Sublime

It had always been our policy at Ford for everyone to start at the bottom. Kanzler was one of the few exceptions and largely for that reason, I think, Mr. Ford avoided him.

It was the great common sense that Mr. Ford could apply to new ideas and his ability to simplify seemingly complicated problems that made him the pioneer he was.

Constant ferment—keep things stirred up and other people guessing—was the elder Ford’s working formula for progress.

Because the concern hadn’t very strong financial backing, Ford Motor Company agreed to underwrite the new tools and dies necessary for the work. This was common practice with us when suppliers ran into financial trouble when expanding their facilities enough to meet our needs.

Ever since it was founded, Ford Motor Company had shared some of its prosperity with its people. Employees who had been with the company for three years or longer received 10 per cent of their annual pay, and efficiency bonus checks were handed to executives and branch managers.

Ford was not an expert, and he didn’t rely upon experts, whether they were scientists, engineers, railroad men, economists, educators, business executives, or bankers. He was an individualist who arrived at conclusions—both right and wrong—by independent thought.

I learned not to take advantage of Mr. Ford or of his generosity. I could sense what he wanted and I did not need to be told what to do.

He wanted to equip the people inside the company with the tools they needed to profoundly change the way Ford worked.