the company

bible
 the company

bible

a publication of Katoen Natie

A dif f er ent and better cor por a tion:

our people make the dif f er ence!

concept: Fernand Huts & Paul Demeyere

layout & illustrations: Dicky
 Foreword

Dear Employees,

Copyright text: Katoen Natie A company consists of a group of people who are jointly engaged in a com-
Copyright illustrations: Dicky mercial activity with the aim of creating surplus value and generating profit. In
No part of this publication may be reproduced and / or other words, the mission of an enterprise is basically very simple.
transmitted by means of print, photocopying, microfilm or
by any other means without the prior permission in For an organisation, it is of crucial importance to maintain this straightforward-
writing of the publisher. ness and simple cleverness throughout its evolution and growth.
Set, printed and bound by printers Lannoo nv, Tielt.
Common sense, systematic cost-consciousness, and an avoidance of compli-
cated systems and theories are the basis of good management.

Our company and our mutual collaboration patterns are suffused with this
message. It is our inspiration, our philosophy, our culture.

The Group Bible describes what our enterprise is, how it works, how its peo-
ple think and what they feel.

We hope that everyone will be able to identify with its ideas and will take plea-
sure in applying them in their professional life.

Enjoy using this Bible!

Note: for reasons of legibility, it was decided to use only
Fernand and Karine Huts
the masculine form for nouns referring to persons, per-
sonal pronouns and possessive pronouns.

5
6 7
1 K ATOEN N ATIE

The profile
1
of our
employees

Customer-friendly

Economical

Eager to learn

Motivated

Innovative

Responsible

8 9
1 Customer-friendly Economical 1

- Be economical and keep expenses to a minimum.

-Deliver high-quality work, so that the customer is optimally satisfied. - Always be on the lookout for ways to save on costs.
- Perform a task in the way you would do it for yourself. - NOTE: what you don’t spend, you don’t have to earn either!

10 11
1 Eager to learn Motivated 1

- Be open to new ideas and techniques. - Draw on all your talents, knowledge and skills, and put all your energy
- Acquire more information and know-how. and enthusiasm into doing your work in the best possible way.
- Be engaged in self-development and take further training.

12 13
1 Creative Responsible 1

Your aim is to work:

- skillfully,
- Explore, develop and try out new ideas.
- in a disciplined, orderly and efficient way,
- Encourage creativity.
- with a sense of organization and professionalism.

14 15
2 K ATOEN N ATIE

Our philosophy:
2
the cornerstone
of our corporation
1. We believe
in our philosophy and company culture.
Both thinking and acting within our corporation (or one of our companies)
are ruled by a number of basic principles. We call these basic principles the
corporate (or company) philosophy. It is important that everyone is familiar
with this philosophy.

Each decision and every action,

whoever takes it, must be inspired by
the corporate philosophy.
Our corporate culture is determined by
the attitude and principles of the
management, and in turn, it determines
the future success of the corporation.

16 17
2 2
2. We believe 4. We believe
that "the cobbler should stick to his shoemaking". in teamwork based on:
The corporation’s range of activities is engineering and the handling of goods: - a decentralized organization,
‘Cargo handling is our business ‘. - a central unit that is as small as possible,
- small and independently specialized
company units,
- flexible structures.

5. We believe
in controlled growth and progress through:
- diversification,
- differentiation (niche theory),
3. We believe - specialization,
- growth area development,
that our primary responsibility is to serve the
- snowball effect.
customer: our products and services must be
excellent at all times.
We believe in the high quality of our services.
We must continue to strive towards optimizing
our services, and keeping costs down.
We must tailor our services to the needs
of the customer.

18 19
2
6. We believe 8. We believe
2
in conserving our financial strength through: in management science and in our managers.
- maintaining our capital and reserves, Our managers must keep abreast of
- spreading activities over various units and areas of specialization, developments in the field of management
- cost control and thrift, systems and techniques by means of
- future-oriented and market-oriented investments, continuous training. Our enterprises must be
- managing the flow of financial information as one of the main resources led efficiently, using the best management
for steering the company, techniques.
- ensuring the sound financial structure of each individual company,
- ensuring the profitability of each individual company,
- reinvesting cash flow and profits.

9. We believe
in leadership.
We expect our executives to be leaders for their company,
branch or section. True leadership supports and leads to
entrepreneurialship.

7. We believe
in the great importance of accurate and fast information and communication.
This comprises both the flow of information and communication within the
company and between the company and the
customers or third 10. We believe
parties. Information that our company is different and
and communication better "because our people make
are organized in such the difference".
a way that they We have great faith in our
meet the demands employees. We believe in their:
of: a. speed - dedication and perseverance,
b. accuracy - ideas and proposals,
c. availability - enthusiasm and spirit of enterprise,
d. comprehen- - dynamism and initiative,
siveness - competence and skill,
e. friendliness - customer-friendliness.
We abhor the practice of keeping corporate information to oneself with the aim of
gaining more power or protecting one’s job. Information must be available to
everyone within the company. There must be no walls around the information.
‘ OUR PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE ‘

20 21
3 K ATOEN N ATIE

Vocabulary,
3
concepts &
ideas:
the tools
of the corporation

22 23
3 An organization is
like a chain:
brainstorming 3
This technique of creative thinking is based on
six principles:
1. there should be no criticism whatsoever, not
even shrugs, laughter, etc.,
it is only as strong 2. the wilder, the better; the stranger, the better,
as its weakest link. 3. the more, the better,
4. the participants should join forces and take
up lines of thinking proposed by the others,
5. the participants must forget all restraints
and all ties with their personal environment,
6. a beverage or some music can help to
stimulate the participants.
outside information
Many documents, reports and information
(which the company needs) can be found
outside the company. Even though the
image
documents and information are there
for the taking, people frequently don’t
make the effort to look for it. For instance,
they prefer to create their own reports, or A wall built around a company that
they continue working without the data makes it unique and distinguishes it
they need. from other companies.

difficulties
When you have a problem and
you want to discuss it trademark (differentiation)
with your superior,
you should first define the
problem in detail and come
up with a series of solutions. A wall built around a
This will make it easier for him to product that has the
make a decision. effect of creating a
In other words: never take a "quasi-monopoly".
problem to your boss, instead,
go with a list of alternatives.

24 25
3 the company’s goal the marketing "minus one" decision 3
Before deciding to develop or launch a new pro-
duct, a company must find:
- the man,
- the pusher,
To create surplus value
- the spokesman,
(all the rest is bullshit).
- the supporter,
- the product gladiator.
Only when a product gladiator has been found,
does a marketing philosophy have a chance of
success:

"first the gladiator, then the marketing"

"without a gladiator,
no amount of marketing will work".
problem-solving (ways of thinking)

the creativity “plus one” action

1. detecting and recognizing symptoms,
2. describing the symptoms clearly, - creativity : thinking up new ideas
2b. waiting before reacting (studying the problem), - innovation: carrying out new ideas
3. gathering information,
4. describing the problem, An idea is worthless unless something is done
5. describing the frame of reference, with it. Creativity must be followed by action, by
6. drawing up criteria for a decision, innovation.
7. developing alternatives,
taking the framework into account,
8. developing respective strategies,
8b. choosing a solution,
9. implementing the chosen solution,
10. control, assessment, follow-up, adjustment.

26 27
3 beginnings
listening:
the first skill
3
asking questions:
the second skill
of every manager
A new product is developed by one of
the corporation’s companies. When providing services and
There, it is cherished and tended. improving them,
Safe and warm, it grows. all ideas can be useful.
When it is fully-developed,
it begins its own life, with the help of
its creator.

the open door

Every manager must be

Going to the front accessible to everyone who
has something to say.
and checking the front lines.

Handling complaints.

A company is made by its All customer complaints must be inves-

employees, tigated at two levels:
services, (a) the deeper causes of the com-
and products in the front lines. plaint, the factors within the company
That is where the action is, that is where things happen. The management that led to the complaint, must be iden-
must visit this front regularly. Good management must be based on a tho- tified as soon as possible;
rough knowledge of, and insight into, the situation at the front. Managers are (b) if the complaint is justified, action
there for the front lines, not the other way round. must be taken immediately to meet the
customer’s demands.

28 29
3 ‘cut your losses’
Our corporation has employees who
Things are never as bad as they seem. 3
love enterprise, innovation and action.
In any enterprise there are certain risks.
Things can go wrong.
When the loss would be too great,
Keeping this in mind should help us to:
we must apply the "cut your losses"
a) refrain from panicking and from
principle.
reacting too quickly when a major
problem comes up;
b) take our time to look at a major pro-
blem calmly and from a distance.

Wear someone else’s glasses.

leadership

It is good to try looking at Motivating employees to

things through your opponent’s reach their highest level of
glasses every so often. dedication, achievement
and creativity; and then
giving them opportunities,
the freedom and room to
grow.

‘too many chiefs, no more indians’

baby

The creation, development, division, project,

This rule applies to companies that have lost energy, soul and leadership: company, idea, etc. of a manager.
too many directors, too many meetings, too much bureaucracy, no action,
weak front lines.

30 31
3 cost-effectiveness, profit the ‘LIMO’ principle (Least Input Most Output) 3
These are not financial concepts.
Essentially, they reflect the "attitude"
of all employees of the company. Achieving the greatest possible results
Cost-effectiveness is everyone’s with as few recourses as possible.
concern.
All employees of the company
contribute to it. Cost-effectiveness
is not realized by the financial
department, but is the result of
general attitude, for which managers
must set the example.
Achilles’ heel

Avoid a direct attack on your

competitors. Keep clear of
‘If you cannot beat them, their strong points: hit them in
join them.’ their weakest spot. Use tac-
tics, surprise attacks, and
surrounding movements.

the safety net the mother animal

Wrong decisions and policy
mistakes cannot be avoided,
and will happen now and then.
They should give us a clue
about the right direction, and we Just as mother animals will
must consider them as lessons put up a fierce struggle
for the future. When projects or when their young are
initiatives fail, we must back up threatened, managers will
the employees concerned. The be the most highly motivated
employees that have "failed" where their "baby" is
must be given new tasks and concerned.
challenges.

32 33
3 The weel has already been invented. procedures 3
The principles of management The company does not
have been applied ever since the serve its procedures,
first organizations were set up. but the procedures serve
Management literature and theo- the company.
ries seem to reinvent the wheel
over and over again, but in fact,
it is still the same wheel.

Procedures should live.

‘baggers’
Procedures have to be geared
- Bagger: a person who puts the custo-
to the particular company unit.
mers’ supermarket purchases in bags.
They must be very flexible and
- Single bagger: a bagger who uses only
changeable, so that they can
one bag and carelessly stuffs the items
be adjusted to suit the evolution
into it, accompanied by much sighing and
of the company unit.
moaning.
- Double bagger: a bagger who will reinforce
the bag with an extra bag if necessary,
who packs the purchases neatly and
meticulously, and who has a smile and a
kind word for each customer.

Avoid uniformity in the procedures.

‘Sitzfleisch’ (‘couch potato’)

It is impossible to run a company, - Procedures suffocate the organization
division or unit sitting on your if they are uniformly applied to the whole
behind. You can’t run things from group.
behind a desk. ‘Sitzfleisch’ is for - Each product, each part of a company,
bureaucrats and has no place in each company of the corporation must
our organization. have its own procedures.

34 35
3 hidden potential the ‘ 12/81-effect
12/81- 3
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12
Hidden potential is the difference 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 81
between what an employee does Working individually
and what he or she could do. will produce results,
co-operating will pro-
duce even more results.

The components of hidden

potential are:

- talent,
- skill, the “captain of the ship” syndrome
- energy,
- emotion.

As far as the eye of the master can see.

Expansion of the corporation must
always remain within range of
"the eye" of its management. The
accounts department and control
and management systems have to
be sufficiently developed to cope
with growth. Especially when the This is the erroneous belief that the man at the top takes
corporation becomes more inter- all responsibility. Everyone in the company has plenty of
national, "the eye of the master" freedom to make decisions and must also take the
has to be sharp enough to monitor responsibility for those decisions.
expansion.

36 37
3 sparks guts 3
- a terrific hunch,
- a creative flash,
- a brilliant proposition.

Gather information, facts, and figures.

Analyze them. Then "do" what you
spark file "feel" is right: "go with your guts",
combine reason and intuition in the
decision-making process.

This is where all these Giving account.

sparks, ideas, articles, and
schemes are filed that may
be of use to the managers.

disorder
Disorder is the essence of the
environment of the enterprise.

A superior has to delegate responsibilities and give room to his team

members, so that they can take decisions. He has to assess the results
and account for them.

38 39
3 suppression in “glass jar” structures When are employees dedicated? 3
When they identify
with the company, its
philosophy, its culture,
and its aim.
Many structures and systems
suppress the hidden potential of
employees, so they cannot flourish.
This hidden potential is kept tightly
in a jar under a solid lid.

Releasing the hidden potential.

Winning the gold medal.
Open the lid and get rid of the jar.
Create more space, so employees
enjoy coming to work, and can
The difference between standard
contribute to the company’s growth
performance and top achievement
according to their own personal ideas
is that the employee has released
and norms, within the philosophical
and used his hidden potential.
framework of the company.

superman/ superwoman

These are devoted employees

who spare no effort in
developing their talents, skills,
and energy to the fullest by
means of continuous training.

40 41
3Marking one’s territory
the art of war 3
Everyone has to create a
territory of their own.
Avoid wasting energy on
territorial conflicts.
"To attack the enemy’s strategy is of
supreme importance in war."
the pie
"The supreme excellence in war is to
attack the enemy’s plans."

A manager’s pie should be cut "A victorious army wins its victories
into equal portions: before seeking battle."
besides his job, a manager also
needs to achieve "The supreme art of war is to subdue
balance in other the enemy without fighting."
areas of life:
family life, hobbies,
friends, etc.
Katoen Natie ‘listens’.
playing = running the company

When an important customer pays a visit, our

people should make a point of listening to the
customer in order to find out whether we meet his
demands, and whether he has any suggestions to
make concerning our products or services.

‘The difference between men and boys is only the size of their toys’.

42 43
3 balance the sacred belief 3
fire

He who has a sacred belief in what he

does and wants, will succeed.

the formula for surplus value

revenue
– (purchases + costs)

= surplus value

the eleventh commandment

The keys to success are:

- communication, training
- moderation,
- patience,
- adaptability,
- decisiveness,
- confidence,
- the ability to think along unconventional lines, ‘go for it ‘
- social responsibility,
- happiness.

The importance of these factors lies in their interaction (some may even con-
tradict others). They play a role in every decision.

From the combination of all these factors springs balance.

44 45
3 the wrecking hammer
Work should be fun. 3
Working means personal development.

Practical and useful information

has to be accessible.
When a person withholds information
in order to protect or reinforce his own
position within the company, the wall
that blocks the flow of information
must be demolished at once.
‘ It doesn't matter how fast you run
if you are running in the wrong direction. ’

figures

Give value for money.

In a meeting, or in a discussion, always ask for numerical data.

Always start with the figures. Figures are concrete expressions of
reality, they are a "means to an end", an aid to making decisions.

46 47
3 an organization chart
failure
3

"Most people fail because they shoot

themselves in the foot".

The company structure must be geared to the customers’ needs and

demands. Customers don’t care who the director or the president are,
or who the soldiers are. They are interested in a quick and efficient
solution to their problems.

Filing “vertically”. Investigate all the options:

even if you have to venture off

the well-trodden path to do so.

Not all papers need to be kept.

The wastepaper basket is a
solution.

48 49
3 “All is fluctuation”
the tap of hidden potential 3
"Nothing is,
everything is becoming."
(Heraclitus, 500 BC) dedication
NOTE: the tap is turned on and off
by the employee himself.
Nobody else can do that.
The most important characteristics of our
‘Umwelt’ (environment) are its continual
changes and the speed and unpredictability
of changes.

hotline

growth strategy:
Anyone who has a good idea must see
that it’s not lost. If he thinks his boss - develop new products,
would let the idea whither and die in a - enter into niche markets,
desk drawer, he can go straight to top - acquire companies in trouble.
management to tell them about it.

50 51
3 order and discipline Do like the chickens: 3
These are the starting points for
organizing our daily routines and
our work.

"don’t cackle,
a fabric versus a chain lay eggs".

reserve troops
The structure of our
management and flow of
information is more like
fabric than like a chain.
We believe in networks and
in interweaving.

picnics

informal meetings of managers

In a growing company, managers always have their hands full. Still, we
must make sure to post one or more skillful managers to our reserves,
to be called to action when:
(a) serious problems suddenly arise,
(b) new products are launched,
(c) or companies are acquired.

In the meantime, reserve troops can be trained and can gain experience in
realizing projects, in anticipation of their future responsibilities.

52 53
3 “No man can serve two masters.”
Being the boss. 3
You are the boss only when your
people recognize you as their
boss, and never just because
your title or your business card
says so. You have to earn being
a boss by showing commitment
and leadership.
Every employee is expected to be fully committed to the company and
loyal to its philosophy. This excludes taking a second job, working for
another company, teaching, organizing lectures for third parties, sitting
on boards of other companies, etc.

luck: - "the harder you work, exemplary function

the luckier you get."

- "luck is when preparation

meets opportunity." If you expect your team members to be economical,
fly economy class yourself.

54 55
3Socializing: positive attitude and drive
3

is an ideal way
to stimulate
communication
within the company.

‘Willing people make failing systems work,

unwilling people make working systems fail.’
Don’t reinvent plumbing.

training and education

Don’t waste efforts on problems that

others have solved before you.

After "filling the kettle",

you must certainly not
forget to turn on the fire.

56 57
 K ATOEN N ATIE

Our driving
force:
4
company
dynamics:
be active -
make decisions
CREATIVITY

A brilliant new idea can help

the enterprise make progress
and stay a step ahead of
competitors. It has to be led
towards its realization with
"wolves blood".

58 59
4 4
COMMON SENSE “WOLVES BLOOD”(*)

The urge to achieve, to get ahead,

to innovate and to succeed. The
vital dynamism, the urge, the spirit,
the energetic will to persist and
achieve results.
Common sense must be the basis for every decision and
every action taken. No amount of management technique,
rules or books can keep a company going if the members
of the enterprise don’t have sound common sense and
apply down-to-earth logic.

(*) Why "wolves blood" instead of, e.g., "tiger blood"?

Wolves live in packs, tigers are solitary.

60 61
4 4
MANAGEMENT SURPLUS VALUE VERSUS PROFIT

We are not in business to

make a profit.
Our business is to create
surplus value.

An orderly, systematic, and scientific

working method, which allows
common sense, "wolves blood" and
creativity to yield maximum results.

LONG TERM VERSUS SHORT TERM

Long-term cash flow is more important than

short-term cash.

62 63
 K ATOEN N ATIE
5
How
our company
works

basic principle

The basic principle is to master the art of being great, but acting small. The
organization and structure of our corporation are aimed at two essential goals:

1. to minimize the disadvantages (weaknesses) of a large company while

preserving the advantages (strengths) of a large company,
2. to minimize the disadvantages (weaknesses) of a small company while
preserving the advantages (strengths) of a small company.

Combining the strengths of a small company with a large corporation creates

leverage for the cost-effectiveness of our various companies.

64 65
5 large company 5
a) the weaknesses b) the strengths
of a large company of a large company

- stability,
- slow and difficult flow of information, - averaging risk,
- anonymous relationships, - economies of scale,
- the need for procedures and structures, - good image,
- certain departments lack a customer-centered attitude, - full service package,
- lack of clarity for top management, - the possibility of putting more pressure on suppliers,
- nonchalance in both commercial and operational management, - synergy,
- a more politicized management, - specialization of the staff,
- less cost-awareness, - staff: motivation through prestige, opportunities for promotion, job
- bureaucracy, rotation, etc.,
- longer lines of decision, slower decision-making, - greater financial strength,
- complacency, - diversification,
- lack of motivation among executives and employees, - political power,
- expensive overhead structures. - elaborate systems,
- good control through financial systems.

66 67
5 small company 5
a) the weaknesses b) the strengths
of a small company of a small company

- specialization,
- flexibility and adaptability,
- dynamism,
- smaller financial capacity,
- accessibility,
- unknown or even no image,
- the name covers the activity,
- limited market and high thresholds,
- simplicity of the figures,
- more dependent on the market,
- all-round managers,
- more dependent on the customer,
- more empathy, which leads to greater commitment of the staff and
- a smaller buffer,
management,
- need for multidisciplinary people,
- personalized contacts with the customer,
- training and education are more difficult,
- short lines of authority and decision,
- success depends on the individuals.
- less overhead,
- greater satisfaction – less frustration,
- fewer systems,
- control through physical presence.

68 69
5 large company THE COMPANY UNITS ARE SUPPORTED BY THE GROUP.
5
Why:
+ small company
- image, strength,
- averaging risk,
- stability,
- financial strength,
____________ - commercial opportunities
= winning team and prestige,
- development and future
opportunities for the
employees,
- interaction in the general
departments.

THE INDEPENDENT BASIC UNITS FORM THE FOUNDATION OF THE GROUP. THE GROUP SEES TO THE COHERENCE OF THE ENTIRETY,
Why: IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

- corporate culture and philosophy,

- strategy and policy,
- financial follow-up and investments,
- communication and IT development.
- customer and market oriented,
- high degree of specialization,
- flexibility and adaptability due to short lines of decision,
- dynamism,
- pleasant work atmosphere.

70 71
5 THE STRUCTURE OF THE GROUP
5
1. the companies 4. the star manager

A person who is a manager with one of the

companies, but who also co-ordinates the
activities of a number of companies of the
corporation within his area of specialization.

2. the growth areas

A growth area is a cell within an existing company

that can develop into an independent company unit. 5. the philosopher
A growth area has:
- a product warrior,
- a product,
- a market.
A person who is a manager with one of
the companies, who, by his creativity,
ideas, commitment, insight, knowledge,
3. the corporation leadership, spirit of enterprise, and loyalty,
makes a great contribution to the strength
of the corporation.
The total of all the companies.
They are held together by the cor-
poration’s board of directors.
The corporate board is the meeting It is important to stress that the corporation
place of the philosophers and the does not consider it expedient to establish
top managers of the corporation. a central body at present.

72 73
6 K ATOEN N ATIE

Our people
6
make
the difference
the foundation of our policy:
The most important factors in a company are the people.
Although they are not expressed on the balance sheet, 1. Straightforwardness: the company must always be straightforward with its
they are the major asset of the company. employees, and never "fool" them. The company must respect its employees.

2. One of the aims of every company should be to ensure that its employees feel
good and enjoy doing their job. They have to be proud of their job.

The company must have an open and clear policy with 3. Every person must be paid according to his commitment and contribution,
respect to all its employees. never according to seniority.

4. The company should aspire to keeping everyone at work and avoiding

dismissals.

5. Employees may be dismissed in case of a lack of commitment and performance.

6. When there are vacancies, priority must be given to internal promotion.

The company should only recruit new employees when a vacancy cannot be filled
internally.

7. Nepotism will have no place within the company. Jobs and tasks will be
assigned on the basis of capabilities, commitment, motivation, and achievement.

74 75
7 K ATOEN N ATIE

The message
7
for
Garcia

In 1899, in Cuba, during the

Spanish-American war, Garcia, a Cuban general,
found himself and his troops surrounded by the
enemy. Garcia was forced to withdraw deep into the
jungle. Nobody knew where he had gone. There was no
communication whatsoever with the outside world. But
the president of the United States, McKinley, had
to reach him at all cost, and urgently…

76 77
7 I know a man who will find
Garcia. His name is Rowan.
7
What to do?
One of the presi- We will not go into the details here of how Rowan wrapped
dent’s men knew how to the letter in oilcloth and tied it to his chest, how he arrived on
get word to Garcia. Cuban soil in total darkness after a four-day journey in a sloop,
how he vanished into the jungle, on foot, and spent three weeks
behind enemy lines, and how he accomplished his mission…

The president summoned Rowan, and handed

him a letter, saying:

Yes,
Give this letter Mister President, at
to general Garcia and your service!
bring his reply back to
me!

78 79
7 What is important to us, is
McKinley gave Rowan an assignment, and left the solution
7
what Rowan said when he received the
letter from the president: to all problems to him. McKinley knew very well that he could
"Yes, Mister President, at your service!" not possibly foresee the situations which Rowan would
That was all! encounter.

He
Yes,
didn’t ask stupid
Mister president,
questions!
at your service!

Where is Garcia?

How do I get to the island?

Should I hire a boat or buy one?

How should I go about finding a person

who is hiding in the jungle and taking
great care that nobody knows his
whereabouts?

How do I get behind enemy lines

without being exposed?

Where do I get the money to pay for the

trip?

80 81
8 K ATOEN N ATIE
8
Harry,
the Beggar
on the Bridge
over the Thames

The story of Harry, the

beggar on the bridge over the
Thames, is a story about success.

82 83
8 A young unemployed man,
who will be called Harry, was stan-
It is easy to imagine what Harry must
have thought:
8
ding on the bridge over the Thames in
London. The economic crisis was at its Make
height. Harry had tried everything, but to no myself useful? Haven’t I
avail. He couldn’t get a job anywhere, and tried everything? Didn’t I go
there was only one option left to keep knocking on the doors of all the
himself from starving to death: to go employment offices, and hear the same
begging on the bridge over answer every time? "We don’t have a job
the Thames. for you!" Make myself useful… that’s
what I want, isn’t it? If only I could!
If only there was someone who
needed me.

While Harry was sunk in thought and meditating on the mea-

ning of "making oneself useful", an old woman crossed the bridge.
One day, a man tapped She was pulling a cart, loaded with crates. The old woman kept
Harry on the shoulder. It Young having to stop to rearrange the crates, which were threatening
was a well-dressed business- man, I won’t give you a to fall off the cart on both sides. That was when a thought flashed
man, and he spoke the fol- penny, but instead, I’ll give a through Harry’s mind:
lowing words to Harry: piece of good advice, which is
worth gold:
Make yourself useful!

Make
And without further myself useful! Wouldn’t
this be a good start? I realize
ado, the businessman
now that all I’ve ever done was
went on his way.
look for a job. I’ve never tried
to make myself useful.

84 85
8 No sooner said than done. Harry walked up to the
woman and started to help her pull the cart, all the
Selfless concern for the
wellbeing of others is just about the
8
while checking the two sides of the cart and rearran-
last thing people expect from their fel-
ging the crates so that they wouldn’t fall off.
low beings. Sad but true!

However, Harry did

not lose heart. He
managed to reassure the
old lady and said:

After a short while, the old woman stood still and spoke
I’m not asking you for
to him. money. I happened to be heading in
Do you think she thanked Harry, moved by so much help- the same direction and I wanted to
fulness? Sadly, quite the contrary. The old lady sent him off! make myself useful, that’s all.
GO
WHY?
AWAY
Finally, he persuaded the old
lady. They arrived at a ware-
house, where Harry helped to
unload the crates.

86 87
8 In the warehouse, Harry saw workers loading
train wagons. When he saw one of the workers was
After a while, a
foreman walked by. He We didn’t ask you in
8
having trouble with a heavy crate, he gave him a spotted the unfamiliar here. Get out!
hand, still heeding the advice he had been given by face among the wor-
the businessman. kers, and reprimanded
our young friend
with the follo-
wing words:

MAKE
YOURSELF
USEFUL!

But then something made him give

Harry another look and ask him: How long have you
been helping out around
here? Well… we’re not mon-
sters either, you know. Pop in
at the office, so we can pay you
for the hours you worked. But
after that, you’ve got to be
on your way. We don’t
have a job for you!

88 89
8 Wrapped in thought, and a Sadly, when he got there, he
found the place empty.
8
little surprised at what had
happened, Harry headed for
home. He had not had so
much money for a long time.
The principle had produced
its first proof. NOTHING
TODAY.

MAYBE
TOMORROW?

The next day, when In the weeks that follo-

Harry woke up, he felt wed, he went by the ware-
energetic and house every day, just in
enterprising, and case. Sometimes, he was
wondered how he could allowed to help, ...
apply the "make your-
self useful" principle
again. His first thought
was to go back to the
warehouse to see if
the workers were
loading train ......even if it was only
wagons again. for a few hours.

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8 8
We probably don’t need to tell you the
One day, the foreman came up to him and told him that one of the rest of the story. It shouldn’t be a surprise to you to
workers had died. Would he replace him? Harry did not have to think hear that Harry, once a beggar on the bridge over the
twice. Even now, as a worker, he still lives by the principle: Thames, has made a nice career in the company to which he
found his way in by wanting to make himself useful. He used the
MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL IN ALL SITUATIONS AT ALL TIMES! same key – making himself useful – to open the doors to his
successive offices: first floor manager, then manager,
and now general manager.

We’ve
got a job for you,
if you like.

GENERAL M ANAGER

92 93
8 THE MORAL OF THIS STORY ?
“Let’s make ourselves useful
8
before someone asks us to.”

Mark Twain said :

Don’t go around thinking

the world owes you a living. It
doesn’t owe you anything: it was
there before you were!
One thing is for sure:

IT’S ALREADY QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT

TO CARRY OUT A TASK PROPERLY.
But if we aspire to making ourselves useful to
others, in all circumstances and at all times, we develop
an immeasurable strength.
Don’t you think there’s a difference between the
future prospects of people who make themselves
useful and people who put their own
interests first?

94 95