--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learned early on that one of the…" description: "\"I learned early on that one of the secrets to campus leadership was the simplest thing of all: speak to people coming down the sidewalk before they spe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/781/sam-walton-4376_campus_i-learned-early-on-that-one-of-the-secre_1612738.jpg" --- # I learned early on that one of the secrets to campus… ![“I learned early on that one of the secrets to campus leadership was the simplest thing of all: speak to people coming down the sidewalk before they speak to you. I did that in college. I did it when I carried my papers. I would always look ahead and speak to the person coming toward me. If I knew…” quote by Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/781/sam-walton-4376_campus_i-learned-early-on-that-one-of-the-secre_1612738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/781/sam-walton-4376_campus_i-learned-early-on-that-one-of-the-secre_1612738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/781/sam-walton-4376_campus_i-learned-early-on-that-one-of-the-secre_1612738.jpg) > “I learned early on that one of the secrets to campus leadership was the simplest thing of all: speak to people coming down the sidewalk before they speak to you. I did that in college. I did it when I carried my papers. I would always look ahead and speak to the person coming toward me. If I knew them, I would call them by name, but even if I didn't I would still speak to them. Before long, I probably knew more students than anybody in the university, and they recognized me and considered me their friend.” [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership thrives on simple, proactive personal engagement with others. **In simple terms:** Talk to people first. Key Takeaway Initiate conversations to build connections. Themes leadership community communication Mood optimistic pragmatic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - college campus - retail floor - networking events - everyday encounters Key Concepts social interaction networking presence Questions to Reflect On - How can you maintain genuine interest in brief encounters? - What risks exist in approaching strangers? A Different Perspective Not everyone will respond positively; effort can be misinterpreted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Campus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campus/) [Campus Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campus-leadership-2443627/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knew Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-students-1262490/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership Simplest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-simplest-2443628/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Papers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/papers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Sidewalk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidewalk/) [Simplest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplest/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-people/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Students Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students-anybody-6151346/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) ## Related quotes > [I learned early on that one of the secrets of campus leadership was the simplest thing of all: speak to people coming down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/i-learned-early-on-that-one-of-the-secrets-of-campus-leadership-was/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [“Teachers knew every one of the students, their secrets, their grades, their home situations. And all the students knew the teachers. It was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-kahler/teachers-knew-every-one-of-the-students-their-secrets-their-grades/) [Victoria Kahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-kahler/) > [“I needed to pass on those secrets to a man I knew well. All my students are terribly virtuous and only show their good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-needed-to-pass-on-those-secrets-to-a-man-i-knew-well-all-my/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [My mom was a special-needs teacher for many years, so I knew her students. And one of my best friends from when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigette-lundy-paine/my-mom-was-a-special-needs-teacher-for-many-years-so-i-knew-her/) [Brigette Lundy-Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigette-lundy-paine/) > [The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think about whether or not you're qualified.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-known-you-get-asked-to-speak/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [You can't speak for the people unless you're able to walk amongst the people. And how many of these rappers out here actually hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmx/you-can-t-speak-for-the-people-unless-you-re-able-to-walk-amongst-the/) [DMX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmx/) > [I want to speak for people who can't speak; they're afraid to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-abstract/i-want-to-speak-for-people-who-can-t-speak-they-re-afraid-to-speak/) [Kevin Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-abstract/) > [They say actions speak louder than words, but actions dont speak. People speak, and people are loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennette-mccurdy/they-say-actions-speak-louder-than-words-but-actions-dont-speak/) [Jennette McCurdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennette-mccurdy/) > [We believe that with our music, we should be saying exactly what we think. We want to speak up for people who don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-marlow/we-believe-that-with-our-music-we-should-be-saying-exactly-what-we/) [Maddie Marlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-marlow/) > [I'm not one to speak about myself. I like to speak about the people around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-m-not-one-to-speak-about-myself-i-like-to-speak-about-the-people/) [Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/) > [Knowing how to speak to people with the right words at the right time, that's immensely powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-postecoglou/knowing-how-to-speak-to-people-with-the-right-words-at-the-right-time/) [Angelos Postecoglou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-postecoglou/) > [Speak to people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/by-no-where/speak-to-people/) [By No Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/by-no-where/) > [“It’s not that you can’t speak. It’s that other people can hear you. And they’re telling you what you’re saying is crazy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayna-tortorici/it-s-not-that-you-can-t-speak-it-s-that-other-people-can-hear-you-and/) [Dayna Tortorici](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dayna-tortorici/) > [I've always had a problem with the things that people would say out of their mouths to other people. I've always had a problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/i-ve-always-had-a-problem-with-the-things-that-people-would-say-out/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [My favorite way to learn is to speak to people who are already doing I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/my-favorite-way-to-learn-is-to-speak-to-people-who-are-already-doing/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) ## More by Sam Walton > [It is unhealthy to marinate in your own press clippings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/it-is-unhealthy-to-marinate-in-your-own-press-clippings/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Loosen up, and everybody around you will loosen up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/loosen-up-and-everybody-around-you-will-loosen-up/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [All of us profit from being corrected - if we're corrected in a positive way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/all-of-us-profit-from-being-corrected-if-we-re-corrected-in-a/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/the-secret-of-successful-retailing-is-to-give-your-customers-what/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [If I had to single out one element in my life that has made a difference for me, it would be a passion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/if-i-had-to-single-out-one-element-in-my-life-that-has-made-a/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [We're all working together; that's the secret. And we'll lower the cost of living for everyone, not just in America, but we'll give the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/we-re-all-working-together-that-s-the-secret-and-we-ll-lower-the-cost/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [The key to success is to get out into the store and listen to what the associates have to say. It's terribly important for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/the-key-to-success-is-to-get-out-into-the-store-and-listen-to-what/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [I think my constant fiddling and meddling with the status quo may have been one of my biggest contributions to the later success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/i-think-my-constant-fiddling-and-meddling-with-the-status-quo-may/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [High expectations is the key to everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/high-expectations-is-the-key-to-everything/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Exceed your customer's expectations. If you do, they'll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/exceed-your-customer-s-expectations-if-you-do-they-ll-come-back-over/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely free and worth a fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/nothing-else-can-quite-substitute-for-a-few-well-chosen-well-timed/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [I was asked what I thought about the recession. I thought about it and decided not to take part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/i-was-asked-what-i-thought-about-the-recession-i-thought-about-it-and/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Capital isn't hard to find; intuition, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/capital-isn-t-hard-to-find-intuition-yes/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/commit-to-your-business-believe-in-it-more-than-anybody-else/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Our best ideas come from clerks and stockboys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/our-best-ideas-come-from-clerks-and-stockboys/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) [Explore all 112 Sam Walton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) ## More Campus quotes > [As I told the students every time I visited a campus, you are the director of your own movie, and if you aren't enjoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/as-i-told-the-students-every-time-i-visited-a-campus-you-are-the/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [The Nazis played the same games against Jews that today’s left plays against 'Eurocentrism,' 'whiteness,' and 'logocentrism.' When you hear a campus radical denounce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-nazis-played-the-same-games-against-jews-that-today-s-left-plays/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I met people on college campuses who were defining themselves as genderqueer to express revolutionary feelings, or to communicate their individuality; they were gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-met-people-on-college-campuses-who-were-defining-themselves-as/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [The place I write best is at the Angell Hall computer center on the University of Michigan campus, where I went to school. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-rothbart/the-place-i-write-best-is-at-the-angell-hall-computer-center-on-the/) [Davy Rothbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-rothbart/) > [ One of the things that Claire \[ McCaskill\] and I are trying to do is put systems on campus in place so that a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/one-of-the-things-that-claire-mccaskill-and-i-are-trying-to-do-is-put/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [If my life is any example, the work that youth workers are doing is very, very important. It tends to get marginalized in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/if-my-life-is-any-example-the-work-that-youth-workers-are-doing-is/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [The three major administrative problems on a campus are sex for the students, athletics for the alumni, and parking for the faculty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-three-major-administrative-problems-on-a-campus-are-sex-for-the/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [I will take on the epidemics of gun violence and campus sexual assault, so that everyone in America is safe and respected, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-will-take-on-the-epidemics-of-gun-violence-and-campus-sexual/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Typically cult groups target universities and colleges. Most likely those schools that maintain campus housing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/typically-cult-groups-target-universities-and-colleges-most-likely/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [It transmitted because on the campuses, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was recruiting, was organizing. Students for a Democratic Society was founded at Michigan just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-transmitted-because-on-the-campuses-student-nonviolent/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I took a job at the Walt Disney Company and after 18 months decided to go to business school at Harvard. I was awestruck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kilar/i-took-a-job-at-the-walt-disney-company-and-after-18-months-decided/) [Jason Kilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kilar/) > [I wanted to be an English teacher. I wanted to do it for the corduroy jackets with patches on the side. When I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-wanted-to-be-an-english-teacher-i-wanted-to-do-it-for-the-corduroy/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) [Browse all 308 Campus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I learned early on that one of the secrets to campus leadership was the simplest thing of all: speak to people coming down the sidewalk before they speak to you. I did that in college. I did it when I carried my papers. I would always look ahead and speak to the person coming toward me. If I knew them, I would call them by name, but even if I didn't I would still speak to them. 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