HBR’s 10 MUST READS On Leadership inspired me to write this remembrance of my first mentor. It is a great collection of leadership insights from experts that include Peter Drucker, Warren Bennis, Daniel Goleman and Jim Collins. Based on a strong recommendation from my scholarly colleague, Terry Barnhart, I bought the audio book. As I began to listen, I discovered two unusual coincidences.
The first coincidence came in Jim Collins’ section on Level 5 Leadership. That section opens by describing a seemly ordinary man named Darwin Smith. Mr. Smith was the CEO of Kimberly-Clark, the Wisconsin based paper company. At the time I listened, I was in the car driving for my first meeting of a new coaching engagement at Kimberly-Clark in Wisconsin. Ironic? Perhaps.
As I continued listening on my drive through America’s Dairyland, another section of the audio book hit much closer to home.
5 Responses
Tom, I enjoyed reading your work, reminiscing about my 20 years working for Mr. Klein. Those early meetings at Kmart HQ, walking through the various modules of their building, stopping into dozens of offices (without appointment,) and schmoozing with buyers from almost every product category. The first day I accompanied Mr. Klein on a visit to Kmart I was introduced to everybody from the receiving dock foreman to the chairman of the board and the president of the company. Everybody knew Mr. Klein, and much of the art pieces and pictures throughout the building had been presented to various people by Mr. Klein, usually on a birthday. Every week he would compile an assortment of articles from trade magazines, newspapers, and news letters, and he would have copies made of the most pertinent articles, which we would carry to Kmart and distribute to those people who he deemed to be important enough to get on our list. When he died, I took the last issue of his newsletter, with the top page edged in funereal black, with a note saying that this would be the final edition, because no one had Mr. Klein’s eye and mind to select the right mix of articles that would appeal to everyone at some level.
Best wishes to you and your family for the upcoming Holiday Season.
Hello Rich! Thanks for enhancing the story. It’s great to gain the perspectives from someone who worked at his side for decades.
I read about Max Klein in an HBR compilation on mental toughness. That led to some googling, and I was lucky enough to find your article here! Thank you so much for posting this. It was very interesting, well written, and nostalgic. Thank you.
Tom and Rich,
What fond memories this article has brought to me about my mentor Mr. Max Klein.From humble beginnings at The Max Klein co. as customer service manager to VP of Sales ,I spent many hours in the company of Max and his assistant Marian Ferraro at the offices in Detroit or numerous trade shows.If you were privy to his stock market news and took a chance on his recommendation you could do well in the market. Both he and his plant manager Mr.Paul Swain tought me everything I know about the plastics business and I will forever be in their gratitude. Both Max and Paul were instrumental in my eventual purchase of one of their companies which I have enjoyed running for the past 35 years. During one of my trips to KMart I remember toting NY Cheese Cakes to distribute to various buyers and corp.excutives. I too remember walking right past the lobby filled with sales people all who wondered Who is this guy that knows everybody by their first names and rarely had an appointment.Both Max and Marian were always gracious hosts whenever my wife would accompany me to trade shows in various cities, Every night dinner would be a surprise that Max had researched to make sure we enjoyed not only the dinner but also the great stories Max would expand on through the night.When my wife and I built our first house, Max surprised us with a watercolor he painted and signed . I truly miss my conversations with Mr. Max Klein and think of him often.
I’m very grateful to have come across your writing this evening- what chance! I recently picked up a plastic, yellow, Max Klein tackle box with a removable insert at a second hand shop, and researching the brand marking brought me here. I’m so pleased with the box- it’s exactly what I need, and have no interest in reselling, although there appears to be a niche market on eBay and Etsy for his sewing boxes. I appreciate learning about Mr. Klein, and the warm words from you and other commenters are heartening. All things, like people, have a story, and I’m glad to know more about my happy yellow box.
Best!