Do you have blisters on YOUR feet?

Don’t push others around if you have no blisters on your own feet.

Good officers lead by example and make sure the troops are cared for before attending to their own needs. When you treat others respectfully and never ask another to do something you would be unwilling to do yourself, you are entitled to the respect of others — and they will freely give it. But you cannot expect others to continue marching until they have blisters on their feet while you ride in the jeep. Leading others means you must be willing to give far more of yourself than you would ever ask from them.

In a well-managed business, all promotions are self-made. The employer’s only part in the transaction is to check carefully to make sure the promotion was earned.

The perfect formula for destroying morale in any organization is to create a working environment that leads employees to believe that the only way to get ahead is by playing politics. The best-managed businesses are those in which every promotion is earned and every qualified person has an equal opportunity to compete for it. If you’re a manager, weigh all decisions involving your employees on the basis of fairness. And if you aspire to be a manager, choose to work for a company that is fair in its treatment of workers. When you’ve earned your position through skill and effectiveness, you have the best job security.

When you take charge of your mind, you take charge of your life. When you understand your thoughts, feelings, emotions, and desires, you can direct them to any end you choose. Wisdom comes from taking the time to study yourself, to know why you are the person you are. Taking charge of your mind is a thoughtful, reflective, solitary process. Only you can come to understand the complex inner workings of your own mind, and you must be willing to spend the time and effort that gaining such insight requires.

The better portion of all sales I have made were made after people had said “no.”