Insights into Thomas J. Watson Sr., Traditional Founder of IBM from
"THINK Again!: 20th Century Ideas and High Ideals for the 21st Century"
"THINK Again!: 20th Century Ideas and High Ideals for the 21st Century"
A Few More Insights Beyond the Prologue into Tom Watson's Character
Tom Watson told the 1936 Colgate University graduating class that “Reputation is what people think you are; character is what you really are.” After reading the preceding prologue and the next 253 editorials, the reader may have a good start in divining Tom Watson’s character—who he really was.
This is an additional collection of insightful quotes about Tom Watson that were published during his lifetime. These quotes should help individuals who might think, quite appropriately, of the preceding prologue that everyone “speaks kindly in eulogies.” The following comments come from an eclectic group of individuals: a magazine owner, a newspaper columnist, a state Supreme Court Justice, a fellow industrialist, university presidents, stockholders, a state governor, an engineer and inventor, and an opera star.
- “Thomas J. Watson prefers to light a candle rather than to criticize the dark.”
- “No one better than he exemplifies the fact that machine does not displace man. … Thomas J. Watson … has remained a man of simple, unaffected character, genial, approachable, and eager to give any good cause a helping hand.”
- “One of the truly great personalities of our time—a beacon light to businessmen in all free countries devoted to international cooperation.”
- “Beloved by them who know him, respected by all, devoted to the public welfare, a gentleman not of the old school or the new, but one who can qualify in both.”
- “The stockholders here present … do hereby express their appreciation to Thomas J. Watson for his matchless achievements as their president during a long term of years, and for his honesty, integrity, and work as its executive officer.”
- “I know no man in America who has done more, and very few who have done as much, as Mr. Watson has done for his country, not only in the business field, but for education, for civic activities, for fraternities, for youth—in short, he spends his days and most of his evenings and nights … and I don’t know how he gets the time to do it all … going about doing good in the broadest sense.”
- “Thomas J. Watson is upstanding, declarative. He is important to his own business because he pays so much attention to things and affairs outside.”
- “A man who walked with kings but did not lose the common touch.”
- “The keynote of Mr. Watson’s life is service. No one who knows him even slightly can doubt that. I don’t think there is a man alive who is more eager to better the common lot of mankind, regardless of race, creed, or color.”
- “His dynamic personality, vision, and ability have brought him into world prominence by reason of his championship of those causes that make for peace and accord among nations.”
- “He is a citizen of the world, seeing the same opportunities for all people of all creeds and races. He is meticulous and precise, the way an executive should be and yet, can discuss anything.”
- [Mr. Watson’s life is the] “saga of America. ... He is possessed of hard-headed practicability, full of faith in the future, a man whose life is the best fruits of America, for he has integrity beyond price, vision beyond the present, understanding that approaches the wisdom of a seer.”
In Summary
“The world is better for his having lived.”