Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Quotes

Strategic planning is worthless - unless there is first a strategic vision.

Strategy is about shaping the future.

Vision with action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare.

There is something to this vision thing.

A nation has to look ahead.

The thing is, I think as a director or a writer or whatever, you have to have a vision. And you have to be maybe sometimes too early, somewhere.

Good ideas need good strategy to realize their potential.

Men of action," whose minds are too busy with the day's work to see beyond it. They are essential men, we cannot do without them, and yet we must not allow all our vision to be bound by the limitations of "men of action.

Were there no men of vision, all who are blind would be dead.

I like to tell people that all of our products and business will go through three phases. There's vision, patience, and execution.

Communists should set an example in being practical as well as far-sighted. For only by being practical can they fulfil the appointed tasks, and only far-sightedness can prevent them from losing their bearings in the march forward.

Develop a clear vision for your organization. Where do you want to be in five years?

Whilst large organisations need foresight, they are also notorious in their bias for short term thinking, sometimes rejecting or even suppressing foresight.

There is no substitute for a clear vision and a decisive direction.

The leader is the organization's top strategist... systematically envisioning the future and specifically mapping out how to get there.

America looks 10 minutes ahead; Japan looks 10 years.

Any kind of vision needs people.

Growth has no limit at Reliance. I keep revising my vision. Only when you dream it you can do it.

I try to get people to see what I have. . . . When you run a computer company, you have to get people to buy into your dreams.

All good management is the expression of one great idea

You can’t look too far ahead. Do that and you’ll lose sight of what you’re doing and stumble. I’m not saying you should focus solely on the details right in front of you, mind you. You’ve got to look ahead a bit or else you’ll bump into something. You’ve got to conform to the proper order and at the same time keep an eye out for what’s ahead. That’s critical, no matter what you’re doing.

Without organization and leadership toward a realistic goal, there is no chance of realizing more than a small percentage of your potential.

Inspiring visions rarely (I'm tempted to say never) include numbers.

It is very important that the president thematically shows where we're going in terms of the vision and an agenda.

The most serious failure of leadership is the failure to foresee