"HARI SADU!" H For Hitler, A For Arrogant.......

Hari Sadu Ad hasn't been seen for a long time now. I wouldn't know the reason, yet there are memories attached to it and reading this article penned earlier triggers fresh thoughts. Here are some of those-

"HARI SADU!" H for Hitler, A for Arrogant, R for Rascal and I for Idiot; during a TV commercial, this is the way an executive is shown telling the correct spelling of his boss's name over a telephone call. Three exposures to this ad set me thinking, "Who is Hari Sadu?" "What if he's there in me?" And "What if he's there in the other managers?" And my fears weren't unfounded! Each one of us may have behaved like Hitler or as an arrogant person, or as a Rascal or Idiot some times in life. Yet, "Is this how we want others to think about us?"

As I was entertaining these thoughts, I came across the copy of "Made in America", by Sam Walton. By the way there are four Waltons, presumably descendent of Sam Walton. Each of these enjoy net worth ranging from $32 billion to S 34 billion;. If you were to add those up it becomes a formidable net worth in excess of $ 130 billion. Such is the legacy of the man called Sam Walton, who after taking retirement from US Army created this miracle empire Walmart and wrote this fabulous tale of his exploits. The following are the excerpts from the first few pages:

Quote

Hello, friends, I'm Sam Walton, founder and Chairman of Walmart Stores. By now I hope you've shopped in one of our stores or may be bought some stock in our company. If you have, you probably already know how proud I am of what is simply the miracle that all these Walmart associates of mine have accomplished in the thirty years since we opened our first Walmart here in north-west Arkansas, which Wal-Mart and I still call home. As hard as it is to believe sometimes, we've grown from that one little store into what is now the largest retailing outfit in the world. And we've really had a heck of a time along the way.

I realize we have been through something amazing here at Walmart, something special that we ought to share more of with all the folks who have been so loyal to our stores and to our company. That's one thing we never did much of while we were building Walmart, talk about ourselves or do a whole lot of bragging outside the Walmart family - except when we had to convince some banker or some Wall Street financier that we intended to amount to something someday, that we were worth taking a chance on. When folks have asked me, "How did Walmart do it?" I've usually been flip about answering them. "Friend, we just got after it and stayed after it, " I'd say. 

The Walmart story is unique: Nothing quite like it has been done before. So may be by telling it the way it really happened, we can help some other folks down the line take these same principles and apply them to their dreams and make them come true.

Life has been great to me, probably better than any man has a right to expect. At home I've been blessed with a wife and a family who've stuck together and loved each other and indulged my lifelong obsession with minding the store. At work my business life has been spent in lock step with an incredible group of Walmart associates who have put up with all my aggravation and bullheadedness and pulled together to make what once appeared truly impossible now seem expected and routine.

So first I want to dedicate this book to Helen Robson Walton and the four fine kids she raised - with some help along the way from the old man - our sons Rob, John, and Jim and our daughter Alice. Then I want to dedicate it to all my partners - and I wish I could recognize everyone of you individually, but we've talked over the years and you know how I feel about you - and to all 400, 000 of my associates- partners who've made this wild, wild Walmart ride so much fun and so special. Much of this book is really your story.

Unquote

I reflected, "In stead of saying such things at the fag end of my business career, why not I say it today; when it matters most." I have decided that when the office opens after the week end, people would see a sign out side: "This company is great because Virendra starts the day for us much before 8 am. This company is great because Sanjay does those small little things that we can use our office without a hitch through out the year. "

I can already feel a wave of joy building inside me.