Quotes by Lee Iacocca

Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people.
– Lee Iacocca
Management is nothing more than motivating other people.
– Lee Iacocca
People want economy and they will pay any price to get it.
– Lee Iacocca
The trick is to make sure you don't die waiting for prosperity to come.
– Lee Iacocca
We at Chrysler borrow money the old-fashioned way. We pay it back.
– Lee Iacocca
We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.
– Lee Iacocca
There is no substitute for accurate knowledge. Know yourself, know your business, know your men.
– Lee Iacocca
There are times when even the best manager is like the little boy with the big dog, waiting to see where the dog wants to go so he can take him there.
– Lee Iacocca
The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.
– Lee Iacocca
Talk to people in their own language. If you do it well, they'll say, 'God, he said exactly what I was thinking.' And when they begin to respect you, they'll follow you to the death.
– Lee Iacocca
Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can't miss.
– Lee Iacocca
One of the things the government can't do is run anything. The only things our government runs are the post office and the railroads, and both of them are bankrupt.
– Lee Iacocca
No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?
– Lee Iacocca
My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life.
– Lee Iacocca
In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.
– Lee Iacocca
In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits.
– Lee Iacocca
In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else.
– Lee Iacocca
I have found that being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front, tell people what you're trying to accomplish and what you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish it.
– Lee Iacocca
I forgot to shake hands and be friendly. It was an important lesson about leadership.
– Lee Iacocca
Every business and every product has risks. You can't get around it.
– Lee Iacocca
Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don't just stand there, make it happen.
– Lee Iacocca
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.
– Lee Iacocca