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.
- James Cash Penney
Forward, May, Move, Heap
The best of merchandise will go back to the shelf unless handled by a conscientious, tactful salesman.
- James Cash Penney
Will, Merchandise, Unless, Salesman
Selling is our No. 1 job. Never get away from selling a lot of merchandise personally. The more you sell the more you learn.
- James Cash Penney
Learn, More, Away, Merchandise
A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well has nothing to fear from the competition.
- James Cash Penney
Business, Idea, Public, Approaches
Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.
- James Cash Penney
Chance, Never, Result, Forces
Change is vital, improvement the logical form of change.
- James Cash Penney
Change, Improvement, Form, Vital
The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary to management success.
- James Cash Penney
Art, Listening, Effective, Essential
I cannot remember a time when the Golden Rule was not my motto and precept, the torch that guided my footsteps.
- James Cash Penney
Precept, Rule, Torch
Salesmanship, too, is an art; the perfection of its technique requires study and practice.
- James Cash Penney
Art, Study, Salesmanship, Perfection
Salesmanship is limitless. Our very living is selling. We are all salespeople.
- James Cash Penney
Living, Limitless, Very, Salesmanship
The Golden Rule finds no limit of application in business.
- James Cash Penney
Business, Finds, Application, No Limit
It was always my practice to train salespeople under my direct supervision, and to treat children with the utmost consideration.
- James Cash Penney
Treat, Practice, Always, Train
Do not primarily train men to work. Train them to serve willingly and intelligently.
- James Cash Penney
Work, Men, Them, Willingly
No matter what his position or experience in life, there is in everyone more latent than developed ability; far more unused than used power.
- James Cash Penney
More, Everyone, Used, Latent
The keystone of successful business is cooperation. Friction retards progress.
- James Cash Penney
Business, Progress, Keystone, Friction
No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.
- James Cash Penney
Business, Succeed, Properly, No Business
I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life's problems.
- James Cash Penney
Work, Excuses, Prime, I Believe
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.
- James Cash Penney
Sell, Jobs, Ordered, Customers
The men who have furnished me with my greatest inspiration have not been men of wealth, but men of deeds.
- James Cash Penney
Wealth, Deeds, Been, Furnished
I never trust an executive who tends to pass the buck. Nor would I want to deal with him as a customer or a supplier.
- James Cash Penney
Business, Trust, Deal, Tends
A store's best advertisement is the service its goods render, for upon such service rest the future, the good-will, of an organization.
- James Cash Penney
Future, Service, Rest, Render
Determine to do some thinking for yourself. Don't live entirely upon the thoughts of others. Don't be an automaton.
- James Cash Penney
Thoughts, Some, Determine, Entirely
There's no better friend to any merchant than a fair competitor.
- James Cash Penney
Better, Than, Competitor, Merchant
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.
- James Cash Penney
Mind, Rest, Thought, Merchant
It is always the start that requires the greatest effort.
- James Cash Penney
Effort, Start, Always, Requires
Responsibilities are given to him on whom trust rests. Responsibility is always a sign of trust.
- James Cash Penney
Trust, Always, Given, Rests
Honor bespeaks worth. Confidence begets trust. Service brings satisfaction. Cooperation proves the quality of leadership.
- James Cash Penney
Leadership, Trust, Honor, Begets
Clock watchers never seem to be having a good time.
- James Cash Penney
Never, Clock, Having, Good Time
The five separate fingers are five independent units. Close them and the fist multiplies strength. This is organization.
- James Cash Penney
Independent, Separate, Them, Close
Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.
- James Cash Penney
Walking, Will, Treatment, Customer
The well-satisfied customer will bring the repeat sale that counts.
- James Cash Penney
Will, Sale, Counts, Customer
The problem with the bronco is to get on and stay on. This is the problem with the Golden Rule-to understand and apply.
- James Cash Penney
Problem, Apply, Get, The Problem With
I believe in trusting men, not only once but twice - in giving a failure another chance.
- James Cash Penney
Trust, Chance, Another, I Believe In
Success cannot come from standstill men. Methods change and men must change with them.
- James Cash Penney
Success, Men, Methods, Standstill
I was long brought up to think that it was nothing short of a crime to miss a sale.
- James Cash Penney
Think, Nothing, Brought, Sale
My definition of an executive's job is brief and to the point. It is simply this: Getting things done through other people.
- James Cash Penney
Through, Other, Brief, Simply
The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison.
- James Cash Penney
Independence, Goal, Unison, Independently
Every man must decide for himself whether he shall master his world or be mastered by it.
- James Cash Penney
Brainy, Shall, Every Man, Master
No serious-minded man should have time for the mediocre in any phase of his living.
- James Cash Penney
Mediocre, Phase, His, Serious-Minded
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.
- James Cash Penney
Career, Never, Been, Company
As a rule, we find what we look for; we achieve what we get ready for.
- James Cash Penney
Achieve, Find, Get, Ready
Success will always be measured by the extent to which we serve the buying public.
- James Cash Penney
Always, Extent, Which, Buying
Luck is always the last refuge of laziness and incompetence.
- James Cash Penney
Luck, Chance, Always, Incompetence
I believe a man is better anchored who has a belief in the Supreme Being.
- James Cash Penney
Believe, Better, Supreme, Anchored
Too many would-be executives are slaves of routine.
- James Cash Penney
Slaves, Executives, Too, Routine
We get real results only in proportion to the real values we give.
- James Cash Penney
Give, Get, Proportion, Results
Theory is splendid but until put into practice, it is valueless.
- James Cash Penney
Practice, Splendid, Until, Theory
Exchange ideas frequently.
- James Cash Penney
Business, Ideas, Exchange, Frequently
The disciplined are free.
- James Cash Penney
Free, Disciplined
It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.
- James Cash Penney
Service, Give, Most, Obliged
Men are not great or small because of their material possessions. They are great or small because of what they are.
- James Cash Penney
Men, Small, Possessions, Material
The greatest teacher I know is the job itself.
- James Cash Penney
Teacher, Know, Itself, Work
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