JOHN T. CHAMBERS

Business [compared to government] has an advantage in that we know that if we don’t take risks, it’s about survival … Business has to also stand behind government leaders who take risk.,, That’s what leadership is about.

I had an issue with dyslexia before they understood what dyslexia was. One of my teachers, Mrs. Anderson, taught me to look at it like a curveball. The ball breaks the same way every time. Once you get used to it, you can handle it pretty well.

If every company becomes a technology company, business models and transitions are going to occur. From a CEO's perspective, this is going to be the biggest technology transition of all times.

When a leader doesn't do his or her job, it isn't just a problem with the person. They take their whole organization down.

The number one objective is that people who make the investment in digitization, whether they are governments or service providers, get a reasonable return.

We know that veterans have valuable skills and experiences that are highly sought after in today's workforce.

If we're going to acquire, what are we going to do differently? We came up with six rules of thumb. Whenever I've violated two of them, I usually get into trouble.

We changed the world many ways with the Internet.

It would surprise you how many government and business leaders with dyslexia. Some people view it as a weakness, and maybe it is. What dyslexia forces you to do, you don't go A, B, C, D, E... to Z. I can go A, B... Z with speed.

Some people need a command-and-control environment.

The start of 2016 offers great promise as the world awakens to the power of connectivity and increasing digitization. The new Digital Age is upon us, and it is unlike anything we have experienced before.

The business community is very comfortable with Romney.

I think we have a tax policy that was designed before Microsoft even went public. I think we've got to change - we're at a huge disadvantage around the world.

The 'No.1 IT company' isn't by volume, it's in relation to business customers because those are my customers, not the consumer. Who do they view as their most important partner? That's my definition of the 'No.1 IT company.'

It's important to remember that finding a job is only the beginning of a smooth transition to civilian life for our troops - as employers, we must also ensure their ongoing success.

Government leaders need to ask themselves if they are positioning their country to reap the full potential of the digital economy.

In France, President Francois Hollande is leveraging the next wave of the Internet to jumpstart economic reforms and create jobs for hundreds of thousands of citizens. A historically socialist government, France has had the courage to quickly implement unique partnerships with the business community to drive entrepreneurial spirit and thinking.

I support both Democrats and Republicans on many issues. I'm more interested in where they are on technology.

There is no secure data center in the world; they have all been broken into. We can help you prepare for it and minimize the damage when it does occur.

Do you have the same vision of where industry is going as the target of your acquisition? If visions differ, you might get together economically for a while, but then you are going to have problems.

We don't go into a market without a chance of a 40 percent share and sustainable differentiation. We wouldn't get into wiring oil rigs if we didn't believe we could get 40 percent.

Our next CEO needs to thrive in a highly dynamic environment, to be capable of accelerating what is working very well for Cisco and disrupting what needs to change.

I like to believe that I got my business knowledge from my dad. He was able to see trends a long way off. And my mom is very good with people and emotional.

The window was open for us to play in the consumer as data, voice, video came together. This is where you have to have the courage to take good business risks because if you don't, you never win.

If you asked would I have done a startup in India, the answer is yes.