Quotes from James Cash Penney

Too many would-be executives are slaves of routine.

Growth is never by mere chance it is the result of forces working together.

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.

Responsibility is always a sign of trust.

The best of merchandise will go back to the shelf unless handled by a conscientious, tactful salesman.

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

Luck is always the last refuge of laziness and incompetence.

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

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

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

I believe a man is better anchored who has a belief in the Supreme Being.

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

The five separate fingers are five independent units. Close them and the fist multiplies strength. This is organization.

I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life's problems.

I will have no man work for me who has not the capacity to become a partner.

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

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.

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

It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.

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

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

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

The best way to stop a bad habit is never to begin it.