Lee Iacocca Quotes
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I always go back to Harry Truman: Should we drop an atomic bomb to save 100,000 lives? That's a hell of a decision to make. Did he make that decision by himself? No, he had advisers.
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You can't have a country or a city or a state that's worth a damn unluss you govern within yourself in your day-to-day life.
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There is no substitute for accurate knowledge. Know yourself, know your business, know your men.
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A little righteous anger really brings out the best in the American personality. Our nation was born when 56 patriots got mad enough to sign the Declaration of Independence. We put a man on the moon because Sputnik made us mad at being number two in space. Getting mad in a constructive way is good for the soul- and the country.
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That's the American way. If little kids don't aspire to make money like I did, what the hell good is this country?
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I was stunned. It was a complete takeover. Chrysler had $12 billion in cash and was stronger at the time and should have bought Daimler.
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There's a world of difference between a strong ego, which is essential, and a large ego-which can be destructive.
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The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything.
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If you own up to your mistakes, you don't suffer as much. But that's a tough lesson to learn.
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Incompetency begets incompetency. The last thing a guy who isn't sure of himself wants is a guy backing him up who is sure of himself.
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The trick is to make sure you don't die waiting for prosperity to come.
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I guess that's one achievement I'm really proud of. Saving Chrysler was more than jobs, more than shareholder value. Saving Chrysler was a good idea for the whole country.
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A guy named Charlie Beacham was my first mentor at Ford. He taught me the importance of the dealers, and he rubbed my nose in the retail business.
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We at Chrysler borrow money the old fashion way. We pay it back.
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In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.
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The kind of people I look for to fill top management spots are the eager beavers, the mavericks. These are the guys who try to do more than they're expected to do - they always reach.
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Al Gore's extreme ideas about cars could cost a lot of Michigan families their jobs.
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I'd really love to meet the guy I'm supposed to be. I'd hire him in a second.
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Over the years, many executives have said to me with pride: 'Boy, I worked so hard last year that I didn't take any vacation.' I always feel like responding, "You dummy. You mean to tell me you can take responsibility for an eighty-million-dollar project and you can't plan two weeks out of the year to have some fun?
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Here's what management is about: Pick good people and set the right priorities.
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Leadership means setting an example. When you find yourself in a position of leadership, people follow your every move.
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When future historians look back on our way of curing inflation they'll probably compare it to bloodletting in the Middle Ages.
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We at Chrysler borrow money the old-fashioned way. We pay it back.
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The ability to concentrate and to use your time well is everything if you want to succeed in business--or almost anywhere else for that matter.