Timeless wisdom from IBM’s Thomas Watson Jr.

November 28, 2008 from itWorldCanada – “Some of the philosophy Watson propounded was maverick at the time. Respecting people and helping them to respect themselves will make the company profit. The Open Door policy. Job security for the folks on the floor means better product and productivity. (At least, in 1963, Watson could boast that in 25 years, not a single worker hour had been lost to layoffs, even though the company went through many major product shifts.)…

In the book, he outlined five principles on which the IBM business philosophy was based: That there is no substitute for good human relations and the morale that results; that communication -- upward and downward -- education and retraining must increase out of proportion to growth rate to overcome change; that complacency can be avoided if management sets the right tone; that company interests must come before that of a division or department; and that belief must always come before policies, practices and goals...”

180 View – Watson’s philosophy seems more relevant today than when it was written in 1963.