George and Marguerite Westinghouse at Niagara Falls
Sun Tzu's Art of War is still being studied by military forces all around the world. And we know people also read Sun Tzu's Art of War to be successful in competitive environments like business.
Having started over 60 companies, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) is nothing short of an extraordinary businessman.
However, Westinghouse wasn't perfect. He took too much risk with credit and naively believed bankers had his interests and values in mind. After the financial crisis of 1907, Westinghouse would eventually lose control of his prized company, the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.
But what Westinghouse didn't lose was the respect and admiration of his employees. Unlike the robber barons of the time, Westinghouse never had to contend with worker strikes because his workers were well paid, worked in safe plants, had weekends off, among other benefits. During the earlier financial crisis of 1890, his employees even proposed to cut their pay in half. After he died, his employees fully funded a memorial costing $3.5 million in today's dollars.
To learn more about Westinghouse, I highly advise you to read George Westinghouse: Powering the World, a brand new biography published this year by Dr. William Huber.
Westinghouse wasn't only admired at work by men like Nikola Tesla and his 60,000 employees; he was also admired at home by his wife of 47 years, Marguerite Erskine Walker Westinghouse. Like charity, success starts at home. A happy wife is a happy life. I have more clichés but I think you got the gist.
Modern leaders speak of work-life balance. Well, here is a man who lived well over 100 years ago who was a master of that balance. It would benefit many of us to learn how he lived his life.
Previously, I shared with you a handwritten letter from Westinghouse. I later learned from the Detre Library & Archives, who safekeeps Westinghouse documents, there is only one other surviving handwritten letter to a recipient outside of his family (it was to a lawyer in 1874). It is believed that Westinghouse, a private person, had many of his personal letters destroyed before he died. Luckily, the ones that were saved were the best ones: the letters to his wife Marguerite.
Having started over 60 companies, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) is nothing short of an extraordinary businessman.
However, Westinghouse wasn't perfect. He took too much risk with credit and naively believed bankers had his interests and values in mind. After the financial crisis of 1907, Westinghouse would eventually lose control of his prized company, the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.
But what Westinghouse didn't lose was the respect and admiration of his employees. Unlike the robber barons of the time, Westinghouse never had to contend with worker strikes because his workers were well paid, worked in safe plants, had weekends off, among other benefits. During the earlier financial crisis of 1890, his employees even proposed to cut their pay in half. After he died, his employees fully funded a memorial costing $3.5 million in today's dollars.
To learn more about Westinghouse, I highly advise you to read George Westinghouse: Powering the World, a brand new biography published this year by Dr. William Huber.
Westinghouse wasn't only admired at work by men like Nikola Tesla and his 60,000 employees; he was also admired at home by his wife of 47 years, Marguerite Erskine Walker Westinghouse. Like charity, success starts at home. A happy wife is a happy life. I have more clichés but I think you got the gist.
Modern leaders speak of work-life balance. Well, here is a man who lived well over 100 years ago who was a master of that balance. It would benefit many of us to learn how he lived his life.
Previously, I shared with you a handwritten letter from Westinghouse. I later learned from the Detre Library & Archives, who safekeeps Westinghouse documents, there is only one other surviving handwritten letter to a recipient outside of his family (it was to a lawyer in 1874). It is believed that Westinghouse, a private person, had many of his personal letters destroyed before he died. Luckily, the ones that were saved were the best ones: the letters to his wife Marguerite.
From Henry Prout's biography of Westinghouse
From Francis Leupp's biography of Westinghouse
Yesterday I was fortunate to review 31 amazing pages of handwritten letters George Westinghouse wrote to Marguerite Westinghouse throughout the years on various stationery.
It was normal for George to correspond with Marguerite every day when he traveled. And if the communication wasn't by telephone, it was by telegram or handwritten letters.
The common themes of the handwritten letters were descriptions of his work, but it would always come around to him missing her and wanting to be with her. There was a sentence that summed it up well: it would be a "success" to him if he could finish up his work on time to finally be with her again.
Below are seven snippets of what I read. But be forewarned: they are incredibly sweet. The love and respect he had for Marguerite are evident. They can only come from a devoted husband and a doting father, which makes the already great George Westinghouse even greater.
It was normal for George to correspond with Marguerite every day when he traveled. And if the communication wasn't by telephone, it was by telegram or handwritten letters.
The common themes of the handwritten letters were descriptions of his work, but it would always come around to him missing her and wanting to be with her. There was a sentence that summed it up well: it would be a "success" to him if he could finish up his work on time to finally be with her again.
Below are seven snippets of what I read. But be forewarned: they are incredibly sweet. The love and respect he had for Marguerite are evident. They can only come from a devoted husband and a doting father, which makes the already great George Westinghouse even greater.
"I long for your sweet company and wonder many many times if you cannot come soon. I can get a special car any time and it would be so nice if you were here with our little Georgie. If you think favorably I will bring you the next time."
"I hope you will get on nicely and when I arrive I may find you feeling well. Now darling I will close with fondest love and many kisses for little Georgie and for you. Ever your devoted husband, Geo."
"My darling wife I will now close this with fondest love for you and baby and please kiss him for me."
"I wrote you some days ago that if you could come here by May 20th I would like it; for darling I am so lonely I love you so fondly all of the time."
"Oh what a long day this has been to me and how I have desired to be with you and to see our little boy. I am sure you are both happy and that you are progressing well. I was very glad to get your telegram last night for I had not (and have not yet) got your letter. I think of you so often and wish you were here where the things look so lovely."
"Now darling sweet wife I will close with very fond love and affection for the sweetest and best wife that ever blessed man."
"It is bed time and I will now close with the best love a man is able to give a devoted and loving wife. Ever your own loving husband Geo."
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