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With the troubles LinkedIn is having in China and Russia, this post seems ever more relevant to make the company more germane, at least, here in the United States. In 2021, I left LinkedIn. The feedback that I was getting on my articles was "muted." By this I mean that too many individuals had come to realize that LinkedIn--as a social media platform--will not necessarily get you a job, but it sure can keep you from getting one: just the "like" of an article may come back to haunt you in a job search.
LinkedIn needs to provide its users, not with a “cloak of secrecy,” but a “veil of protection” to encourage honest, intelligent feedback on matters that should be of a real concern to the economic welfare of our country. This is why, and a suggestion of how it might work.
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In 1950, B. C. Forbes published the first of what would ultimately become over two decades a three-volume set of quotes, epilogues and statements on “The Business of Life.” Initially, I started to list some of my favorite quotes from Volume I, but a question came to mind: What was the overall impression—the big picture—of all the quotes in this first volume? What was on the mind of these early industrialists, philosophers, and business founders (and B. C. Forbes) when these short business-life idioms were written, collected and published?
Subject from the "Subject Index" and Number of Mentions
A footnote: Consider that each subject may be more expansive than what is listed here. For instance, the category “Action” does not include “Act, Actions, Deeds, or Doing.” Neither does the category “God” include subjects such as “Faith, Religion or the Golden Rule.” Also, little effort has been made to count the exact number of mentions in the index. These were cut/paste into a Word document and the number of words then extracted. The actual count may be off by one or two—forgive me as this was a trade-off on my part between accuracy and effort. Maybe, if I were a university professor who could put a graduate understudy to work on it, eh?
This is a story adapted from an insight by Charles M. Schwab. The executive tale provides a unique perspective into what made the 20th Century IBM so great--building cathedrals, and what is causing the slow deterioration of the 21st Century IBM--laying brick:
Have you asked three employees what they are doing today? Are they earning a paycheck or building cathedrals? Yes, your employees own their self-motivation, but executives own the surrounding, cultural atmosphere that gives purpose to "laying brick." Thomas J. Watson Sr. created at IBM an atmosphere of "Democracy in Business." Download and read this free article by Peter E. Greulich. It is his research into Watson Sr.'s philosophy of instilling a democratic spirit into his business--the 20th Century IBM. "Democracy" can and should be your corporate atmosphere. Build cathedrals: Manage By Wandering Around! Select the image above or the menu item below.
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Peter E. GreulichPete has been studying IBM and early American corporate history since his retirement in 2011. These are his thoughts and musings, and of those whose biographies he has read with links to articles and book reviews on this website. Archives
March 2023
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