"Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know." -- A pastor quoted by General Colin Powell
"You can never err by treating everyone in the building with respect, thoughtfulness, and a kind word. Everyone of our employees is an essential employee. Every one of them wants to be viewed that way. And if you treat them that way, they will view you that way. They will not let you down or let you fail. They will accomplish whatever you have put in front of them." -- Secretary Colin Powell to his senior leaders in the State Department
"Being kind doesn't mean being soft or a wuss. Kindness is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of confidence. If you have developed a reputation for kindness and consideration, then even the most unpleasant decisions will go down easier because everyone will understand why you are doing what you are doing. They will realize that your decision must be necessary, and is not arbitrary or without empathy. As the old saying puts it, 'To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.'" -- Colin Powell
"Problems have to be solved, not managed. You can't get away with burying them, minimizing them, reorganizing around them, softening them, or assigning blame somewhere outside your responsibility. You have to make real and effective changes. You can't fool a GI, you can't fool a floor worker, and you can't fool a store cashier. They know when something is wrong, and they know it first. They know when someone is not a good follower, not getting the job done. They are waiting for you to find out and do something about it. If you don't, they will start slacking off. If you don't see it, or having seen it, don't care enough to do something, why should they care about you? Good followers who know you care not only do a good job, they take care of you." -- Colin Powell