15 inspirational quotes: Timeless wisdom through the ages for process excellence

A selection of our favorite quotes on process, leadership and change

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Ian Hawkins
06/03/2014

Whether it was Greek philosopher Aristotle several centuries ago or Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky more recently, sometimes the best insight about business comes from outside the business world. Here is a round up of some of our favourite quotes.

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Quote #1:

"Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things."

Peter Drucker

Quote #2:

"Excellent firms don't believe in excellence - only in constant improvement and constant change."

Tom Peters

Quote #3:

"Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It's a journey of discovery - there are moments on mountain tops and moments in deep valleys of despair."

Rick Warren

Quote #4:

"An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage."

Jack Welch

Quote #5:

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Mahatma Gandhi

Quote #6:

"If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing."

W. Edwards Deming

Quote #7:

"Quality is not an act, it is a habit."

Aristotle

Quote #8:

"There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."

Sam Walton

Quote #9:

"Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, 'Make me feel important.' Never forget this message when working with people."

Mary Kay Ash

Quote #10:

"You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new."

Steve Jobs

Quote #11:

"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."

Wayne Gretzky

Quote #12:

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."

Henry Ford

Quote #13:

"If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Quote #14:

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

Colin Powell

Quote #15:

"Improvement begins with I."

Arnold H. Glasow

Data governance in the age of generative AI & agentic AI: Industry report

Data Governance in the Age of Generative & Agentic AI Industry Report

As AI capabilities accelerate, strong data governance is no longer optional—it’s essential. This report explores how organizations are redefining governance strategies to keep pace with generative and agentic AI.

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