Thomas J. Watson Quotes & Sayings

“The toughest thing about the power of trust is that it's very difficult to build and very easy to destroy. The essence of trust building is to emphasize the similarities between you and the customer.”

“If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.”

“To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart.”

“Design must reflect the practical and aesthetic in business but above all... good design must primarily serve people.”

“Good design is good business.”

“All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work.”

“Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.”

“If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.”

“Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want somebody to hire his experience?”

“Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.”