Business Quote by Harvey S. Firestone
“An executive cannot gradually dismiss details. Business is made up of details and I notice that the chief executive who dismisses them is quite likely to dismiss his business. Success is the sum of detail. It might perhaps be pleasing to imagine oneself beyond detail and engaged only in great things, but as I have often observed, if one attends only to great things and lets the little things pass the great things become little; that is, the business shrinks.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Business Wisdom, Harvey S. Firestone, 1935
Success depends on attention to small, everyday details; ignoring them leads to the erosion of the whole enterprise.
In simple terms: Details matter; ignoring them hurts business.
Key Takeaway
Pay attention to the small stuff.
Themes
attention
detail
business
leadership
Mood
thoughtful
pragmatic
Type
advisory
motivational
When to use this quote
- management meetings
- product development
- customer service
- financial oversight
Key Concepts
systems thinking
operational excellence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance detail work with big‑picture thinking?
- What processes ensure critical details aren’t missed?
A Different Perspective
Over‑focus on minutiae can stall strategic vision.
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