Lesson #5: It's who you are as an organization that makes everything possible.
Lesson #5: It's who you are as an organization that makes everything possible.
One of Wrigley Jr.'s most admired qualities was his enthusiasm. Over his desk in his office hung a sign that read, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Wrigley Jr. tried to live up to that motto each and every day. Indeed, Wrigley Jr. was able to evoke enthusiasm each and every day because of the very fact that he loved what he was doing. "Nothing is so much fun as business," he once said. "I do not expect to do anything but work as long as I can stand up."
Wrigley Jr.'s enthusiasm also proved infectious among his colleagues. "I have never seen Mr. Wrigley Jr. worried," said one Wrigley executive of his boss. "In crises that would have crushed many men, that had me running around in circles, he remained as calm, as cheerful as if he were on a Sunday picnic."
Wrigley Jr. was enthusiastic about his business because he believed that business, like life, was based on relationships, and Wrigley Jr. liked people. To that end, Wrigley Jr. worked hard to build loyalty among his employees and treated them as fairly as possible. Indeed, he was one of the first corporate heads in America to adopt the five-day workweek in 1924, giving employees Saturdays off. He also gave them medical care, life insurance and stock shares.
Once, a vendor had approached Wrigley Jr. and offered to sell him a promotional item. A deal was negotiated, but the vendor suggested he was going to lose money because Wrigley Jr. had made himself such a good deal. "We don't want to do business with anybody who loses money on us," responded Wrigley Jr., who then immediately proceeded to tear up the contract.
Wrigley Jr.'s goal was "to be always pleasant, always patient, always on time, and never to argue." For him, it was important to always remind his staff that, "We are a five-cent business, and nobody in this company can ever afford to forget it."
Additional leadership qualities that made Wrigley Jr. stick out were his courage and persistence. He used to say that, "A man's doubts and fears are his worst enemies. He can go ahead and do anything as long as he believed in himself."
Wrigley Jr. believed in himself and was not afraid to tread new waters. He was the first baseball club owners to ever promote a Ladies Day to bring women to the ballpark. He was also the first to regularly broadcast his team's games live on the radio when other owners feared it would cause fans to stay at home. In 1929, the Chicago Cubs broke the major league attendance record.
As Wrigley Jr. said, persistence is the underlying key to success. "Sticking is one of the big things in salesmanship. Nearly all buyers say ‘No!' at first. Real salesmen stick until the buyer has used up his last ‘No!'"
Lesson 5 Its who you are as an organization that makes everything possible
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If it is who you are as an organization that makes everything possible, then it is who you are as a leader that makes the organization what it is. Wrigley Jr.'s organization was a strong one because he was an even stronger leader. It was several of his key personal characteristics that made the organization reach the heights it did under his leadership.
One of Wrigley Jr.'s most admired qualities was his enthusiasm. Over his desk in his office hung a sign that read, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Wrigley Jr. tried to live up to that motto each and every day. Indeed, Wrigley Jr. was able to evoke enthusiasm each and every day because of the very fact that he loved what he was doing. "Nothing is so much fun as business," he once said. "I do not expect to do anything but work as long as I can stand up."
Wrigley Jr.'s enthusiasm also proved infectious among his colleagues. "I have never seen Mr. Wrigley Jr. worried," said one Wrigley executive of his boss. "In crises that would have crushed many men, that had me running around in circles, he remained as calm, as cheerful as if he were on a Sunday picnic."
Wrigley Jr. was enthusiastic about his business because he believed that business, like life, was based on relationships, and Wrigley Jr. liked people. To that end, Wrigley Jr. worked hard to build loyalty among his employees and treated them as fairly as possible. Indeed, he was one of the first corporate heads in America to adopt the five-day workweek in 1924, giving employees Saturdays off. He also gave them medical care, life insurance and stock shares.
Once, a vendor had approached Wrigley Jr. and offered to sell him a promotional item. A deal was negotiated, but the vendor suggested he was going to lose money because Wrigley Jr. had made himself such a good deal. "We don't want to do business with anybody who loses money on us," responded Wrigley Jr., who then immediately proceeded to tear up the contract.
Wrigley Jr.'s goal was "to be always pleasant, always patient, always on time, and never to argue." For him, it was important to always remind his staff that, "We are a five-cent business, and nobody in this company can ever afford to forget it."
Additional leadership qualities that made Wrigley Jr. stick out were his courage and persistence. He used to say that, "A man's doubts and fears are his worst enemies. He can go ahead and do anything as long as he believed in himself."
Wrigley Jr. believed in himself and was not afraid to tread new waters. He was the first baseball club owners to ever promote a Ladies Day to bring women to the ballpark. He was also the first to regularly broadcast his team's games live on the radio when other owners feared it would cause fans to stay at home. In 1929, the Chicago Cubs broke the major league attendance record.
As Wrigley Jr. said, persistence is the underlying key to success. "Sticking is one of the big things in salesmanship. Nearly all buyers say ‘No!' at first. Real salesmen stick until the buyer has used up his last ‘No!'"
Lesson 5 Its who you are as an organization that makes everything possible
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