Employees 1st, Customers 2nd, Shareholders Last

Employees 1st, Customers 2nd, Shareholders Last


Last evening I had a wonderful experience. I met a man who is filled with enthusiasm for life, learning and helping others. We talked for about thirty minutes and he never mentioned money, either as a commodity, goal or measure of success. This is unusual in today's culture where money is the yardstick for measuring everything from happiness to the ability to be elected president. I have no doubt that he has been successful in most of his endeavors. His dress and intimate knowledge of cities and countries I have visited, attest to monetary success. As we talked and shared experiences it was clear that his values are the foundation of his success in life as a whole.

Raised on a farm in the Middle West like me, he is proud of his ability to analyze a problem or set back, devise more that one way to solve or overcome it and use the one that makes the most sense in terms of the people affected and business results. "That's what comes with growing up on a farm."

In business and management his guiding principle has been employees first, customers second, shareholders last. When questioned about this order of priority he explains that the people working in the business are its only true asset because they create customer and supplier goodwill, which, he says is the sustaining asset of the business; investing shareholders always realize a high return with this approach. In every business he has started, owned, or managed his practice has been to carefully hire the best people, give them responsibility, pay them accordingly and well, and constantly communicate his respect for them as individuals.

He is a happy man.

Reminds me of my Dad and other truly happy, successful people I've known.

How do you measure success?

Wesley (Wes) Zimmerman