Chip Conley Quotes

Feeling good about your life, but not expressing a heartfelt 'thank you,' is like wrapping a gift for someone and never giving it to them.

Social scientists have found that the fastest way to feel happiness is to practice gratitude.

When the world is in the midst of change, when adversity and opportunity are almost indistinguishable, this is the time for visionary leadership and when leaders need to look beyond the survival needs of those they're serving.

Great leaders help their people see how they can directly impact the company's objectives and their own personal goals.

Isn't it ironic that pay, perks, and benefits all cost your company at the bottom line, but authentic recognition, especially when it's most unexpected, costs very little and gives the most impressive return on investment.

Maybe its time we get a toolbox that doesnt just count whats easily counted, the tangible in life, but actually counts what we most value, the things that are intangible.

Companies and leaders are role models - not just with the business community - but in the broader world.

The more we ignore our emotions, the more likely they are to wield a powerful influence over us.

I do interview senior candidates at the home office or many of our hotel or restaurant General Manager candidates. My two favorite questions are "Tell me about a failure in your career, what you learned from it, and how you've leveraged this lesson" and "All of us are misperceived at one time or another. What's the most common way you're misperceived in the workplace and why?" Both of these questions require a certain amount of self-awareness and a willingness to not give pat, normal answers that we offer experience in interviews.

Curiosity has ... proven to be a great ingredient in resilience, a trait particularly valuable in an extended economic downturn. Resilient people aren't made of steel; they just provide themselves with more options, and those options come from a curious mind.

We rigidify our self-image to portray a certain identity to the world, which is one of the key impediments to authenticity.

What one thing can you start counting today that will actually be meaningful in your life?

Every five years, I like to do a big birthday party. I had my 45th birthday with 75 friends in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Younger people tend to associate happiness more with excitement and the future, while older people tend to associate happiness with peacefulness in the present.

Make curiosity a wonder-ful habit.

Those of us who have been lucky enough to experience a calling in our work have a certain faith and peace of mind that it's exactly when we're supposed to be doing.

When any of us thinks of ourselves as a role model - whether thats as a parent being observed by their kids or a leader under the microscope of their followers - it creates a natural stepping up of how we carry ourselves and what we expect from ourselves.

Many people do not distinguish between something that happens to them and their reaction to it. Yet it isn't the event or situation that holds the emotional charge; it's our beliefs that create our response.

Someone could be amazing at what they do, but if you don't like them, why bother hiring them?

Whether we're conscious of it or not, our work and personal lives are made up of daily rituals, including when we eat our meals, how we shower or groom, or how we approach our daily descent into the digital world of email communication.

In general, I'm not much into etiquette and am a rule-breaker and rebel by nature.

At the heart of great leadership is a curious mind, heart, and spirit.

Letting an emotion move through you is healthy. Letting an emotion define you is not.

Conventional wisdom suggests the primary motivator for entrepreneurs is money or wealth creation and, in fact, much of the political debate tends to center around what kind of tax or regulatory policy changes will turn corporate suits into small business adventurers overnight.

As leaders, we understand that intangibles are important, but we don't have a clue how to measure them.

Café Gratitude offers an experience that expands what is possible for all people–a great recipe for business. I've watched Café Gratitude grow and have experienced both the flavors of their food and their commitment to providing a sacred experience for their customers.

I don't know about you, but I've saved cards that old high school flames wrote me as well as those that employees have written me over the years. The power of genuine, customized appreciation will never lose its value, even in a gloomy economy... in fact, it's probably what we're all thirsty for in this desert of a depression.