Employees Are Not Participating in IBM's Employee Stock Purchase Plans."The only way to know if you have truly touched a man’s heart is when he reaches into his back pocket for his wallet." An old televangelist witticism Sometimes research produces one chart that seems to say it all. In this case, this graphic is fromTHINK Again!: IBM CAN Maximize Shareholder Value – The Rometty Edition. Consider this employee trend when deciding where to deposit your next investment of time, loyalty and money as one of IBM’s future customers, shareholders, employees or supportive societies. Select the image or the link below to read the article and see the one graphic that says it all. One of IBM's major stakeholders—its employees—are no longer vested, or investing, in their corporation.
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Virginia (Ginni) M. Rometty's Revenue and Profit PerformanceRevenue and Profit Performance Deteriorated
Select the image or the link below to read the information and see the charts. Virginia (Ginni) M. Rometty's Revenue and Profit Growth PerformanceRevenue and Profit Growth Were in the Ditch
Select the image or the link below to read the information and see the charts. Virginia (Ginni) M. Rometty's Revenue and Profit Productivity PerformanceRevenue and Profit Productivity Were a Disaster
Select the image or the link below to read the information and see the charts. Evaluating Virginia (Ginni) M. Rometty's Market Strategies: The Demand-Side StrategyThe New Demand-Side Strategy Worked — At a Price
Select the image or link below to read the full article. Evaluating Virginia (Ginni) M. Rometty's Market Strategies: The Dividend StrategyThe Dividend Strategy Proved Pointless
Select the image or the link below to read the article. Evaluating Virginia M. Rometty's Market Strategies: The Share Buyback Strategy.The Supply-Side Market Strategy Failed
Select the image or the link below to read the full article. Evaluating Virginia M. Rometty's Market Strategies: Impact on Shareholder ValueMaximized Shareholder Risk
Select the image or link below to read the full article. Evaluating Virginia M. Rometty's Market Strategies: Impact on Shareholder Returns.Minimized Shareholder Value Questions answered by Virginia M. (Ginni) Rometty's key performance indicator #1:
Select the image or the link below to read the article. A Second Review of Bernard Baruch's "The Public Years."I learned from this experience to be careful referencing “authoritative sources.” I believe that all men are human, and that Baruch either never read, failed to read, or for some other (so far) undiscovered reason failed to consider the additional published works that discussed Judge Gary. But isn’t this human? Yes, but disappointingly so for Bernard Baruch, a man who was obviously so well spoken and so highly perceived by the public and by many of his peers. I expected more and need to be more careful in my own writings. This is my lesson learned concerning this second thought on a first review: Humility. Cheers, - Pete Select the image or link below to read some second thoughts on a first review. B. C. Forbes Describes Andrew Carnegie in One Very, Very Long Sentence"If I were to attempt to describe Andrew Carnegie in one comprehensive sentence I would say:
B. C. Forbes, Men Who Are Making America Yes, it was a rather long, comprehensive sentence, wasn't it? Then again, from what I have read, Mr. Forbes hit the Andrew Carnegie personality-nails on their heads. Too many fail to convey the complexity of the man—even in whole books about him. They are failed attempts. This, though, is a nice piece of prose about a complex, yet great individual. Peter E. Greulich B.C. Forbes hit the Carnegie personality-nails on their heads in this sentence. Select one of the links below the image to read more. Home Page for Virginia M. (Ginni) Rometty's Key Performance Indicators.Virginia M. (Ginni) Rometty never understood that the individuals in her sales force who gave their customers one hundred percent could carry only twenty-five percent of the burden. The sales force needed a chief executive officer who, as a saleswoman-in-chief, could build an organization to provide the other seventy-five percent that makes selling possible. Perhaps her failures over the last eight years can mentor today’s chief executive officers, and if these past mistakes are corrected, all stakeholders should see better corporate performance ahead—if not, they should expect more of the same. She disregarded all the warning signs of imminent disaster—more comparable to a destroyer’s commander who maintains course and speed while headed towards an iceberg. There will be little doubt after reviewing the data in these coming articles that Ginni Rometty’s tenure is not that of a chief executive presiding over a difficult transition—some have compared her to a captain turning a battleship. Select image for Ginni Rometty's Key Performance Indicators - F. G. (Buck) Rodgers: "Mr. IBM's" Perspective on Change A Realistic Perspective in a Distributed, Decentralized, Decision Making Organization "We live in a changing world and the future cannot be predicted with certainty. That's an obvious statement, but how we deal with change and the future is not so obvious. "Change can be an ally when your company is alert and sensitive and has its antennae reaching in all directions, picking up all the signals around you. "Of course, change will be your enemy if it catches you by surprise. You must control change--or change will control you. "To the fearful, change is threatening. They know that things will somehow get worse. The hopeful have faith that change will make things better. But to those special people who love a challenge and are "light on their feet," change is stimulating and exciting. They are the people who can make a difference. They can make a company. "The people who make things happen are in demand and should be guarded jealously. Those who watch things happen and those who aren't sure what's happening are left behind." Buck Rodgers, The IBM Way - Louis V. (Lou) Gerstner's Perspective on Change An Myopic Perspective in a Centralized, Controlling, Hierarchical Organization "Nobody likes change. Whether you are a senior executive or an entry-level employee, change represents uncertainty and, potentially, pain. So there must be a crisis, and it is the job of the CEO to define and communicate that crisis, its magnitude, its severity, and its impact. "Just as important, the CEO must also be able to communicate how to end the crisis--the new strategy, the new company model, the new culture." Louis V. Gerstner, Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? - This Author's Perspective and Thoughts Put these two insights together you come up with this:
Evidently, Gerstner surrounded himself with fearful people--who saw change as threatening. So, he had to motivate them and everything depended on him to end a crisis. Buck Rodgers surrounding himself with "special people," who loved a challenge and were "light on their feet." Surrounded by these individuals, he had antennae reaching in all directions to see change coming and exploit it. You decide which of these executives created a work environment that was stimulating and exciting. Which executive would you want to work for? An Analysis of the Kyndryl Divestiture and Its Future Effects on IBM.The announcement of the breakup of IBM will only exacerbate the company’s current most-pressing problem, not cure it. The spike in stock price is a “Wall Street” phenomenon, not a “Main Street” or “Stakeholder” affirmation of the decision. Reality will set in soon enough because when it comes to business fundamentals, Main Street has proven itself better able to understand long-term realities than Wall Street ever has. IBM employees are closer to reality at IBM than any of its other main-street stakeholders—even customers, and this announcement will have negative effects that will play out over the next few years. This move will affect employee engagement, and employee sales productivity, in all probability, will continue its two-decades-long decline. Unfortunately, looking back on recent IBM chief executive officer history, Arvind Krishna is more of the same. He, like his 21st Century predecessors, is selling to Wall Street not his long-term stakeholders. Select the image of link below to read the Kyndryl Analysis. Old Men Talking: On Hyphenated RelationshipsMike was the quiet one of these old men. On the days when he was “running the show” they called him “Mikey,” and although he would protest … he liked it. Mike had never graduated from high school, and his five children were not allowed to fail where he thought he had. He had been driving a county trash truck for most of his adult life. For four decades he had come home from work smelling of humanity’s waste. He treated it as great fun when his young children would hold their noses and run away from him. He’d chase them, grab them, and pull them close so they could get a real good “whiff” of his work. But as his kids grew older, they came to understand what the smell meant … their "father" was providing for them. From their "dad," though, they learned that it isn’t the job that matters so much as how well you do the job. Mike's work "handle" in these meetings was "trash man." Select the image or the link below to read the full article. A Book Review of Booker T. Washington's "Character Building."Character Building by Booker T. Washington was published in 1902. This is one review from the southern city of Richmond, Virginia. “Many of this eminent negro leader’s friends think that the best literary work that he has done is the Sunday-Evening talks to the students of Tuskegee Institute, which he is in the habit of making when he is home. He throws into this work his whole moral nature, and many of these addresses rise to eloquence. They are all earnest and show the constructive quality of his mind. … “There is plenty of good sense in the book, and admonition, that, if heeded, would place the black race above the white. Indeed, there is sound advice in it for the reading of white men as well as black.” The Richmond Virginia Times, August 31, 1902 Select the image or the link below to read the book review of Booker Washington's "Character Building." Booker T. Washington's Thoughts on the Purpose of an Education."I want you to get it firmly fixed in your minds that books, industries, or tools of any character, no matter how thoroughly you master them, do not within themselves constitute education. Committing to memory pages of written matter, or becoming deft in the handling of tools, is not the supreme thing at which education aims. Books, tools, and industries are but the means to fit you for something that is higher and better. All these are not ends within themselves; they are simply means. "The end of all education, whether of head or hand or heart, is to make an individual good, to make him useful, to make him powerful; is to give him goodness, usefulness and power in order that he may exert a helpful influence upon his fellows." Booker T. Washington, Building Character, 1902 Words of wisdom such as these from Mr. Washington cross racial boundaries through their intelligence, insight, selflessness, and concern for all mankind. Such words are inspirations and the foundations upon which to build a hopeful society—a truly educated society. Peter E. Greulich
Booker T. Washington on Balancing a Willing Heart and a Strong Mind."If there is one person more than another who is to be pitied, it is the individual who is all heart and no head. You will see numbers of persons going through the world whose hearts are full of good things—running over with the wish to do some thing to make somebody better, or the desire to make somebody happier—but they have made the sad mistake of being absolutely without development of mind to go with this willingness of heart. "We want development of mind and we want strengthening of the mind." Booker T. Washington, Character Building, 1902 This short paragraph by Booker T. Washington reminds me of the old adage about, "Give a hungry man a fish and you feed him for but a day; teach a hungry man 'how to fish' and you feed him and his family for a lifetime." In both of these cases there is heart involved, but in the latter case there is not only a "willingness of heart" but a "development and strengthening of mind" in the understanding of human nature. We have to find the balance to our compassion for our fellow human beings: Letting strong minds guide our hearts in doing what is best for each individual. Peter E. Greulich Teddy Roosevelt sought a balance between heart and mind in his articles on socialism. Select the image or the link below to read Teddy Roosevelt's articles. Reuniting America Through Character, Responsibility, and Good Behaviour."Unity does not come from laws or charters or treaties. These merely record agreement in thinking, purpose, and action. Unity comes from within the people or it does not exist. Character and good behavior are the foundation of unity." Thomas J. Watson Sr., "Unity," THINK Magazine, June 1946 When was the last time we heard a presidential candidate talk about the need for individual character, individual good behavior and accepting personal responsibility for an individual's actions? Shouldn't our presidential candidates set the example for such important traits? Is this why those who exhibit such irresponsible actions make us feel so divided as a country . . . when they, themselves, exhibit so little character, good behavior, and responsibility . . . whether in our leadership positions . . . or out on our streets? To men and women of character, the means by which we achieve an end matters. We can make "unity" exist again: through character, good behavior, and responsibility. Peter E. Greulich
Thomas J. Watson Sr. Writes about "Where Leaders Get Their Strength.""The true leader of a nation, a private enterprise or a family realizes that the success of his leadership is dependent upon the growth and development of those whom he leads. ... The real leader is an assistant first. He is zealous in his effort to give his associates the best that is in him. By example and through education he builds men. ... "The stronger the individual in any group has an opportunity to become, and the more fully the individual is able to develop his character, the stronger the leader of that group will become. Leaders draw strength from those whom they lead." Thomas J. Watson Sr., "Service," THINK Magazine, June 1937
Ida M. Tarbell on Disarmament and Personal and Social Peace"Take away a man's gun and it is no guarantee that he will not strike if aroused. You must get at the man—enlarge his respect for order, his contempt for violence, change his notion of procedure in disputes, establish his control. "It takes more than "gun toting'' to make a dangerous citizen, more than relieving him of his gun to make a safe one." Ida M. Tarbell, "Peacemakers: Blessed and Otherwise," 1922 It is hard to believe that truer words were ever written. It is easy to pass laws, but much harder to have the discussions—we need to have—to change men's and women's hearts. Only the latter approach leads to a foundation upon which to build a strong foundation for democracy. Peter E. Greulich Select the image or the link below to read more about the works and beliefs of Ida M. Tarbell. Book Review of Herbert Hoover's "The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson."Yes, Americans want their leaders to be virginally spotless when they speak of themselves, their policies, or their beliefs, but in order to deliver on those policies, our unwillingness to accept even a temporary setback sometimes issues forth a devil behind closed doors. Isn’t this the heart of many a movie script: the story of a good man or woman who must sometimes live and act in compromisingly grey areas, to deliver on their promise? Can the hero/heroine then extricate their souls unblemished from what they had to do to accomplish those ends? Subliminally, Herbert Hoover’s book consistently poses one question, “Do the ends justify the means?” … … to his death bed ending, Woodrow Wilson believed not. Peter E. Greulich Select the image or link below to read a book review of Hoover's "Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson." William (Coop) Procter and Procter & Gamble's First Profit Sharing Plan from 1887.During his time, Mr. Procter had to balance investments wisely between his stakeholder communities as he transitioned the company from manufacturing soap almost like it was made in home kettles to an automated, massive production machine with a hundred “kettles,” each one of which was three stories high, heated by steam coils, and filled with 175,000 pounds of fats/oils, caustic soda solution, and salts. He performed a wonderful balancing act over almost five decades. He ensured that profits from employee productivity improvements rose ever upward to meet the investing requirements of the business. William Cooper Procter then safeguarded the future of his corporation, the products of his customers, the dividends paid to his shareholders, and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of his employees, by … investing in the corporation’s products, processes, and people by expanding into new markets, and maintaining a sound financial position. Select the image to view the Procter & Gamble Profit Sharing Plan. Select the link below the image to read more detail on William (Coop) Procter and P&G. Book Review of "The Business Biography of John Wanamaker, Founder and Builder.""Let us understand the real thing; that it is not the building that makes the business, it is not the merchandise that makes the business, it is the people. "I astonished someone last week, as I said: “When I go downstairs and look around, I look very little at the merchandise. I can tell by the air whether the store is in proper form. "It is the people that I look at, the people. I cannot help but see the goods, but I see not the goods as much as the people. I wonder, as I look at the beautiful embroidery, I wonder how some one thought of the color. "It is all people, people, people." John Wanamaker, The Business Biography of John Wanamaker It seems all too predictable that our 21st Century chief executives always have to "relearn" that business is always about "people, people, people," isn't it? Peter E. Greulich Select the image or the link below to read a book review of John Wanamaker's biography. Herbert Hoover's Thoughts on the Liberalism of President Woodrow Wilson."My association with him was such that I formed convictions as to his philosophy of life, his character and his abilities which have deepened during these four decades. My approval of him is based solely on my own experiences with him and my knowledge of the forces with which he had to deal. . . . He possessed great clarity of thought, with a quick ability to reduce problems to their bare bones. . . . His public addresses were often clothed with great eloquence. "As a Jeffersonian Democrat, he was a "liberal" of the nineteenth-century cast. His training in history and economics rejected every scintilla of socialism, which today connotes a liberal. His philosophy of American living was based upon free enterprise, both in social and in economic systems. He held that economic system must be regulated to prevent monopoly and unfair practices. He believed that federal intervention in the economic or social life of our people was justified only when the task was greater than the states or individual could perform for themselves. . . . "Coming from an academic ivory tower with only a brief political career, he at times stumbled badly in the thicket of politics, . . . but . . . with his courage and eloquence, he carried a message of hope for the independence of nations, the freedom of men and lasting peace. Never since his time has any man risen to the political and spiritual heights that came to him. His proclaimed principles of self-government and independence aided the spread of freedom to twenty-two races at the time of the Armistice." Herbert Hoover, The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson, 1958 Sometimes we forget that terms - such as liberal that we cast about flippantly today - carried a different meaning to those who used the words just a half century ago. I believe from all I have read, including Woodrow Wilson's The New Freedom [link to review], I would have enjoyed knowing this man. Peter E. Greulich Select the image or the link provided to read a review of "The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson." |
Peter E. GreulichPeter E. 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 and autobiographies he has read with links to articles and book reviews on this website. Contact the author directly.
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