Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether… — Stephen Covey | Printable Wall Art

“Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

Words by Stephen Covey (1932-2012) — Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

About this quote

This quote contrasts execution with direction. Management focuses on doing things efficiently, making swift progress up a symbolic ladder. Leadership, however, provides vision and judgement, ensuring that all this effort serves the correct long-term goal. Without clear leadership, even the most efficient work can lead to the wrong destination, wasting valuable time and energy.

Stephen Covey popularised this metaphor in his 1989 book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It appears in the chapter on Habit 2, which encourages readers to begin every endeavour with the end in mind.

People often hang this print in a home office or study to maintain focus on long-term goals.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.