Top 50 Quotes From Global Leadership Summint 2022

50 Leadership Quotes That Made Me Better at GLS 2022

The Global Leadership Summit is one of my annual anchors for growth, and this year didn’t disappoint. From hard-won wisdom to humorous mic drops, GLS 2022 was packed with insight.

Here are 50 quotes that challenged, encouraged, and sharpened me—and might do the same for you.

Craig Groeschel — Lead Like It Matters

• “Your leadership matters because everyone wins when the leader gets better.”

• “Greatness is found in the extremes.”

• “A growing leader is in a constant place of discomfort.”

• “The essence of great leadership is choosing what not to do.”

• “Be weird. Be all-in.”

• “I had become a full-time pastor, part-time follower of Christ. I got help. It’s not weakness—it’s wisdom.”

• “You are a leader. Step into it. Fall in love with it. Solve problems. Make a difference.”

Vanessa Van Edwards — The Science of Connection

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• “Great leaders excel at emotions. They don’t just manage metrics—they master connection.”

• “Self-narratives are self-creating.”

• “Most of us struggle with the Swan Effect—calm on the surface, chaos underneath.”

• “The more I talk about the dark, the lighter it feels.”

Sahar Hashemi — Startup Thinking

• “It takes 15 years to become an overnight success.”

• “I thought cluelessness was our weakness—it became our edge.”

• “Be like a tourist. Observe everything. Change starts there.”

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. — Empathetic Leadership

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• “Words are cheap. Actions speak.”

• “Human beings are not robots.”

• “We cannot address things that cannot be discussed.”

• “Empathetic leadership will be the number one cultural value of successful organizations.”

Deb Liu — Take Back Your Power

• “Power is the ability to influence the events and people around you.”

• “When you have allies, your strength multiplies.”

• “Success isn’t about never failing—it’s about using failure to fuel your next step.”

• “Mentors guide. Sponsors open doors. Teams build. Circles hold you up.”

Judah Smith — Unfiltered & Honest

• “Some of you are disgusted with my lack of preparation. Well, I’m disgusted with your football team.”

• “What am I doing up here?”

(His point? Vulnerability builds trust—even when delivered with a wink.)

Dr. Heidi Grant — The Growth Mindset Advantage

• “It’s not about proving your ability. It’s about improving your ability.”

• “The best way to shift your mindset? Add the word yet. ‘I’m not good at this… yet.’”

• “Focus on rewarding progress and persistence—not just results.”

• “Celebrate the person who went from terrible to okay.”

Ron Howard — Rule of Collaboration

• “Your job as a director is to be the keeper of the story.”

• “Talented people respect your ‘no’ more when they know you’re willing to say ‘yes.’”

• “Collaboration provides a creative safety net—and it energizes the whole team.”

Jon Acuff — Building a Winning Mindset

• “Starting is fun, but the future belongs to finishers.”

• “Overthinking is the most expensive thing companies invest in without realizing it.”

• “If you can worry, you can wonder. If you can doubt, you can dominate.”

• “Leaders who cannot be questioned end up doing questionable things.”

• “Psychological safety creates winning teams.”

• “Read fewer minds. Ask more questions.”

Lynsi Snyder — The Heart Behind In-N-Out

• “We’re a family. We treat our associates like family, and we treat customers like guests.”

• “Humility before God and others is essential in leadership.”

• “The goal is to love others and love God. What better way to lead than to serve?”

• “God’s grace is bigger than any mistake.”

• “The bigger mission isn’t just burgers—it’s people.”

Stephanie Chung — Leading Through Uncertainty

• “We’ve hit a new level of low when it comes to distrust in the world.”

• “As leaders, we’re called to bring stability to emotional chaos.”

• “Visualize another’s viewpoint—see people as they are, not as you’ve been programmed to.”

Bob Iger — The Ride of a Lifetime

• “Decent people finish first.”

• “Status quo is not a winning strategy.”

• “If you can’t take risk, you won’t go anywhere.”

• “No one wants to follow a pessimist. Where are they going to take you?”

• “A lack of hope is as bad as it gets.”

Andy Stanley — Not In It to Win It

• “The church always looks better when we fight for other people’s rights instead of our own.”

One Step Forward

GLS reminded me that the best leaders don’t settle—they stretch. They don’t coast—they commit.

Whether you're leading a team, a company, or just trying to lead yourself well, your leadership matters.

Let these words push you. Challenge you. Remind you: you’re not alone, and you’re not done.

Which quote hit home for you?