The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.

The saying frames “ability” in business less as technical expertise and more as social intelligence: the capacity to cooperate, maintain workable relationships, and persuade. It implies that outcomes in commerce are mediated through people—partners, employees, customers, rivals, and regulators—so success depends on navigating interests and emotions as much as on strategy. The second clause (“influence their actions”) underscores that leadership and negotiation are practical arts: aligning others’ behavior with shared goals. Read this way, the quote anticipates modern emphases on soft skills, stakeholder management, and organizational behavior as decisive competitive advantages.