This is a guest post by my business partner, Jim Joyal, who was lucky enough to meet former Digital Equipment CEO Ken Olsen on numerous occassions…

This week, the world lost one of the most important figures in computer technology’s distinguished history… Ken Olsen, founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation. 

For those of you too young to remember Mr. Olsen, do some homework; you’ll soon understand how this man, this giant man – with just $70,000 in venture capital – built one of the industry’s largest, most respected and most successful computer companies in the world. He left this world basically the same way he ran his business … with little fanfare, self promotion or grandiosity.

Ken Olsen was an American original.  He took a pass on the tailored suits, French cuffs and Italian loafers that were “standard issue” CEO-wear in favor of a plastic pocket protector, short-sleeved white shirt, and rubber-soled size 13’s.  He took a former mill building in Maynard, Massachusetts and turned it into one of the most profitable global concerns on Wall Street.

I had the pleasure of working for Mr. Olsen’s company from the agency side …and I learned a lot from his decentralized management style and strong sense of personal priority. 

I remember once, during a quarterly numbers call – a rare quarter when numbers looked pretty bleak – a reporter asked Ken, “how will you deal with this crisis?”  Ken looked over his half glasses and in a half-scolding manner retorted, “Crisis? This is not a crisis … your children on drugs is a crisis.”

In that one sentence he put it all in perspective.  I’m thankful for his wisdom.

Comments