Accounts Quote by Ralph J. Cordiner
“When it's over it should be over. When a man is no longer at risk, he loses touch. I think these fellows who think they have some long-term right to dignity and salary and expense accounts and company planes are all wrong. On December 21, 1963 I walked out of there and said that's it: no office, no secretaries. Nothing.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Corporate resignation statement, December 21 1963
He argues that entitlement to perks and status without risk is unjust, urging a clean break from unnecessary corporate comforts.
In simple terms: Quit entitlement, keep only essential work.
Key Takeaway
Leave behind excess, focus on purpose.
Themes
corporate culture
entitlement
risk
responsibility
Mood
defiant
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- executive resignation
- budget cuts
- streamlining operations
- ethical audits
Key Concepts
Power dynamics
ethical leadership
organizational change
Questions to Reflect On
- What truly defines a meaningful job?
- How can companies balance fairness with efficiency?
A Different Perspective
May ignore legitimate employee needs for security and morale.
![“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life." [ Live 8 Concert , Mary Fitzgerald Square, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2 July 2005]” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b65/nelson-mandela-248_dignity_overcoming-poverty-is-not-a-gesture-of-c_1982981.jpg)
![“[Writers are] the highest paid secretaries in the world.” quote by Joseph L. Mankiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d29/joseph-l-mankiewicz-29724_highest_writers-are-the-highest-paid-secretaries_523528.jpg)
