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis. And that what has been going on with the United States over the period of that last three years, the divisions, the violence, the disenchantment with our society, the divisions - whether it's between blacks and whites, between the poor and the more affluent, or between age groups, or in the war in Vietnam - that we can work together. We are a great country, an unselfish country and a compassionate country. And I intend to make that my basis for running.

I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and - and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going to inherit this country.

I believe in friendly compromise. I said over in the Senate hearings that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go.