Every time we make an investment decision at FedEx, we ask ourselves: 'What is the return on this investment?' Frederick W. Smith More Quotes by Frederick W. Smith More Quotes From Frederick W. Smith My four years in the Marine Corps left me with an indelible understanding of the value of leadership skills. Frederick W. Smith marine skills years Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something. Frederick W. Smith fear inspirational fall It is impossible to manage the health care requirements of tens of millions of American citizens at the federal level. It is impossible to manage all of the permutations of people's economic aspirations and lives through a complex tax code. It is impossible to try to second-guess the market. It is impossible, from a managerial standpoint, for the federal government to do the things it is trying to do today. Frederick W. Smith government trying people Leadership is simply the ability of an individual to coalesce the efforts of other individuals toward achieving common goals. It boils down to looking after your people and ensuring that, from top to bottom, everyone feels part of the team. Frederick W. Smith team goal people A Yale University management professor in response to student Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service: The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C', the idea must be feasible. Frederick W. Smith yale order ideas A good Christian is a velvet-covered brick. Frederick W. Smith bricks velvet christian I do not believe I could have built FedEx without the skills I learned from the Marine Corps. Frederick W. Smith marine skills believe Leaders get out in front and stay there by raising the standards by which they judge themselves - and by which they are willing to be judged. Frederick W. Smith inspiration leadership motivational A lot of the economy is indeed being supplied by goods that are produced offshore. And much of the reason for that is societal. Frederick W. Smith goods economy reason The tax rate of 35 percent is impossible to provide an incentive to the large corporations, that have $1.7 trillion offshore, to put their money back in the United States. Frederick W. Smith incentives corporations united-states Beginning in 1973 and then acts in '77, '78, 1980, 1994 and then into the 21st century in the international arena, governments have steadily gotten out of the transportation business. Frederick W. Smith arena century government There is no free market for oil. It's controlled by a cartel, OPEC. Frederick W. Smith opec cartels oil The United States tax system today is very prejudiced towards financialization, leverage, and lack of investment. Frederick W. Smith investment united-states today If you look historically, what creates growth and wealth is innovation and investment, and increase in scale - more customers. Frederick W. Smith innovation growth looks I am not someone who tends to advocate for increased government involvement in the private sector. Frederick W. Smith involvement private-sector government My innovation involved taking an idea from the telecommunications and banking industries, and applying that idea to transportation business. Frederick W. Smith banking innovation ideas I paid every effort to seek deregulation throughout FEDEX's start-up and expansion periods, because the biggest impediment to our growth was the government regulations that restricted new entry into the air cargo market. Frederick W. Smith effort government air I’m not afraid to take a swing and miss. Frederick W. Smith not-afraid swings missing Only electricity can give the transport sector the flexibility to switch fuels when one or more become too expensive. Frederick W. Smith electricity fuel giving A manager is not a person who can do the work better than his men; he is a person who can get his men to do the work better than he can. Frederick W. Smith person better work men
