Famous Business Quotes

"Nothing succeeds like success," said Oscar Wilde. Was he right? In a world where ambitious people practice the habits of successful people with mixed results, perhaps he was, at least somewhat. While Wilde's statement isn't irrefutable (few aphorisms are), according to reality and not just business theory, it still holds truth. What a businessperson might see in Wilde's statement is this: the key to continued success isn't continually reinventing one's ambitions; it's continually translating the success one already has into new opportunities. The statement reveals a truth about success and in doing so communicates a philosophy for sustained success.

The impact of business quotes in the workplace

The paragraph above shows how a company leader might deconstruct a famous quote to apply it to product development, sales strategy, project management, or other concerns. When used in this manner, business quotes usually have one of two aims: to add credibility to a present perspective, or to initiate a new perspective, one that employees need to be "on board" with. In either case, famous quotations on success can help employees to perceive company vision amid the burden of daily tasks, positively impacting their outlook and heir work. Below are four ways famous business quotes can make a difference in the workplace.

Improved morale

Every company has its ups and downs in the morale department. But how quickly it recovers from the downs depends on its ability to turn hopelessness into hopefulness, making employees feel motivated again. While things such as raises, new client contracts, and better project management can all be superior motivators, it's important to encourage motivation on an intellectual level as well. Business quotes can cut through the cares of the day to remind employees how to work and what they're working for.

Improved perspective

Instead of seeing company vision, all that some employees see are the walls of a cubicle. For employees that perform repetitive work, the feeling of being a hamster on a treadmill can grow ominous, leading to negative behavior such as calling in sick to avoid work and incessant fault finding. Famous business quotes can improve the quality of someone's work. But when strategically chosen, they can improve employees' perspective on company goals and philosophy, and remind them why their role is important.

Improved insight

Famous business quotes on success can improve employees' insight on what it takes to succeed. For example, consider the following quote by Peter Drucker: "Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done." When employees are cerebral about their duties, stagnant practices are less likely set in. Strategic business quotes can help employees remain cerebral.

Improved motivation

Improving motivation with business quotes is about context. While the platitudinous quotations found on motivational posters rarely motivate, quotations that apply to a campaign or a company philosophy often do. When a quotation's wisdom addresses a particular need or question, or reinforces a company value, it can increase employees' confidence in their work and with it, their motivation.

In my research on famous business quotes, I've studied how famous business quotes on success can affect attitudes in the workplace.