Synopsis
This book is written for ethical managers who are receptive to new ideas as they strive to provide a work environment where the foundation is respect, integrity, fairness, and compassion. We share insights that have worked well for our company over the last 25-plus years. By applying the principles in this book, our start-up company has prospered and exceeded well beyond our initial goals! I believe the principles will help your organization as well! My hope is that my philosophies (yes, Judeo-Christian principles) will resonate with managers at all levels in business, government, and non-profits. This book will also be helpful to college students needing reinforcement to stay focused on honesty and integrity in their future careers. I do not pretend that the principles in this book will be easy and effective in all workplace settings. For example, a manager in a large organization may have some limitations based on strict policies. However, with some creativity and determination, many of the principles will fit within a department and not be in conflict with policies. Many of the concepts involve little or no cost. Plus, our against the tide principles may provide the encouragement needed to work toward revision of restrictive policies.
About the Author
I was born and raised in a middle class neighborhood in south Minneapolis. I excelled in a few areas but was totally average in most others. However, I knew the difference between right and wrong. I was an active participant in high school, serving on committees that were a part of our student government. My college years were spent in my hometown where I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Business Administration. My education continued through 20 years of hands-on business experience with several large, high-quality, local companies. Among them was Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. (now Qwest), and 17 years with Control Data Corp. Before I went into sales for Control Data, I thought all sales people were liars, cheats, drunks, and joke tellers! Of course they weren t, but that was my perception. I decided to go into sales for Control Data and be unconventional. And it worked! For example: For Christmas I gave boxes of candy for the entire organization to share rather than a bottle of scotch for an individual! In 1980 I started a company called North American Computer Exchange (later renamed NOREX, Inc). On the first day I was the only full-time employee with my wife, Sandy, serving part time as office secretary. We financed our fragile start-up with a second mortgage, and later, a third mortgage on our house. I didn t dream up this idea of an information technology (IT) consortium; it was actually suggested to me by one of my Control Data customers. We regularly sold computer equipment to Norwest Bank (now merged with Wells Fargo). Over the years of selling for Control Data, I developed a reputation for being honest and service oriented. My approach as salesman was to focus on caring for my customers and prospective customers. My annual sales quota was easily exceeded as a result of that approach. During one of my visits to Norwest, Dave Van Lear a highly respected data processing executive suggested that I should consider forming a business linking IT professionals together to buy and sell used computer equipment (a service seldom needed today) and solve the common problems that confronted them. I am absolutely positive that Dave never would have offered this idea had I not earned his respect as a fair and honest player. Ron
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