Quotes By James Cash Penney

Do not primarily train men to work. Train them to serve willingly and intelligently.

There's no better friend to any merchant than a fair competitor.

Theory is splendid but until put into practice, it is valueless.

I cannot remember a time when the Golden Rule was not my motto and precept, the torch that guided my footsteps.

Honor bespeaks worth. Confidence begets trust. Service brings satisfaction. Cooperation proves the quality of leadership.

I believe in trusting men, not only once but twice - in giving a failure another chance.

I was long brought up to think that it was nothing short of a crime to miss a sale.

Clock watchers never seem to be having a good time.

Determine to do some thinking for yourself. Don't live entirely upon the thoughts of others. Don't be an automaton.

The men who have furnished me with my greatest inspiration have not been men of wealth, but men of deeds.

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.

A store's best advertisement is the service its goods render, for upon such service rest the future, the good-will, of an organization.

The thought in my mind was that I must be a good merchant. If I were a good merchant, the rest would probably take care of itself.

Success cannot come from standstill men. Methods change and men must change with them.

The Golden Rule finds no limit of application in business.

The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison.

Luck is always the last refuge of laziness and incompetence.

We get real results only in proportion to the real values we give.

The problem with the bronco is to get on and stay on. This is the problem with the Golden Rule-to understand and apply.

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

It is always the start that requires the greatest effort.

Men are not great or small because of their material possessions. They are great or small because of what they are.

Salesmanship is limitless. Our very living is selling. We are all salespeople.

Salesmanship, too, is an art; the perfection of its technique requires study and practice.

Every man must decide for himself whether he shall master his world or be mastered by it.

The disciplined are free.

It was always my practice to train salespeople under my direct supervision, and to treat children with the utmost consideration.

My definition of an executive's job is brief and to the point. It is simply this: Getting things done through other people.

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

A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well has nothing to fear from the competition.