October Greats!

Steinmetz & Ford.

October 1908 Henry Ford introduces the Model T car (costs $825)

Organization Behavior is a study close to my heart, simply because, it leaves room for rumination & discussion ( at my age I'm rather tired of hearing myself all the time ). At times, kids in class leave you staggered with startling insights, which leaves you thinking for days.

As I teach OB, a name that crops up often is that of Henry Ford, genius who revolutionized the nascent automobile industry, with his work practices.

Ford was many things & more. A genius, a brilliant mechanical mind, an astute businessman, a narcissist and a man who was by no means humble.

From works on Ford I remember an endearing story, where Ford is said to visited the quarters of Charles Steinmetz, the man who electrified the US and a genius in his own right. Ford was interested in finding a solution, for the malfunctioning headlamps of his Model- T. In the midst of their serious discussion, Steinmetz, apparently excuses himself and walks off to tell his grandchildren a bedtime story. A furious Ford, leaves Steinmetz's house & would have gone except that a train was not available at that late hour.When Ford returns, Steinmetz has his problem solved!

Ford is known to have told, on occasions, his overzealous, subordinates ' It's my name on the wall!'

The story of these men captivates, me. One a towering industrialist, the other a humble, affectionate, hunch backed genius, who had little sense of time or occasion.

What would have I given to be in the age of the 'King of the Road' & the 'Magician of Liberty Hall'.