The Wal-Mart Way
The Inside Story Of The Success Of The World’s Largest Company written by Don Soderquist.
When Don Soderquist joined Wal-Mart in 1980, Wla-mart had 276 stores and was a $1.2 billion company. By 2005, the retail chain has grown to 4,906 stores with $257 billion in sales. Economic environmental factors aside, Don Soderquist attributes the growth of this amazing company to the people who believed in the impossible.
Wal-Mart’s vision goes beyond the bottom line. Associates are encouraged to have their own goals and to make the dreams of the community come true as well. Their commitment to hard work, intergrity, excellence and their customers has created a culture that is strong and unique. Even after the passing of its founder, the company’s culture and vision remains as strong and vibrant.
The Wal-Mart Way is filled with stories, analysis, and questions that challenge you to examine your own corporate culture, assess your own core value’s and to reinvigorate your business. This book is indepensable for students, entrepreneurs and seasoned veterans alike.
It always amazes me what a man can achieve when he has a vision. When Sam Walton started Wal-Mart, unwillingness to compromise his dreams, and values, and tenacity was what made the creation on the world’s largest retailer possible. To get people, associates, business partners and customers to get behind his vision has got to be one of the biggest stories in the retailing world.
Don Soderquist shows us a lot of the workings and beliefs in this company. He shows us how associates are willing to embrace an idea, and accept a challenge, and how working together can create unimaginable results. It is a story of principled, focused leadership, about trust, and the story of a special man and a special group of people.
At Wal-Mart, they believe the only boss is the customer; the only bad idea is the one not proposed. Don Soderquist was the Chief Operating Officer before moving to become Senior Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and have taken many lessons from it. Here’s what some giants in business have to say about this book:
“As Don Soderquist can uniquely relate, the Wal-Mart phenomenon is the result of a strong culture and clear values, sound strategy and vision, outstanding leadership, and disciplined management execution - neccessary ingredients to any great organization’s success.”
- Federick W. Smith| Founder and CEO, FedEx Corporation
“I always hoped that Don Soderquist would take the time to explain the foundations of Wal-Mart’s success. He has done it superbly, capturing its essence - the unrelenting focus on the customer; to respect for people and values, teamwork, and relationships; to the never-ending quest for improvement and growth and commitment to excellence.”
- John E. Pepper Jr| Retired Chairman and CEO, Procter & Gamble
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