John T. Chambers Quotes

Strategy is not really a solo sport - even If you're the CEO.

In business, there's a saying: 'Disagree and commit.' It means that everyone should speak up before a decision is made. But once the boss has decided, you all get behind it to make it happen.

Creative ideas flourish best in a shop which preserves some spirit of fun. Nobody is in business for fun, but that does not mean there cannot be fun in business.

There are so many great things about this business. Almost everybody is on the same team. It is all for one-friendly competitiveness. No one is out to hurt anyone.

When you are a successful business person, you are only as good as your team. No one can do every deal alone.

Our company is built on people - those who work for us, and those we do business with.

I think we did a pretty good role, linking, being a sounding board really and a driving force, especially from the bottom up. I think that part of this is bottom up as well as top down.

You can't base an industry solely on one person. That's a very vulnerable business strategy.

To me, it's really important to drive change through a team because one person, while the buck has to stop with somebody, the company is just too big for one person.

The reason I've been able to maintain my position of chairman of CBS in addition to all the Viacom stuff is my team.

You can't pick up a business magazine ever without seeing the word 'collaborate' splashed all over it. I think people are probably feeling assaulted by the need to always be on and always be interacting.

Business is a team sport.

We're all working together; that's the secret.

I've spent about that amount of time trying to tell the public that there was purpose in... my business, my career and the roller coaster ride... how the people I associated with worked together.

Fuseproject was founded in 1999, and the notion behind it, which is alive and kicking today, is fusing different disciplines. Our teams are absolutely incredible at their own discipline, but most importantly, they're incredible at partnering with each other.

Business is usually a team sport. There isn't one great person sitting there directing things. You can't run an effective business like that.

It's very important that we all have a common understanding of our purpose as a business - what we aspire to - and a strategy for achieving it.

Everything isn't about synergy.

Business is a battlefield. You need to be able to go to battle with your team members. Like the military. Know them, trust them, and know who you're working with.

Lots of people have plenty of ideas; lots of people have plenty of money, but in the end, if you want to turn that money into profit, you have to do it through others.

The CEO's role in raising a company's corporate IQ is to establish an atmosphere that promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration.

When we hire someone, even if they are going to be in marketing, I will have them talk to the design folks and the engineers.

A good leader is always looking for people smarter and more experienced than they are. If you are the smartest one in the room, then you are stupid.

Great groups give the lie to the remarkably persistent but incorrect notion that successful organizations are the lengthened shadow of a great woman or man. However, each great group has a strong leader. In fact, great groups and great leaders create each other.

I've got the brains, you've got the looks, let's make lots of money