Colin Powell

Colin Luther Powell (April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician and military officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001–2005) under President George W. Bush. He was the first African American to serve as Secretary of State. During his military career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989), Commander in Chief of the United States Army Forces Command (1989), and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), the latter position he held during the Gulf War. He was the first and only African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Despite his assertion that the Iraq War was precipitated by Saddam Hussein possessing weapons of mass destruction, he later acknowledged the war as "a huge mistake". As a military man, he understands that war should always be a last resort. As a diplomat, he advocated military intervention as a rare solution to international crises, instead prescribing negotiation and containment. Not all leaders have the grace and humility to admit when they have erred. Powell's openness and honesty placed him in a category of public servants who hold themselves accountable for their stewardship of the public trust.

A Republican, he made headlines in the 2008 United States presidential election by endorsing Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

He died on October 18, 2021, from complications from COVID-19 while undergoing treatment for blood cancer.

​○ Failure is an opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.

○ Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.

○ There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

○ Eternal optimism is a force multiplier.

○ Dreams don’t work unless you do.

○ Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros. Even in the professional world.

○ A good leader is someone who can make his team believe they can do something, even if he knows they can't.

○ The day your soldiers stop bringing you their problems, that is the day you have stopped leading.

○ There is no shortcut to success.

○ The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. It is the one who gets the best people to do the greatest things.

○ Don’t let your ego get too close to your position, or when your position goes, your ego will go with it.