Analysis
July 19, 2022
Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
In my last Final Thoughts article, I began to answer a question posed to me regarding what I felt were the most important lessons I have learned over the course of my 45-year career in the steel industry. I wrote about honesty as being the simple answer and many of you have contacted me to agree with that insight.
I then went on to tell the story of the relationship I had with one of the owners of a company who purchased steel from me early in my career, and how that relationship taught me a very important lesson. The lesson learned was how to deal with the difficulties associated with the education of a customer, especially when that education causes the customer to be perceived as having done something foolish or embarrassing. Relationships are important. But in the end, it’s all just business – and you can’t lose sight of that.
