The bigger Wal-Mart gets, the more essential it is that we think small.
Thinking Small - Part One
I'm not sure if there are any great managers I've known or read about that don't say something similar to what Sam Walton said about Wal-Mart (WMT) above. It is the ability to put into practice the mentality of thinking small that separates the great managers and companies from the mediocre.
The next several posts about Sam Walton, we'll talk about the several things that he did to ensure that Wal-Mart remained that way while he was around.
It won't surprise anyone to know that he said to put your customer first. But far beyond simply being a slogan, he meant it much differently. If you've ever lived or visited for any amount of time in a smaller town, you know exactly what it is that Walton meant.
You'd know people on a first-name basis; you'd go out of your way to help them; they would be like a member of your family; you'd greet them when you saw them, and a number of things like that which differentiate a person from their larger city counterparts.
That's what he meant when he said they had to think small, the bigger they got. It's because the things that really make the difference between great and average companies are those little details that hungry companies and managers attend to when they're small.
Many times when a company begins to grow, it forgets what got them to where they're at. The result is always a disaster and a migration of customers away from the business.
Walton knew that the company could only survive if they did business the same way they did when they were small. It's the same with any company that wants to maintain success. Thinking small is being big.
Other Walton Sources:
The Most Underrated CEO Ever The legendary Sam Walton
Sam Walton: The Power of Persistence
Sam Walton Business Quotes for Ya
Remember to Sign up for my feed, bizzbite and digg this!
Sponsored link: The outsourcing every manager requires - Tampa Locksmith
» The Common Sense Management of Sam Walton - 74 from ManagersRealm
Thinking Small Series - Part Two Last post, in the opening of the Thinking Small series from Sam Walton, we talked about the way Walton, Wal-Mart (WMT) and its associates connected with their customers in their small-town way.This post we'll... [Read More]
Tracked on: April 8, 2007 6:52 PM | Permalink to Trackback