William Picardo > William's Quotes

“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe”
― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.

Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. By WHY I mean your purpose, cause or belief - WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care?

People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.

We are drawn to leaders and organizations that are good at communicating what they believe. Their ability to make us feel like we belong, to make us feel special, safe and not alone is part of what gives them the ability to inspire us.

For values or guiding principles to be truly effective they have to be verbs. It’s not “integrity,” it’s “always do the right thing.” It’s not “innovation,” it’s “look at the problem from a different angle.” Articulating our values as verbs gives us a clear idea - we have a clear idea of how to act in any situation.

Happy employees ensure happy customers. And happy customers ensure happy shareholders—in that order.

Leading is not the same as being the leader. Being the leader means you hold the highest rank, either by earning it, good fortune or navigating internal politics. Leading, however, means that others willingly follow you—not because they have to, not because they are paid to, but because they want to.

You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.

Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them. People are either motivated or they are not. Unless you give motivated people something to believe in, something bigger than their job to work toward, they will motivate themselves to find a new job and you’ll be stuck with whoever’s left.

Trust is maintained when values and beliefs are actively managed. If companies do not actively work to keep clarity, discipline and consistency in balance, then trust starts to break down.

All organizations start with WHY, but only the great ones keep their WHY clear year after year.”
― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.”
― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.”
― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“When you compete against everyone else, no one wants to help you. But when you compete against yourself, everyone wants to help you.”
― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.”
― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.”
― Bruce Lee

“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it.”
― Theodore Roosevelt

“Strategy is really the essence of the boards value proposition to the company. The ability to strategize well is the essence of what makes a board relevant.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“A board-established and led vision is a critical element of effective corporate governance. It provides direction, inspires stakeholders, and guides the company towards a successful future.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“As a board, you want to be able to identify exactly what the company is succeeding at and exactly what it's failing at so that you can amplify the successes and correct the failures with surgical precision.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“A high-performing board of directors is the backbone of a successful company.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Now, more than ever, the world needs transformational leaders not to cultivate change for its own sake, but to lead through the inevitable evolutions in business and human society.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Effective board governance hinges on the accuracy and reliability of
financial reporting, instilling investor confidence.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“There's no one-size-fits-all answer to defining business success, as different companies can and should prioritize various aspects of success.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Shaping the company's future requires understanding the key drivers
of value for the company and establishing metrics to measure progress accordingly.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“In today's competitive business landscape, a board's primary responsibility is to ensure the
long-term success and sustainability of the organization.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“As a board, you want to be able to identify exactly what the company is succeeding at and exactly what it's failing at so that you can amplify success and correct failure with surgical precision.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Critical to success in corporate governance is a vision that inspires and motivates employees at all levels.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Fortifying the company involves assessing the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure and implementing safeguards.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Effective board governance hinges on fostering a culture of ethics and
integrity throughout the organization.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“To be successful, a Board of Directors must foster a culture of respect and appreciation.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“At its core, ethical governance is about doing the right thing, even when it's difficult or costly. It's about prioritizing values like honesty, fairness, transparency, and accountability in all business dealings.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., The Virtuous Boardroom: How Ethical Corporate Governance Can Cultivate Company Success

“One compelling argument for ethical governance is that it promotes trust. Trust is the bedrock of any healthy relationship, including those between a company and its stakeholders.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., The Virtuous Boardroom: How Ethical Corporate Governance Can Cultivate Company Success

“In an era where businesses operate under the watchful eye of a globally connected and informed public, the ethical imperative has transcended mere compliance and become a critical determinant of long-term success.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., The Virtuous Boardroom: How Ethical Corporate Governance Can Cultivate Company Success

“In a world where business decisions often prioritize profit and competition above all else, integrating Christian principles into corporate governance offers a refreshing and much-needed alternative.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., The Virtuous Boardroom: How Ethical Corporate Governance Can Cultivate Company Success

“When companies act ethically, they build trust with their employees, customers, investors, and communities.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., The Virtuous Boardroom: How Ethical Corporate Governance Can Cultivate Company Success

“CSIPP™ (Crisis Solution Internal Philosophy and Practice) is a framework I created that is designed to help organizations effectively handle crises. It emphasizes proactive planning, continuous learning, and adaptability, focusing on maximizing the organization's ability to add value throughout the crisis.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., The Virtuous Boardroom: How Ethical Corporate Governance Can Cultivate Company Success

“The Profit function: Individual profits cause collective growth and prosperity. It is necessary for individual people and businesses to profit in a Permaculture Economy where justice is maintained and fairly applied. Profits are earned when efficiency is mastered. With profits, individuals invest in (a) new and innovative means of production which will allow more profits, or (b) buying products and services from other individuals who are also seeking profit by providing value.

Profits also incentivize individuals to be productive participants in society to begin with. If there will be no profit in an activity, business or industry, then individuals will decline participation in that activity, business or industry. Since profits are only possible when buyers are satisfied with the productivity of sellers, then it is also true that an individuals willingness to participate in an activity, business or industry is preceded by the buyers satisfaction which allows the seller to profit. But when buyers are dissatisfied and decline participation, it forces sellers to decline participation. Inversely, if profits are eradicated through the force of price-controls by the government, then sellers will decline participation which then causes buyers to decline participation. And when both sellers and buyers decline participation, then whole industries and economies collapse.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, Principles of a Permaculture Economy