Chester Nimitz

"Leadership consists of telling people what you want done and then getting out of their way to accomplish the mission."

"The will to win is worthless without the will to prepare."

"A ship is always safest at the shore, but that is not what ships are built for."

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

"Do not wait for the enemy to bombard you with shells. You must always be ready to meet him and beat him."

"Never give an order that cannot be obeyed."

"The admiral was a man of wisdom and courage, always ready for the fray."

"Luck favors the prepared mind."

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

"The Navy has both a responsibility and an opportunity to act aggressively."

"It takes time to build a battleship but only seconds to sink it."

"A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits."

"In a war, the chief of operations cannot stay in an office."

"The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything."

"Leadership is as much about character as it is about competence."

"You must lead from the front with courage and determination."

"The best defense is a good offense."

"Men want leadership, not by direction, but by example."

"Victory is never final, and defeat is never fatal."

"Don't take counsel of your fears."

"There are no great men, only great challenges that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet."

"The naval war will be won by the side that makes the fewest mistakes."

"Professional competence goes hand in hand with integrity."

"A leader must be able to inspire confidence in his men."

"The secret to success is constant preparation and eternal vigilance."

"Every man is capable of greatness if given the chance to prove it."

"The strength of a navy is not measured in tons of steel but in the courage of its men."

"Loyalty down the chain of command is just as important as loyalty up."

"A winner never quits and a quitter never wins."

"The duty of a commander is to bring his men home safely."