The 3 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Quotes We Need

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday at 87 of complications from pancreatic cancer, but we as leaders can continue to learn from her grit, her perseverance and her many wise words on conflict navigation.

She was soft spoken yet intimidating, polite but unrelenting. While quotes from decades past resurfaced this weekend as tributes to Ginsburg poured in from all over the world, there are three in particular that we as leaders should reflect on.

“Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.”

How often do we get so emotionally caught up in someone else’s words or actions that we begin to value our own point more than the player, the employee or the significant other? We might be wise to heed Ginsburg’s advice and let the trivial stuff fall on deaf ears when we can. Let’s not do long-term damage to relationships we value because we’re so adamant being right. We must always strive to respond, not react.

“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

We’re passionate about our values and philosophies and know that if we could just get our teams to see it the way we do, we’ll reach new heights. But the way we go about this is crucial. We can’t be so overbearing and stubborn that we turn our teams away. We have to anticipate where the resistance will come from and be tactful — not emotional — as we try to create buy-in.

“So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune.”

As the author Ryan Holiday often reminds us, “The obstacle is the way.” As difficult as it can be at times, we need to view setbacks in a larger context. The adversity we’re facing now might just be setting us up for a greater triumph down the road. The next time we’re dealt a poor hand or something doesn’t turn out the way we hoped, let’s remind ourselves of this Ginsburg quote and maintain faith that whatever transpires next will be even more purposeful.

Ginsburg will largely be remembered this week as a trailblazer who relentlessly challenged the status quo in the fight for women’s rights. But in addition to the Supreme Court arguments she participated in and the dissents she wrote, she gave us lessons in negotiation, relationships and emotion — lessons that will be relevant for years to come as we continue to navigate our teams through the turbulence.

May Justice Ginsburg rest in peace.

Please forward and share this email with your friends and family.