https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/360-d...ct-erik-buell/
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link does not work
Works for me. Interesting read.
Mike
He is such an amazing man.
After reading this article, I love my EBR even better than I did before, If you can believe that's even possible.
I've tried repeatedly to cut and paste the text of the article here so you can read it, but the board keeps giving me errors and won't post it.Quote:
Originally Posted by zviadi
Strange, but on my computer does not open Linkedin.com.
Probably, the reason is this.
This is for ZviadiQuote:
Originally Posted by zviadi
360 Degrees of Respect
- As I take a break after Buell and EBR and look for whatever will be next, I decided to start putting together some thoughts from reflecting on my experiences and career. Actually it looks like there would be plenty of material for a book or two! But in advance of that, I decided to put up a few reflections here.
One of my greatest blessings was that I had a father who came from a very poor background where he had to start work when he was 11 to help support his family, yet he obtained multiple degrees, including a masters in chemistry and a doctorate in patent law. The result was a man with two personalities. When he came home from the office where he was a senior patent law partner, he ripped off his suit and tie and was immediately in jeans and a work shirt to start his tasks on our 150 acre working farm. Dad slept very little!
Because of this dual life, my dad's friends ranged from farmers and mechanics to lawyers and corporate executives, and they all were at our house, of course at different times. It gave me the opportunity to meet a wide range of people from an early age.
The executives and lawyers would come for drinks and dinner parties. They were kindly and would spend the appropriate amount of time asking how my schooling was going, and whether I was involved in social groups and sports. Then move away to discussing politics and high society with adults over cocktails. The farmers and mechanics on the other hand would show up to help my dad or for a casual beer. They wanted to see my go kart, talk about why a Farmall M was easier to start than a John Deere, why sowbugs were important, and on and on. Really interesting stuff for a kid!
My father saw his university education as the magic to his success, and pushed me very hard to focus on that. "Respect your teachers" was the adage. Strangely he did not truly understand what a bonus his wealth of life experience gave him. To him it had been a very hard path, and he thought the best path was scholastic. But I saw that there was a lot to learn elsewhere.
As I grew older I really began to feel a shallowness in the schooling I was getting. My grades were high, but what and why was I really learning? There was so much vibrancy in the real world. So much complexity that was washed over in economics, sociology, history and engineering classes. At the university level the snobbishness was even higher. It was all focused on respect for those above you. Teachers, administrators, coaches were the idols. Respect was aimed "upwards", and maybe a little bit sideways to your peers.
Yet what I found equally, no, let's be honest, much more interesting was when I was working in the evenings at the motorcycle shops, car repair garages and on weekends on farms. This drove my father crazy, and led to me being thrown out of the house at 16. He could not understand why I wouldn't focus exclusively on school, especially since if I did what he wanted I would not have to work.
But I liked working with my hands, and even more I liked the people working with me. Many of them had worked multiple jobs, giving them a wide perspective, and their networks of friends diversified it further. I learned to have respect in all directions. There were lessons, and teachers, all around me.
Because of all this diversity of interests, I did most of my engineering classes in night school. Of course this meant I graduated late. Was this a setback? No, it turned out to be a huge advantage. Not only because I had technical skills from the wide range of tasks I had done, but far more so because I could appreciate every person with whom I worked.
Sure I could weld, but I also could appreciate the guys who could weld a lot better than I. Same with machine operators, and assembly line workers. I knew how focused and meticulous a top level engine mechanic was, so I asked for and paid attention to their observations on engines. These folks soon knew I understood and appreciated them, as well as listened to them, so they talked to me.
I'm not talking about the ubiquitous executive walk through, shaking hands and knowing names. I'm talking about really respecting and listening to these people. The real bonus: they have so many ideas. Sometimes these are nutty, usually they are unfinished and certainly they won't be explained in engineering terminology. But what a wealth of raw material.
So, despite my late start, I had a rocket career in my first engineering job, getting five promotions in less than four years. I was able to get many tasks done quickly because I listened a lot to everyone's thoughts on the problem, so my engineering solutions were more robust. And I got the solutions through the pipeline faster because I had mutual respect and support. And when I started my own business, this style continued to deliver outstanding results. My dad finally understood and respected my choices too!
There are so many examples now that I think back on it. For just one - the unique and radically flexible manufacturing we had at Buell came from listening to the assembly people, and not from hiring an outside firm to design and install a conventional assembly line. We were told what we were attempting was impossible, but in fact it was more than possible; it was extremely successful. And it cost us a whole lot less than the conventional route.
Through my career I've been fortunate to keep this perspective, and I've seen great success from others who have it. But this cross-society respect is less common than it should be. Can you have business success staying detached? Why, sure. There are many who clawed the mountain of success and then golden parachuted into a gated community retirement. But from what I have seen, you will have greater and longer lasting business success if you respect everyone; and you will also have the far more important success of many friendships.
Thanx!
Yeah very cool. I hope he doesn't give up on American sport bikes.
He should write those books I would be happy to read them