"Studies of thriving people and their successful career paths show that the type of jobs they have had is much less important than the type of person they are. There are no dead-end jobs, but there are dead-end people."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Apathy and Cynicism Zap Our Spirit"

"We will all eventually die. The real tragedy is failing to fully live. Too many people are having 'near-life experiences'."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Beyond "Near-Life Experiences""

"When we align an individual's personal goals with those of the family, team, or organization, we tap into huge energy reserves. It's similar to the healing process identified by the famous medical missionary, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, 'The witch doctor succeeds for the same reason all the rest of us succeed. Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing the truth. We are best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work.'"

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Creating High Energy Environments"

"What is the purpose of our work? Of our lives? Material success alone is not enough. Leaders seek within - and find something more. In what is too often a mad dash from cradle to grave, we need to take time - in work and life - to nourish our inner selves."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Growing the Leader in Us"

"We've run into dozens of people in the last few years who've taken early retirement, gone back to school, started their own business, or turned down a bigger job assignment. They took a financial loss in order to make a deeper gain. Their personal net worth has been dramatically boosted by how they feel about the person staring back at them each morning in the bathroom mirror."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "How Many Companies Lose That Loving Feeling"

"Few people today want to buy from, work for, or partner with, a company that's only out for itself. For example, I can't imagine sitting down with my team, producing a set of elaborate architectural drawings for a huge, luxurious dream home, and saying, 'If you all work really hard, someday this will be mine.'"

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Leadership on Purpose"

"Studies of the role and impact of values or ethics on corporate performance show that profits follow from worthy and useful purposes. Fulfilling the purpose comes first, and then the profits follow. Profits are a reward. The size of our reward depends on the value of the service we've given others."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Leadership on Purpose"

"Our values hierarchy sets our priorities. It determines where we spend our time. For example, do we choose to watch TV or invest that time in personal improvement? Do we sleep longer or go jogging? Do we spend time with our family or take on that extra project with heavy out of town travel? Who gets invited to important meetings? These are important questions because we invest our time in those areas we value most."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Our Values Set Our Priorities"

"The vision and values we choose to fix in our minds today determines tomorrow's character and culture. We start to change who we're becoming and where we're headed when we change what we value and picture in our future."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Our Values Shape Our Character and Culture"

"People rally around passionate leaders with a compelling vision and purpose. Those who are so passionate about their work that they have turned it into a cause draw us, like insects to the back porch light."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Passionate Leaders Rally People to the Cause"

"Our values and priorities will change as we move through different stages of our lives. It's one of the reasons that setting aside regular R & R (reflection and renewal) time is important to a more balanced and satisfying life."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Pathways and Pitfalls to Clarifying and Living Personal Values"

"As you try to articulate your espoused or aspired values, don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of "we're not living this way now so it can't be a value." Like visioning, you're trying to describe where you want to be. Once you know what you what to become, then you can work on making these lived values."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Pathways and Pitfalls to Clarifying Organizational Values"

"Over the years, I've found that investing about 30 - 45 minutes per day (some days an early morning start or busy schedule prevents it) has paid huge dividends in energy and focus. It's a tiny price to pay to ensure that the other sixteen hours of your day don't compound into a life of regrets. As the 19th century American author and poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, put it so well, "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been!'"

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Personal Purpose Pathways and Pitfalls"

"The profit paradox; companies that exist only to produce a profit don't last long. And companies that don't pay attention to profits can't exist to fulfill their long term purpose. Pursuing profits without a higher purpose or pursuing a purpose without profit are equally fatal strategies."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Profits are a Reward, Not a Purpose"

"Developing a personal, team, and organization purpose that's aimed at serving others adds a richer sense of meaning to any personal, team, or organization change or improvement efforts. It taps into the deep craving we all have to make a difference. We need to feel that the world was in some way a little bit better off for the brief time we passed through it."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Purpose Gives Us a Deep Sense of Meaning"

"Assuming we care (if not, we're in the wrong place), the leadership challenge -- even obligation -- is to help others care. In today's environment this is one of the toughest aspects of leadership."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Purposeful Leaders Make Meaning"

"For the most effective companies, organizational spirit or culture is a major competitive advantage. Companies can purchase the same equipment, technologies, products, people, brands, facilities and other tangible assets as their competitors. But they cannot buy the intangible culture of caring for customers or commitment to high quality that makes or breaks all their tangible investments. This can only be earned through strong and consistent leadership."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Team Spirit Built from the Top"

"'False hope' is an oxymoron; the two words don't belong together. Hope can't be false. It might be unfulfilled, but it can't be false. If hope makes me try a little longer, strive a little further, live a little more, dream a little clearer, or raise my expectations a little higher, how can it be false?"

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "The Dynamic Power of Hope"

"Hope is one of the most powerful sources of energy ever known to humankind. Without hope, we slip from living to just existing. Hope charges our spirit and draws us forward to a better tomorrow. Hope helps us see beyond the problems to the possibilities."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "The Dynamic Power of Hope"

"Hope is one of the most powerful sources of energy ever known to humankind. Without hope, we slip from living to just existing. Hope charges our spirit and draws us forward to a better tomorrow. Hope helps us see beyond the problems to the possibilities."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "The Dynamic Power of Hope"

"Our teams should regularly debate, and decide on the answers to these three questions (in no particular order): Where are we going (our vision or picture of our preferred future)? What do we believe in (our principles or values)? Why do we exist (our purpose or niche)? I call these the 3 Ps — picture or preferred future, principles, and purpose. They are critically important questions. They are fundamental to leading others."

- from Jim Clemmer's article, "Three Core Questions That Define Organizational Culture"