Inspirational Quotations for Business and Work

If you're looking for an inspirational quote to motivate your team or an inspiring quotee for your newsletter or website, you've come to the right place. These 20 quotation resources will help encourage employee motivation and inspiration at work because they touch the very cornerstone of what it means to be successful and gratified at work. 

01
of 20

Change and Change Management

Change management quotations
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One of the most important insights about the need to bring about deep change in others has to do with where deep change actually starts. Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture only changes when the organization is transformed, from the top down. The culture reflects the realities of people working together every day.

02
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Commitment

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Don't ever underestimate the power of commitment. If each employee in an organization makes the unconditional commitment to reach their most important goals—which feed off the mission of the company—then they will find the way and the power to achieve not just the goals of their assignments, but the teams.

Actually individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team succeed.  

03
of 20

Empowerment and Delegation

Empowerment and delegation quotes
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Empowerment and delegation are useful to help you encourage employee motivation and empowerment, and inspire dedication and excitement from your employees.

They also provide insight into the essence and power of the concept and business strategy of empowerment which is partially carried out by how managers in organizations delegate tasks and opportunities to employees.

04
of 20

Excellence

Quotes about excellence
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Excellence is one of the key drivers found in top companies. The companies that survive longest are the ones that work out what they uniquely can give to the world, not just growth or money but their excellence, their respect for others, or their ability to make people happy. Some call those things a soul. Some call these things the company's authentic mission.

05
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Experience and Productivity

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There is no duplication for experience in the business world, which leads to productivity and excellence. 

Workers can only avoid mistakes if they made a mistake in the trial-and-error learning process—and then take the necessary steps to prevent future errors. That said, astute, caring employees (and employers) can gain experience by observing the mistakes of others. In the end, it all comes down to exercising good judgment—individually and as part of a team. 

06
of 20

Goals and Goal Setting

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Without goals, goal setting, dreams, and a clear picture, employees will flounder. The same way people set personal goals such as marriage, children, and home ownership, without a rudder to steer workers toward a beacon (i.e., a pre-determined goal), the worker and the team are doomed to fail. People always need a well-defined and clear end-result to keep in mind.

07
of 20

Honesty, Integrity, and Truthfulness

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When considering honesty, integrity, and truthfulness in the workplace, keep in mind one of the most businessmen of the 20th century, Warren Buffet who said, "In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And, if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."   

08
of 20

Intention

Quotations about intention
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Intention is a way to aim for—and accomplish—a purpose. And, without purpose, an employee, a team, and a business cannot succeed.

Quality is never an accident—it is always the result of high intention, coupled with sincere effort and skillful execution. In its essence, intention represents the wise choice of many alternatives.

09
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Leadership

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The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born—that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. The opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.

No matter how small your workplace, every company needs leaders and successful organizations believe that every employee has the potential to exhibit leadership qualities that boost employee morale and self-esteem and helps employees contribute more effectively.

10
of 20

Motivation

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The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why they're working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different.

For many people, motivation is not about making more money; it's about being satisfied with one's job and feeling the respect of others. 

11
of 20

Nonverbal Communication

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Nonverbal communication is a very powerful tool. Human beings had body language long before they had speech. From slouched, hunched posture to eyes that look away, nonverbal communication accounts for about 80 percent of what you telegraph in a business conversation.

12
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Optimism

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Optimism plays a big part in one's career success, resulting in higher achievement and status.  

If you are constantly looking at the negative and refusing to see possible options when situations go awry, your negative self-talk will dramatically limit your ability to succeed—whatever task you're facing. 

13
of 20

Persistence and Determination

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No matter what industry you work in—whether it's the corporate sector or a non-profit organization—success is almost totally dependent upon drive, persistence, and determination. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning over a new client, launching a new product, or reaching your annual fundraising quota.

14
of 20

Procrastination

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All successful business leaders know that procrastination is the devil's handiwork. That's why even the CEO's of global conglomerates are list people. They make (even write) daily to-do lists to guard against procrastination and put the hardest tasks items at the top of the list. Putting the hardest tasks at the bottom is just another form of procrastination. 

15
of 20

Respect

Letterpress letters spelling the word Respect
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Respect is not a touchy-feely kind of new-age emotion—it is a key workplace value. Respect as a mode of behavior is essential in your workplace and is one of the five factors that every employee needs to receive in order to be happy and productive at work. Without it, talented employees will leave—possibly finding employment with your competitor.

16
of 20

Rewards and Recognition

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Rewards and recognition are useful ​tools to help employee motivation and inspiration. They encourage employees to do their best work, take thoughtful risks, and express empowerment in their everyday jobs. They encourage employees to stretch, set new challenges, and maximize their ability to contribute.

17
of 20

Success

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Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's, and one of the greatest entrepreneurs of the 20th century said, when asked about Success, "If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours."​

18
of 20

Team Building and Teamwork

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All teams will bicker and disagree. The difference between a successful team and a failing team is that when challenges happen, successful teams acknowledge and resolve the challenges quickly. That's because they know that the vision, harmony, consistent production, and success of the team is more important than any of the drama or counterproductive bickering.

19
of 20

Trust and Trustworthiness

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At work, trust and trustworthiness are at the heart of a successful organization. It doesn't matter the industry, the best leaders and colleagues will always ​be among those with unwavering integrity and trustworthiness.

20
of 20

Work

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Why can't your work years be your best years? The object of all work is production or accomplishment, and to either of these ends, there must be forethought, a system, planning, intelligence, and an honest purpose. And, if you're not afraid of training, discipline, and hard work, your opportunities for happiness will be great.