Power vs. Force: On Integrity

a poem and a lesson feat. Walmart

If you copy what they do

And it's not integrous to you

The players will see right through

Walmart Example

From Hawkins’ book, Power vs. Force:

The retail chain Walmart offers a convenient example. During Sam Walton’s tenure as CEO, sales associates at Walmart were trained to be of service to their customers by being genuinely attentive and helpful. The company’s alignment to “truth,” which in this case corresponded to a genuine desire to aid its customers, resulted in an excellent profit margin. Other large retailers, eager to increase their profit margins, attempted to copy Walmart’s success by introducing changes in how they trained their sales associates. However, these other large retailers lacked Walmart’s fundamental alignment with its mission to offer genuine help to consumers; their sales associates mimicked the actions of Walmart’s employees without understanding the underlying motivation. They were driven by a desire for sales and profits, not a desire for the well being of their customers. As a result, Walmart remained the industry leader.

Half-Life of Principle

The intention is everything.