Let's start the year off right with an inspiring yet intimidating quote that sums up the most challenging business task you face.
"To succeed in business it is necessary to make others see things as you see them."
- John H. Patterson
John Henry Patterson (1844-1922) founded the National Cash Register Company. Wikipedia decribes him as a "business innovator, sales genius, social progressive, patriot, and benevolent tyrant."
Patterson was one of the most influential business leaders of his time. In the period 1910-1930 it was estimated that one-sixth of U. S. business executives were former NCR executives. (Probably the most famous person hired and fired by Patterson was Thomas Watson Sr, who went on to found IBM.)
In writing my book, Secrets of Success from Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies, I decided that the final "secret" of top Canadian entrepreneurs was their ability to communicate - to influence customers, employees, financial backers, suppliers and other interest groups to share their own excitement about the mission and future of their business.
I didn't realize that John H. Patterson had said the same thing - better - a century earlier.
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