ANCIENT&
not so ancient
WISDOM
offering a weekly positive perspective
June
9, 2005
My
father said: "You must never try to make all the
money that's in a deal. Let the other fellow make money too,
because if you have a reputation for always making all the
money, you won't have many deals."
-
J. Paul Getty (1892 - 1976)
Born
in Minneapolis on December 15, 1892, Jean Paul Getty joined
his father's oil company (a lawyer who bought an oil lease
on a gamble), after working during school vacations in
the oil fields as a general laborer, in 1914 at
the age of 22. Through his guidance Getty Oil became a
Fortune 10 company and controlled oil concessions in North
America and Arabia with the largest tanker feet in the
world.
When
asked how much he was worth in cash, his response was
"I would hope to realize several billions, but
remember, a billion dollars isn't worth what it use to
be."
As shrewd a businessman as Getty was, he was
unsuccessful in his personal life and seemed not to follow
his own advice in dealing with personal relationship issues.
He used his will as a weapon with his family, installed
a pay phone in his home, and saved bits of string to tie up packages
and parcels.
At 83, Getty died of heart failure, having established
the J. Paul Getty Trust as a $6.4 billion dollar operating
foundation.
His
business message this week is especially important to my
friends in the travel and meeting industry because the tide
has fully turned and travel and meetings are filling hotels
and flights once again: Remember to negotiate with grace and
integrity (full disclosure) ... because the balance of
success is a very delicate balance indeed.
Every
time someone in the world operates at the highest standard
of intention, purpose, and relationship, it provides an
example to the rest of the world that it can be done. It can
be done in business and in your personal life. The world
does need another hero...
Wishing
you abundance and courage.
Sincerely,
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