Different individuals may look at the same subject in different ways–or at least with different emphasis. What is more important to one may be less important to another.
Just as persons see things differently, in the same way groups of people or companies have different views, ideas, policies, and principles of doing business.
The purpose of this training is to provide an opportunity for you to learn about some of the basic principles of this Company. Whether you are or may become a Manager, everyone reports to a Manager and should understand what we expect of our Managers.
When you have finished this training, you should know more about this Company, about your job, and about our style of management, This should have an effect on your attitude, the way in which you carry out your responsibilities, and how you prepare for your progress.
The message that follows was presented at a management meeting conducted in 1970. The principles remain unchanged.
ln your personal lives you may be affiliated with social, religious, or political organizations whose goals and practices differ from each other. Within each of those organizations, the members are expected to follow its policies and rules–and so it is within our Company. We expect the full cooperation of everyone. Like the members of an orchestra or of an athletic team, everyone must understand what is expected and should cooperate to reach the goals and accomplish the objectives.
As you know, our Company has been in business for many years. lts basic philosophy, its most important principles have been practiced from the very beginning.
When we were smaller, somehow we all seemed to know just what kind of a company it was. We were able to learn to work together by seeing our top management people more frequently–there were fewer of them, and the so-called “lines of communication” were shorter.
As we grow larger, there are more levels of management, and we need to make certain that our people have an opportunity to learn about the policies and practices they are expected to follow.
Now as to some of our basic principles:
If you ask the average person today why companies are in business, the answer you would most likely hear would be “to make money (profits).”
ln our Company, too, profits are important–but Service is even more important! And what do we mean by Service?
First, we are in business to perform a Service to people. “People” includes our customers, our employees, our suppliers, and the communities in which we live.
To perform this Service properly, every person in our Company is important. Whether the job is in Personnel, Finance, Marketing, Engineering, Data Processing, or Manufacturing, it is significant and necessary.
Over the years, we have developed an extensive line of specialized products. Instead of merely offering products that any manufacturer can produce, we perform an outstanding Service to our customers and to the public by developing, designing, manufacturing, and selling products that have many unique features and fill special needs. This requires imagination, intelligence, and hard work.
It also provides a challenge and a sense of accomplishment to those who recognize that this is not the way every company operates.
Our products are the leaders in their fields in this and in many other countries. There is probably no country in the world in which they are not used and respected. Our international reputation for quality is built on the twin foundations of performance and reliability. Our emphasis is on maintaining high standards. This can only be done through the attitude and efforts of all of our people–at all levels. This is the way it is, the way it has been, and the way we want to keep it.
Good Service, of course, includes promptness–a sense of urgency on the part of everyone. We are concerned about any instance when a shipment is not made promptly, whether it is for a large or for a small order–or even for a repair or replacement part. The same sense of urgency applies to the safety and well-being of our people.
We believe that our progress is based on doing what is right (rather than making decisions based on what we may be able to get away with). All of our relationships depend on doing the right thing. By that we mean that every person is treated with fairness and with human regard for his feelings–and we expect the same in return.
Does all this sound like idealism? lf so, I assure you it is a practical idealism. We have proven that it is a sound and dependable way to achieve growth–and profits, too.
Does it sound like perfectionism? Perhaps! We know very well that absolute perfection cannot be attained–but we will never stop striving for it. We are continually alert for the next improvement in every part of our business–and we must be ready to adopt each improvement as soon as it can possibly be done.
Growth is not an unmixed blessing. It brings growing pains and problems. As the problems occur, they must be attacked and solved promptly, before they become too large to manage.
To do this we must encourage the opening of channels for information to flow in every direction, A good manager must be able to communicate effectively. First, he must know the principles and practices that have built this business and created the climate for growth. Then he must see that the people he manages know the “rules of the game,” so to speak.
Because actions always “speak louder than words, he must set a good example. But, he will also have to use words to convey his ideas clearly.
Language is our most important tool, but it is not a perfect tool. Words often have more than one meaning; therefore, care must be taken to see that understanding is achieved. And to improve understanding, we must also learn to be better listeners!
A manager must lead, and he must motivate those who report to him. He should be training and developing subordinates who have the will and the ability to take on greater responsibilities. Our Company actively favors promotion from within, and the need for people at higher levels increases as the organization grows.
ln conclusion, while always keeping in mind that our ultimate purpose is to provide superior Service in every relationship, we are concerned on a daily basis with making our Company a good place to work–where each person can feel a sense of participation and pride in being part of an organization of integrity and responsibility, an organization of people who respect each other and know that they are serving society by working together to produce the finest products of their kind.
