Thu, September - 9 - 2010 |
(on a truly global perspective)
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I find it interesting to read a book published fifty years ago; mostly it is interesting when the book is an autobiography written by the founder of one of the leading global brands: Conrad Hilton. The book is still fascinating for several reasons: the breadth of US social and business history it covers - beginning with the late 1800’s; Hilton’s pioneer spirit in finding his ‘real call’ (still very much an example and a source of inspiration); some principles and pointers that Hilton (by 1957 already a celebrated successful multi millionaire entrepreneur, yet still focusing on growth and innovation) outlines at the end of the book, principles that spring from his own life and business experiences. Here a brief summary of those principles:
Find Your Own Particular Talent. Hilton’s life is a great example of this principle applied. Hilton writes “Great frustration and the feel of failure can be present in the face of material success if we follow someone else’s footsteps, rather than our own. Don’t worry if it takes a little time to find your own niche! It took me thirty-two years...”.
Be Big: Think Big. Act Big. Dream Big. Enlightening the way that Hilton choses to articulate this principle: “It doesn’t take any more energy to expect to be the best housewife, the finest cook, the most capable carpenter. It has been my experience that the way most people court failure is by misjudging their abilities, belittling their worth and their value”. To me this is quite powerful: it does not matter what you do; to think and to act big means to aim to excel in that specific field...
Be Honest. “What I have in mind is something more than the negative virtues of not cheating, not lying, not stealing. It is a bold, direct, open stand for the truth as we know it, both to ourselves and to others”. Honesty with oneself: honesty to face the own fears, to recognize the own weaknesses and properly fuel the own strengths. Hilton biography shows the power of this many times. It is a powerful principle that requires courage, care and consistency to apply...
Live with Enthusiasm. “Ability you must have, but ability sparked with enthusiasm”. Hilton, by experience... adds “Enthusiasm is an inexhaustible force, so mighty that you must ever tame tame and tamper it with wisdom. Use it and you will find yourself constantly moving forward to new forms of expression”. As Hilton biography shows many times, enthusiasm is a key factor mostly during tough times “Everyone faces hardships along their chosen path. What carries them through? Makes them work and pray with no thought of quitting? Enthusiasm! ... enthusiasm, to be effective, cannot be taken by the spoonful. It must sweep into every department of your life - your religion, your chosen job, your home, your recreation”.
Don’t Let Your Possessions Possess You. It is important to focus and be driven also by material needs and wants but it is even more important to never fall victim and prisoner of these needs and wants...
Don’t Worry about Your Problems. "The successful life is a balanced life and includes thought, action, rest, recreation”. Hilton really meant this: it was one of his firm habits to finish the work day at 6pm, no matter what... It’s a form of balanced life geared towards managing your own mental and physical resources at best.
Don’t Cling to the Past. Hilton once again speaks by experience: “It is wisdom to profit by yesterday’s mistakes. It is fatal to hang onto yesterday’s victories. You limit yourself. The future should be expanding. Yesterday’s experiences are the foundation on which to build today. ... To be haunted by past failures or satisfied by past success is to arrest forward motion”.
Look Up to People When You Can - Down to No One. A powerful principle quite often not applied... a principle that, when properly utilized, strengthens our leadership and credibility...
Assume Your Full Share of Responsibility for the World in Which You Live. Hilton’s thoughts related to this principle are interesting also from an historical perspective: the Cold War and the fight against the Communism threat of the time. Hilton was a strong backer of this fight asserting for a greater involvement of everybody within the political process “the whole purpose of democracy is for the participation of the individual”. It is interesting to note that, while in search of his ‘real call’, the young Hilton became a political figure in the native New Mexico. He did not like the bureaucracy and the all present back-stabbing part of the job... Still taking an historical perspective it is also to note what he wrote about the US: “As a young nation we have vigor, stamina, imagination; we have pride, alert thinking, volatile emotions”. May be somethings have changed during the last fifty years... or may be not?
Pray Consistently and Confidently. Hilton points out several times that during his professional career as entrepreneur many times it felt like everything was lost but at the last minute something good and unexpected happened. Somebody calls it luck, Hilton felt that also through faith and prayer luck is helped to come your way...
I begun to read this book while recently staying at a Hilton hotel and noticing the level of service and attention to details that are certainly part of the values that Conrad (Connie) Hilton inspired with vision and action. A very strong legacy; still very much up-to-date and up-to-speed within today’s global business and social dynamics.
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