Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.

The saying frames leadership less as personal brilliance and more as the ability to elevate others’ performance. “Superior people” here functions as a benchmark for quality and efficiency; the leader’s task is to translate that benchmark into teachable methods, standards, and habits that “average people” can reliably execute. It implies that scalable success comes from systems—training, clear expectations, and repeatable processes—rather than from relying on a few exceptional individuals. The quote also carries an egalitarian undertone: excellence is not reserved for the naturally gifted if work can be organized and coached effectively. In modern terms, it anticipates ideas about operational excellence and management as a discipline of making high performance reproducible.

1) “Good management consists in showing average people how to do the work of superior people.”
2) “Good leadership consists in showing ordinary people how to do the work of superior people.”