---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the…"
description: "\"Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the turning-point in his career did not come until he was thrown flat on his back by illness. He was sure that his..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg"
---

#  Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the turning-point in…

![“Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the turning-point in his career did not come until he was thrown flat on his back by illness. He was sure that his business would go to pieces during his long, enforced absence. Instead, he discovered that he had in his employ men who could overcome…” quote by B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg)

> “Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the turning-point in his career did not come until he was thrown flat on his back by illness. He was sure that his business would go to pieces during his long, enforced absence. Instead, he discovered that he had in his employ men who could overcome difficulties when given power to exercise initiative. After that Woolworth left many problems and difficulties to be solved by subordinates and turned his attention to big things.”

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Woolworth learned that empowering capable employees to act independently solves problems and frees leaders to focus on larger goals.

**In simple terms:** Empower staff, focus on big picture.

Key Takeaway

Delegate authority, trust teams.

Themes

leadership empowerment delegation

Mood

reflective optimistic

Type

advice leadership

When to use this quote

- Company crisis
- health setback
- team management
- strategic planning

Key Concepts

Organizational behavior trust initiative

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you identify employees ready for autonomy?
- What safeguards ensure delegated tasks succeed?

A Different Perspective

Empowering staff may fail if they lack skills or motivation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Big things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-things/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Initiative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/initiative/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Turning points](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turning-points/)

## Related quotes

> [Keep your motivation high, it will help you overcome difficulties in life. Don't expect people to come and solve your problems. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kaushik/keep-your-motivation-high-it-will-help-you-overcome-difficulties-in/)

[Chanda Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kaushik/)

> [“If you're looking for a New Year where you won't have any problems, oh, you're asking for so much, my friend, so much! What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-re-looking-for-a-new-year-where-you-won-t-have-any-problems-oh/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I've been through a lot and I realise the future can't be controlled. I'm not worried. You can always learn to overcome difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/i-ve-been-through-a-lot-and-i-realise-the-future-can-t-be-controlled/)

[Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/)

> [“I’m the type of person who thinks you have to catch the train when it comes your way. To do that you must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibor-michaels/i-m-the-type-of-person-who-thinks-you-have-to-catch-the-train-when-it/)

[Tibor Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tibor-michaels/)

> [A workable and effective way to meet and overcome difficulties is to take on someone else's problems. It is a strange fact but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/a-workable-and-effective-way-to-meet-and-overcome-difficulties-is-to/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [“If you have managed to overcome your difficulties, then make a note of that process because that’s your consciously patented formula for invincibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohith-agadi/if-you-have-managed-to-overcome-your-difficulties-then-make-a-note-of/)

[Mohith Agadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohith-agadi/)

> [Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/simplicity-is-the-highest-goal-achievable-when-you-have-overcome-all/)

[Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/)

> [Life can be difficult however it is how we react and overcome difficulties that makes us who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/purple-s-heart/life-can-be-difficult-however-it-is-how-we-react-and-overcome/)

[Purple's Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/purple-s-heart/)

> [Success come to those who are willing and have the courage to overcome every difficulties in the way to their goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/success-come-to-those-who-are-willing-and-have-the-courage-to/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [The comrades throughout the Party must take all this fully into account and be prepared to overcome all difficulties with an indomitable will and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-comrades-throughout-the-party-must-take-all-this-fully-into/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

> [China is a very big and complicated country; it's not easy to govern. But with courage and unity, China will certainly overcome all difficulties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hsien-loong/china-is-a-very-big-and-complicated-country-it-s-not-easy-to-govern/)

[Lee Hsien Loong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hsien-loong/)

> [To overcome difficulties is to experience the full delight of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/to-overcome-difficulties-is-to-experience-the-full-delight-of/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [Overcoming the difficulties of an ultramarathon reminds me that I can overcome the difficulties of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-jurek/overcoming-the-difficulties-of-an-ultramarathon-reminds-me-that-i-can/)

[Scott Jurek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-jurek/)

> [What is work? Work is struggle. There are difficulties and problems in those places for us to overcome and solve. We go there to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/what-is-work-work-is-struggle-there-are-difficulties-and-problems-in/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

> [“I didn't study for an easy job, I studied to overcome difficulties”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dric-b/i-didn-t-study-for-an-easy-job-i-studied-to-overcome-difficulties/)

Cédric B

## More by B. C. Forbes

> [Our future and our fate lie in our wills more than in our hands, for our hands are but the instruments of our wills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/our-future-and-our-fate-lie-in-our-wills-more-than-in-our-hands-for/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [What one thing does the world need most today-apart, that is, from the all-inclusive thing we call righteousness? Aren't you inclined to agree that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/what-one-thing-does-the-world-need-most-today-apart-that-is-from-the/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Are soft-hearted people handicapped in business? You have heard a businessman say of someone else, He's all right, but he's too soft-hearted… To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/are-soft-hearted-people-handicapped-in-business-you-have-heard-a/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Search and you will find that at the base and birth of every great business organization was an enthusiast, man consumed with earnestness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/search-and-you-will-find-that-at-the-base-and-birth-of-every-great/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [A big business man was telling Henry Ford about a coach driver of super-expertness with his whip. The driver was telling how he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/a-big-business-man-was-telling-henry-ford-about-a-coach-driver-of/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/better-to-be-occasionally-cheated-than-perpetually-suspicious/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Honesty pays dividends both in dollars and in peace of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/honesty-pays-dividends-both-in-dollars-and-in-peace-of-mind/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Timing is everything. Tell me how a young man spends his evenings and I will tell you how far he is likely to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/timing-is-everything-tell-me-how-a-young-man-spends-his-evenings-and/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [To succeed, we must have the will to succeed, we must have stamina, determination, backbone, perseverance, self-reliance, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/to-succeed-we-must-have-the-will-to-succeed-we-must-have-stamina/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [There are two brands of discontent: the brand that merely fosters greed and snarling and back-biting, and the brand that inspires greater and greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/there-are-two-brands-of-discontent-the-brand-that-merely-fosters/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Which class is happiest, the rich, the middle class or the poor? A very successful executive of a large organization touches upon this vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/which-class-is-happiest-the-rich-the-middle-class-or-the-poor-a-very/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [Are your desires purely selfish? Do your tastes run to a grand home, automobiles, fine clothes, an abundance of amusements, and so forth? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/are-your-desires-purely-selfish-do-your-tastes-run-to-a-grand-home/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [When you delve deep enough, you find that practically every great fortune and great enterprise in America have sprung from the courageous enterprise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/when-you-delve-deep-enough-you-find-that-practically-every-great/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [It can be set down as a broad, general principle that we cannot indulge in idleness and abundance during both the first and second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/it-can-be-set-down-as-a-broad-general-principle-that-we-cannot/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

> [The Christmas spirit brings home to us-or should bring home to us-the profound Biblical truth that it is more blessed to give than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/the-christmas-spirit-brings-home-to-us-or-should-bring-home-to-us-the/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

[Explore all 184 B. C. Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

## More Absence quotes

> [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/)

[James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/)

> [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/)

[Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/)

> [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/)

[William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/)

> [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/)

[Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/)

> [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/)

[Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/)

> [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/)

[Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/)

> [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/)

[Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/)

> [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/)

[Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/)

> [We must begin by acknowledging that there is a complete absence of two things in Indian Society. One of these is equality. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/we-must-begin-by-acknowledging-that-there-is-a-complete-absence-of/)

[B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/)

[Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the turning-point in his career did not come until he was thrown flat on his back by illness. He was sure that his business would go to pieces during his long, enforced absence. Instead, he discovered that he had in his employ men who could overcome difficulties when given power to exercise initiative. After that Woolworth left many problems and difficulties to be solved by subordinates and turned his attention to big things.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "B. C. Forbes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the-turning-point-in-his-career/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Absence"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the-turning-point-in-his-career/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/b-c-forbes-2124_absence_frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the_822319.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Frank W. Woolworth once told me that the turning-point in his career did not come until he was thrown flat…” — B. C. Forbes",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "B. C. Forbes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Frank W. Woolworth once told me...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the-turning-point-in-his-career/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/frank-w-woolworth-once-told-me-that-the-turning-point-in-his-career/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
