Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk.
I would never have amounted to anything were it not for adversity. I was forced to come up the hard way.
Every business is built on friendship.
No matter what his position or experience in life, there is in everyone more latent than developed ability; far more unused than used power.
We can serve our customers well only if our buying jobs are right. You cannot sell if you haven't ordered wanted goods into your store.
Theory is splendid but until put into practice, it is valueless.
A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well has nothing to fear from the competition.
Success cannot come from standstill men. Methods change and men must change with them.
Luck is always the last refuge of laziness and incompetence.
The keystone of successful business is cooperation. Friction retards progress.
My definition of an executive's job is brief and to the point. It is simply this: Getting things done through other people.
Too many would-be executives are slaves of routine.
I believe a man is better anchored who has a belief in the Supreme Being.
We get real results only in proportion to the real values we give.
No serious-minded man should have time for the mediocre in any phase of his living.
The Golden Rule finds no limit of application in business.
Change is vital, improvement the logical form of change.
It is always the start that requires the greatest effort.
The problem with the bronco is to get on and stay on. This is the problem with the Golden Rule-to understand and apply.
Men are not great or small because of their material possessions. They are great or small because of what they are.
Honor bespeaks worth. Confidence begets trust. Service brings satisfaction. Cooperation proves the quality of leadership.
The men who have furnished me with my greatest inspiration have not been men of wealth, but men of deeds.
It was always my practice to train salespeople under my direct supervision, and to treat children with the utmost consideration.
Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.
The best of merchandise will go back to the shelf unless handled by a conscientious, tactful salesman.
Exchange ideas frequently.
The five separate fingers are five independent units. Close them and the fist multiplies strength. This is organization.
No company can afford not to move forward. It may be at the top of the heap today but at the bottom of the heap tomorrow, if it doesn't.
Every man must decide for himself whether he shall master his world or be mastered by it.
No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.
There's no better friend to any merchant than a fair competitor.
The well-satisfied customer will bring the repeat sale that counts.
Success will always be measured by the extent to which we serve the buying public.
Determine to do some thinking for yourself. Don't live entirely upon the thoughts of others. Don't be an automaton.
Responsibilities are given to him on whom trust rests. Responsibility is always a sign of trust.
I cannot remember a time when the Golden Rule was not my motto and precept, the torch that guided my footsteps.
It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.
As a rule, we find what we look for; we achieve what we get ready for.
The disciplined are free.
I will have no man work for me who has not the capacity to become a partner.
There has never been a time when a career in the Penney Company was not a challenge that brought out the best in a man.
Selling is our No. 1 job. Never get away from selling a lot of merchandise personally. The more you sell the more you learn.
Salesmanship is limitless. Our very living is selling. We are all salespeople.
Clock watchers never seem to be having a good time.
The greatest teacher I know is the job itself.
I was long brought up to think that it was nothing short of a crime to miss a sale.
Do not primarily train men to work. Train them to serve willingly and intelligently.
I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life's problems.
I believe in trusting men, not only once but twice – in giving a failure another chance.
