Quotes By James Cash Penney

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.

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

The well-satisfied customer will bring the repeat sale that counts.

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.

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

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

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

The greatest teacher I know is the job itself.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Clock watchers never seem to be having a good time.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.

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.

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.

It is always the start that requires the greatest effort.