Page 18 - The Way to the Top
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ever been in business needs to heed Barbara’s words, because every
business has its dark days, and you need to be prepared for that. Knowing
that this is part of the life of every company is vital to overcoming the
inevitable problems and disasters that businesses face and surviving to see
the sun again.
From Jim Cantalupo, Chairman and CEO of the McDonald’s
Corporation, comes this: Strive to satisfy the customer. That essential
pearl of wisdom, so obvious, but often forgotten, was given to Jim by Ray
Kroc, McDonald’s founder.
Terry J. Lundgren, President, CEO, and Director of Federated
Department Stores, offers advice as basic as it is often ignored: Bloom
where you are planted. As much as we would all like to begin our career in
the executive suite, nobody starts out there. And the best way—the only
way—to get to the top is to do the best that you can in what you are doing
right now.
I could go on and on summarizing what the contributors to this book
have written because it’s such fascinating and important business advice.
But I want to add something else before I let the show begin: there is no
substitute for experience. None. But experience comes in two different
flavors: your own and the experience of others. Most people can learn
from their own experiences quite well, but many people simply ignore the
experiences and lessons of others. This is foolish. If you rely entirely on
learning from your own mistakes, it’s inevitable that you will make too
many, possibly disastrous, mistakes. Pay attention, people! Learn from
those around you. There’s no excuse for making the same mistakes that
others have made. If you do, it’s your own fault and you should expect no
sympathy, no compassion.
The other side of this coin, however, is that you can benefit from others’
wisdom. It’s not just the mistakes that people in business have made that
are valuable, it’s the good decisions, the inspiration, the insights and
revelations that people in business have to offer. Watch, listen, and learn.
