Even though he passed away in 1992, Sam Walton’s influence is still felt in the business world today.
He was a self-made billionaire and founder of Walmart, which is still one of the world’s biggest employers.
Even decades after his death, Sam is a stellar example of visionary leadership and building an empire from nothing. His leadership lessons guide us today as much as they did decades ago.
Here are three things all leaders can learn from Sam Walton:
Ask questions
Sam was a master at asking questions. He constantly talked to people, from customers to frontline employees, managers, and even competitors. He regularly visited stores to see how the company could improve and was famous for carrying a yellow notepad to write ideas and observations. Sam knew that understanding people and their ideas starts with asking questions and applying what you learn.
Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you
The leader’s job isn’t to be the smartest person in the room—it’s to assemble a diverse group of talented people. It requires introspection for leaders to find their weaknesses and look for people to fill in those gaps. Sam showed courage as he built a team of people who were more capable than him.
Hold to what’s working and change what’s not
Although this advice may seem intuitive, many leaders don’t follow it. When something is working—a process, a team, a product—go all in. Stay firm to your vision and purpose, and don’t chase shiny things. On the flip side, acknowledge when things aren’t working or could be improved. Sam experimented and tried new things. When he found something that worked, he scaled it across the entire company.
Sam Walton’s leadership lessons are as timeless and practical today as in the 1980s. Following these three habits can help leaders develop strong teams that constantly improve and move forward.
I put together a video which talks about this in more detail. Please check it out below and if you want more content like this you can subscribe to my Youtube channel.
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