“If you do something once, people will call it an accident. If you do it twice, they call it a coincidence. But do it a third time and you’ve just proven a natural law.” – Grace Hopper
I open my undergraduate leadership class each semester with a single quote: “Don’t try to manage people. You manage things; you lead people.”
Those words, spoken by the late Admiral Grace Hopper, define one of the core tenets of leadership: management and leadership are not the same thing. Management involves creating systems and processes, assigning tasks, and setting schedules; leadership is about guiding and motivating people by setting a vision and building trust. They aren’t mutually exclusive, but they are distinct from one another and require different skills.
Admiral Grace Hopper’s leadership philosophy was rooted in bold innovation, relentless curiosity, and a deep respect for individual initiative. She championed the idea that progress depended on challenging the status quo, empowering her teams to think independently, embrace risk, and question assumptions, especially within the rigid hierarchies of the military and technical sectors.
The Wisdom of the Admiral – FIVE LEADERSHIP QUOTES
A native of New York City, Hopper earned her PhD in mathematics from Yale in 1934 and, after joining the Naval Reserve during World War II, worked on the Harvard Mark I – one of the earliest electromechanical computers – at the Bureau of Ordnance Computation Project at Harvard University. A pioneer in programming languages, Hopper spent the next four decades at the forefront of computer and programming language development.
Beyond her technical achievements, Hopper was also a gifted communicator and educator. She often used vivid metaphors to distill complex ideas into relatable narratives, and she famously popularized the term “debugging” after removing an actual moth from a computer relay. She relentlessly championed experimentation and rapid prototyping, urging others to “ask forgiveness, not permission” when breaking new ground.
Her approach combined visionary thinking with practical execution, a mindset that fostered a culture of action over hesitation, where learning through doing was paramount. As a mentor, she nurtured young talent and advocated for diversity in computing. She viewed leadership through the lens of empowerment – a vehicle for enabling others to thrive. Her legacy is a model of servant leadership, where courage, clarity, and curiosity drive transformation.
Hopper’s leadership philosophy remains a beacon for leaders navigating change, especially in fields where innovation and tradition collide. And her words continue to influence leaders long after her passing.
1. “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’”
Followed closely by “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
The status quo will kill you. There will be times when you have to drag people kicking and screaming into the future.
2. “The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.”
Want to be successful in life? Learn how to take the initiative and seize opportunity. Luck doesn’t just happen – we create it.
3. “You don’t have to know everything. You just need to know where to find it.”
Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about learning to ask questions that spur critical thinking and creative problem solving.
4. “A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”
You don’t become the best version of yourself by daydreaming about what could have been. You set your goals high and pursue them with focus and impunity.
5. “A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
Risk is a potent catalyst that fuels opportunity. But you have to be bold – and courageous – enough to embrace risk and the opportunities hidden within it.
Despite facing significant obstacles as a woman in a male-dominated field, she persevered. To many, she is considered “the mother of computer science” and was an inspiration to generations of computer scientists. President Ronald Reagan personally saw her promoted to commodore on December 15, 1983, and on November 8, 1985, she became on the Navy’s few women admirals when she attained the rank of rear admiral.
Celebrating Admiral Grace
This week marks the annual Grace Hopper Celebration, an event that draws some of the most remarkable young women tech leaders from around the world “to learn, network, and celebrate their achievements.” In its 31st year, the moment doesn’t just celebrate “Admiral Grace,” it honors and amplifies the achievements of women across the tech sector. That one of my students will be in attendance seems only fitting. When she sent me an email last week informing me of her pending absence from class, I smiled. I couldn’t think of a better place for her to be than among some of our world’s best and brightest women, celebrating someone whose indomitable spirit lives on through her legacy.
