Founding Collection
09
All Quotes
The complete Quote of the Day collection, presented in its editorial rotation order.
Professor Jon T. Faintshaw, D.Phil.
Quote of the Day
One selection appears each day. After No. 9, the collection begins again.
Back to today's quote →01
On Selective Awareness
Today's selection“The first step toward resolving an uncomfortable truth is recognizing that not every truth requires our attention.”
02
On Leadership and Listening
“A wise leader knows that listening is important. A truly great leader understands that being listened to is even more important.”
03
On Criticism
“I welcome criticism. Indeed, I consider it an invaluable opportunity to identify those whose judgment I can safely disregard.”
04
On Intellectual Humility
“Humility is perhaps my greatest achievement. Although I possess several others of comparable magnitude.”
05
On Institutional Culture
“The finest institutions do not discourage dissent. They cultivate an environment in which individuals come to recognize, of their own accord, the greater virtue of agreement.”
06
On Confidence in Leadership
“The public's confidence in its leaders is too important to be entrusted entirely to the conduct of those leaders.”
07
On Satire and Scholarship
“Where satire exposes hypocrisy, scholarship teaches us to appreciate the considerable effort required to maintain it.”
08
On Productivity
“Productivity is an elusive quality, difficult to observe and still more difficult to measure. Attendance, by happy contrast, possesses the considerable virtue of being readily counted.”
09
On the Poverty of Satire
“Satire is the last refuge of the intellectually indolent. It requires little courage to observe that something is wrong, and still less wisdom to make others laugh at it. True leadership requires the discipline to recognize such imperfections without permitting them to interfere with one's optimism.”