James Cash Penney

No matter what his position or experience in life, there is in everyone more latent than developed ability; far more unused than used power.

Responsibilities are given to him on whom trust rests. Responsibility is always a sign of trust.

The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary to management success.

Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.

The Golden Rule finds no limit of application in business.

It is always the start that requires the greatest effort.

[on Steve jobs] Our relationship was based almost always on him calling up and asking, ‘Is this a good deal?’ I’m not in his business, and I wasn’t trying to be. I was just a guy who admired him a lot and was flattered he wanted my advice.

What is virtue but the Trade Unionism of the married?

Competition whose motive is merely to compete, to drive some other fellow out, never carries very far.

No matter what his position or experience in life, there is in everyone more latent than developed ability; far more unused than used power.

Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers.

Our clients pay for value. London is the top city in the world, the best tax haven in the world for some and the top residential site in the city is One Hyde Park at the top end of Sloane Street.

Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect.

Investors are visionaries in some respects – they look beyond the present.

No unemployment insurance can be compared to an alliance between a man and a plot of land. With one foot in the land, human society is firmly balanced against most economic uncertainties. With a job to supply him with cash, and a plot of land to guarantee him support, the individual is doubly secure. Stocks may fail, but seedtime and harvest do not fail.

Our modern industrialism, changed to motives of public service, will provide means to remove every injustice that gives soil for prejudice.

This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to go out and make big bets that excite and amaze people.

The secret of long life is double careers. One to about age sixty, then another for the next thirty years.

My philosophy is that if I have any money I invest it in new ventures and not have it sitting around.

In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits. Unless you’ve got a good team, you can’t do much with the other two.

You don’t have to hold a position in order to be a leader.