From the Back Cover
As many former giants of the American industrial heartland fall prey to low-cost foreign competition and high domestic manufacturing costs, one U.S. company stands out as a shining example of growth, brand recog- nition, and phenomenal success in a globalized world. John Deere has done more than prevail in its primary market: With $19.9 billion in annual sales and 46,000 employees, this global power- house has expanded its highly respected brand name beyond agricultural equipment to become the world leader in forestry harvesting equip- ment and a major supplier of equipment for con- struction, lawn and turf care, and golf course maintenance, as well as financial services and managed health care.
How can a company founded in the early nine- teenth century maintain such a high level of vitality in the constantly changing business climate of the twenty-first century? Can other organizations crack the secrets of this enduring firm's success and use them to enhance their own growth and profitability? In The John Deere Way, celebrated business author David Magee takes you behind the scenes to discover the timeless underlying principles and innova- tive practices that have enabled John Deere to continue to leap ahead of the competition for nearly 170 years.
Given unfettered access to the company, its archives, and its CEO Robert Lane, Magee soon discovered that the driving force behind this dynamic organization is a set of values and principles instilled at its inception by John Deere himself. From the day Deere developed the world's first commercially successful self- scouring steel plow in 1837 through to a remarkable series of innovations spearheaded by Robert Lane today, these principles have guided the company through good times and bad, helping it survive depressions and wars while making the most of prosperous times.
From "I will not put my name on a product that does not have in it the best that is in me," to "You cannot have enduring performance with- out trust," The John Deere Way shares each of these secrets for the first time. Then, it exam- ines how Deere employees, from the CEO on down, strive to express each principle through their actions in the workplace every day. This close examination translates each of Deere's values into useable and proven leadership lessons that can invigorate any company of any size in any industry.
Complete with an insightful introduction from Deere & Company Chairman and CEO Robert Lane, The John Deere Way offers compelling and important reading for anyone interested in industrial history; cutting-edge business practices; or a good, old-fashioned American success story.
DAVID MAGEE is the author of five books, including Ford Tough: Bill Ford and the Battle to Rebuild America's Automaker and Endurance: Winning Life's Majors the Phil Mickelson Way, both from Wiley. He lives with his wife and three children on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.
