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Harold S. Geneen

27 Quotes by Harold S. Geneen

  1. 1.

    The worst disease which can afflict business executives in their work is not, as popularly supposed, alcoholism; it’s egotism.

    Harold S. Geneen

  2. 2.

    We must not be hampered by yesterday’s myths in concentrating on today’s needs.

    Harold S. Geneen

  3. 3.

    Uncertainty will always be part of the taking charge process.

    Harold S. Geneen

  4. 4.

    It is much more difficult to measure nonperformance than performance.

    Harold S. Geneen

  5. 5.

    Every company has two organizational structures: The formal one is written on the charts; the other is the everyday relationship of the men and women in the organization.

    Harold S. Geneen

  6. 6.

    You cannot run a business, or anything else, on a theory.

    Harold S. Geneen

  7. 7.

    It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises-but only performance is reality.

    Harold S. Geneen

  8. 8.

    Performance stands out like a ton of diamonds. Nonperformance can always be explained away.

    Harold S. Geneen

  9. 9.

    Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.

    Harold S. Geneen

  10. 10.

    If your desk isn’t cluttered, you probably aren’t doing your job.

    Harold S. Geneen

  11. 11.

    I don’t believe in just ordering people to do things. You have to sort of grab an oar and row with them.

    Harold S. Geneen

  12. 12.

    Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned.

    Harold S. Geneen

  13. 13.

    He suffered from paralysis by analysis.

    Harold S. Geneen

  14. 14.

    Management must manage!

    Harold S. Geneen

  15. 15.

    It’s better to take over and build upon an existing business than to start a new one.

    Harold S. Geneen

  16. 16.

    I think it is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises – but only performance is reality.

    Harold S. Geneen

  17. 17.

    Performance is your reality. Forget everything else.

    Harold S. Geneen

  18. 18.

    In business, words are words; explanations are explanations, promises are promises, but only performance is reality.

    Harold S. Geneen

  19. 19.

    The best way to inspire people to superior performance is to convince them by everything you do and by your everyday attitude that you are wholeheartedly supporting them.

    Harold S. Geneen

  20. 20.

    The five essential entrepreneurial skills for success: Concentration, Discrimination, Organization, Innovation and Communication.

    Harold S. Geneen

  21. 21.

    You can know a person by the kind of desk he keeps. If the president of a company has a clean desk then it must be the executive vice president who is doing all the work.

    Harold S. Geneen

  22. 22.

    Managers in all too many American companies do not achieve the desired results because nobody makes them do it.

    Harold S. Geneen

  23. 23.

    In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later.

    Harold S. Geneen

  24. 24.

    You can’t run a business or anything else on a theory.

    Harold S. Geneen

  25. 25.

    A true leader has to have a genuine open-door policy so that his people are not afraid to approach him for any reason.

    Harold S. Geneen

  26. 26.

    Management manages by making decisions and by seeing that those decisions are implemented.

    Harold S. Geneen

  27. 27.

    Facts from paper are not the same as facts from people. The reliability of the people giving you the facts is as important as the facts themselves.

    Harold S. Geneen