Lesson #3: Develop A Habit Of Hard Work That Works

When Walter Davidson first heard about the attempts of his younger brother and his friend to build a motorcycle, he was intrigued with the possibilities. After helping the two youngsters assemble the parts they had fashioned, Davidson knew there was wealth of opportunities that lay ahead. He immediately quit his railroad job and moved back to Milwaukee, finding work as a machinist, in order to help build the business. However, in its early days, the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. did not have enough funds to pay the four founders. So dedicated was Davidson to the new company, that he continued to work as a machinist during the day, while assembling the motorcycles at night. This dedication and hard work was a trend that would become ingrained in the corporate culture of Harley-Davidson.

Much like the risk his younger brother Walter took, oldest brother William Davidson also decided to quit his well-paying job with the Milwaukee Road Company in order to help grow the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. With little else besides his own personal savings, Davidson began purchasing the machining tools and presses the new company needed to expand its operations. William then began to plunge wholeheartedly into the business. As head of human resources, William took the time to find employees who shared the enthusiasm for motorcycles of the four founders. He also went to great lengths to cultivate close relationships with his staff. Known as “Old Bill” for his fatherly nature, William Davidson kept his door open to all employees at all times of the day. In fact, when he lost a battle to keep a union out of the company, William Davidson took it very personally, seeing it as a betrayal of his family of employees.

Hard work must have been a part of the Davidson family growing up, for younger brother Arthur was no slouch himself. He took it upon himself to initiate a nation-wide network of dealers for Harley-Davidson in the company’s early years. Devoting himself day and night to growing his contact base, Davidson became successful in establishing Harley-Davidson dealerships throughout the U.S., and in numerous countries around the world. The brand was not well known in the beginning, but Davidson didn’t let that stop him from trying to sign dealers to sell their brand. He was known as a great storyteller, and a persistent one at that, never giving up until the day – and the deal – was done.

William Harley might not have grown up with the hard-working Davidson family, but by working for the company all the while attending the University of Wisconsin, waiting tables, and working part-time as a draftsman, Harley demonstrated his worth.

Together, the four founders of the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. did what they had to do to get their business off the ground and running. Whether it was taking the risk of quitting their secure jobs, or working all hours of the night, or working more than two jobs at once, Harley and the Davidson brothers didn’t rest until they had achieved their goals.



Lesson #3: Develop A Habit Of Hard Work That Works

Like this article? Share it with your friends

E-Mail | Print | Post | Republish | More

Related Articles
Guidelines To Success
	Form the habit of careful preparation. Preparation is a key to acquiring self-confidence.
Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit
	You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the chocolate biscuits during late night TV shows. Or slouching we when we sit. Or biting our fingernails.
Where Are Your Habits Leading You?
	You are an accumulation of your habits. From how you get out of bed, how you shower, how you dress, how you walk, sit, and talk, how you respond to the world, how you act in front of others, and how you think; you'r...
How To Remove And Replace Unproductive Habits
	Suffering from unproductive habits that deter the expression of your best character and competence? Read on and discover 7 tips you, your staff members and your colleagues at work can implement to develop positive h...
30 ways to get motivated
	If you are feeling a bit jaded or needing to motivate yourself to get going in business, then here are 30 suggestions from Sue Stockdale, to help you get energised and excited about your business again!

---

Related Forum Posts
	Hiring a Short Term Employee
	Free Desktop sharing apps
	Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods
	Re: Women entrepreneur millionaires
	frequency of blogging
	Another way to get PR
	And This is Handy Too!
	Try wikipedia.com for more information