Stop Paddling and Start Rocking the Boat

by Lou Pritchett

Wake Up, American Business The first and last words of "partnering" and other hot new business practices, by the man behind the billion dollar sales partnership between Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart. In 1987, Lou Pritchett, the vice president of sales for P&G, had a revolutionary idea. He invited Sam Walton, the president of Wal-Mart, to join him on a two-day canoe trip, during which he made a surprisingly practical proposal. This now legendary trip led to one of the most successful corporate partnerships in American businesss Since leaving P&G, Pritchett has delighted corporate audiences nationwide with his wit and wisdom on such issues as partnering, leading, selling, marketing, and managing. Now Lou Pritchett captures his refreshing, no-nonsense, management and sales strategies in Stop Paddling & Start Rocking the Boat. Pritchett tells hundreds of stories from his 36 years at P&G to show how companies can initiate and maintain a "love affair" with their customers. He writes the lessons of partnering; the changing market environment and its effects on customers, suppliers, and employees; how success can be the greatest enemy of inovation; how to work on the system rather than in it; and entrepreneurial management- new ways to develop and utilize individual talents This eye-opening book helps both individuals and companies take advantage of new- but proven- strategies that will help them meet their customers' needs most efficiently while driving out excess costs.

Genres: Business

Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I work with P&G, I read this book to get acclimated to their culture. Pretty good business book - very general. Pritchett's claim to fame was asking Sam Walton to join him on a canoe trip where they developed the P&G-Walmart partnership. P&G is very conservative, very military (did not realize that the CEO became the secretary of defence in the fifties), and very conformist. Pritchett is writing as an outsider to that culture, but unaware of how much he was a part of it (sending a letter to the wives of his employees asking for them to support their husbands to sell more tiolet paper, conservative business approaches, and the whole conservative, white male hiearchy of the 50-70s.) some nuggets of good ideas...
1) Whenever you change jobs within the first six months, write down things that are problems and good ideas in the new organization. You will lose that perspective within 10-12 months as you assimulate.
2) Before you blame the people, consider that most of them maybe experts within a lousy system
3) There are many bad managers (interesting reflection of P&G). They can be classified as: Ignorate, incompetent, Ego, or fear. Many managers are surrounded by a Mafia of underachievers - incredibly loyal, but weak.
3) Write a list of your best bosses and why they were so good.
4) As a manager, "Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable:.