Future Forward by Glenn Rifkin Leadership Lessons from Patrick McGovern
What's it about?
Future Forward (2019) chronicles Patrick McGovern’s five-decade journey building International Data Group from a one-person research shop into a $3 billion global technology media empire. It reveals ten leadership lessons McGovern used to create publications in nearly 100 countries while maintaining extraordinary employee loyalty and editorial integrity.
On a December afternoon in 1983, Patrick McGovern walked through Computerworld’s newsroom, visiting each workspace to deliver bonuses and speak with every staff member individually.This personal touch defined the founder of International Data Group, who built a technology media empire from nothing into a $3 billion global enterprise.McGovern started IDG in 1964 in a small Massachusetts house with one research report.By the time of his death in 2014, IDG had publications in nearly 100 countries: brands like Computerworld and PCWorld as well as the For Dummies book series.
The company helped launch technology journalism worldwide and educated millions about computing.But McGovern wasn’t just successful.He pioneered technology publishing when computers filled entire rooms, entered China and the Soviet Union decades before competitors, maintained editorial integrity when advertisers threatened millions, and created a workplace culture so distinctive that employees refused other offers.His 50 years of leadership offer practical wisdom for building organizations today.
In this lesson, you’ll discover how McGovern built his empire through ten timeless principles.These lessons transformed a one-man research shop into a global powerhouse.They can transform your leadership too.
When McGovern founded International Data Corporation in 1964, his tiny startup operated from a single-floor rental.The only international connection was planes flying overhead from Logan Airport.Yet the name wasn’t wishful thinking.McGovern understood that compelling missions need to be ambitious enough to inspire action and clear enough that everyone grasps their role.
The first lesson is to have a mission that matters, and let people know you’re on that mission together.McGovern’s mission was straightforward: “Help the world understand and benefit from information technology.” At age 16, he’d read Edmund Berkeley’s Giant Brains and became obsessed with how computers could amplify human intelligence.Working as an editor, he noticed corporate buyers desperately needed reliable information.Vendors only offered marketing.No independent source existed to help decision-makers navigate multimillion-dollar technology purchases.
McGovern created that source.He compiled installation data and produced forecasts.When he suggested charging $15,000, Univac’s CEO dismissed him.Nobody would trust cheap information – charge $30,000 instead, he suggested.A higher price signals higher value.McGovern learned that if you create genuine value, people will pay.
This philosophy extended to Computerworld, launched in 1967 as a paid weekly newspaper.Unlike free trade publications filled with vendor puffery, Computerworld charged subscribers.Within two weeks, 20,000 people had signed up.McGovern communicated this mission constantly, ensuring every employee understood they were educating the world.The second lesson is to forge a path on the road less traveled.In 1960, traveling through Europe, McGovern’s train was stopped by armed soldiers.
He was detained near Leningrad for approaching a military facility.While most executives viewed communist nations as inaccessible, he saw enormous populations hungry for information.In 1978, McGovern booked a flight to Moscow via Beijing.China was starting to welcome foreigners, though travel remained limited.McGovern lacked the required documentation.The gate agent demanded a visa.
McGovern bluffed that he only needed transit clearance.Landing in Beijing, confused customs officials provided an improvised travel authorization written on rice paper warning him to destroy it upon departure.That unauthorized visit led to partnership with China’s Ministry of Electronics.Critics questioned doing business with communists.
McGovern ignored ideology, focusing on spreading technology knowledge.By 1993, China Computerworld was outearning every other newspaper in the country.IDG’s Chinese publications reached 18 million readers monthly.The venture capital fund started with $20 million and eventually generated returns exceeding $4 billion through investments in Tencent and Baidu.
As IDG expanded internationally, country managers operated with exceptional independence.Local teams made hiring decisions, established plans, and managed finances autonomously.McGovern understood that executives in Boston couldn’t grasp local conditions in cities like Tokyo, Paris, or São Paulo.This was the basis of his third lesson: Decentralize.
When building a global empire, every market is local.This contradicted traditional business thinking that emphasized top-down management.But McGovern recognized that a publication succeeding in America might fail in Japan if simply translated and imported.Each market needed leaders who were familiar with local readers, advertisers, and competitors.Country managers could move quickly, seizing opportunities without waiting for Boston’s approval.They adapted content and business models to fit local conditions.
This approach enabled rapid expansion.IDG ultimately established operations in close to 100 countries, launching an average of one new publication every two months.The result was a truly global empire where every operation felt local, not like an American company imposing its will on foreign markets.Decentralization only succeeds when you find exceptional people to lead those autonomous units.This is McGovern’s fourth lesson: Identify the warriors.He spent enormous energy finding people who combined business instincts, industry expertise, and strong ethics – and who could build teams and weather setbacks without constant supervision.
He wasn’t looking for yes-people.He wanted managers who would challenge his assumptions and fight for what their markets needed.The hiring process reflected this priority.When Burgess Needle applied, McGovern gave him an unusual test.Estimate how many houses exist in Newton, Massachusetts, then calculate how many have blue cars in their driveways today.There was no correct answer.
McGovern was assessing creative thinking and reasoning ability.When Needle scored in McGovern’s target range, he was hired immediately.McGovern cultivated his warriors methodically.Hugo Shong met McGovern at a business dinner while studying at Tufts.McGovern recognized potential and hired him, mentoring Shong for three years before sending him to lead Chinese operations.When advisors said Shong lacked venture capital experience, McGovern disagreed.
He saw Shong’s passion, intelligence, and cultural fluency.Given responsibility and support, Shong built IDG Ventures China into the country’s premier early-stage fund.McGovern’s fifth lesson is, Let’s try it!Encourage the entrepreneurs.
That signature phrase wasn’t reckless.McGovern understood that in rapidly evolving industries, waiting for complete data could mean missing opportunities.He preferred intelligent experiments to analysis paralysis.Employees learned they could pitch ideas directly, and if concepts showed promise, they’d get the resources to test them.
This approach spawned innovations.When David Bunnell suggested magazines that focused on specific platforms, McGovern supported the idea immediately.Macworld debuted the day Apple released the Macintosh in 1984, becoming enormously successful with $30 million in annual revenue by 1994.Later, when the market sagged and Apple’s fortunes declined, McGovern suggested an unprecedented move – merging with competitor Ziff-Davis’s Mac publications.The joint venture protected the market during difficult years.McGovern’s willingness to experiment extended to unconventional models.
The employee stock ownership plan he created in 1987 was unusual for private companies at the time.McGovern contributed a percentage of each salary into IDG stock funds.As the company’s value grew, longtime employees accumulated substantial wealth; many of them, including nonmanagement staff, retired as millionaires.McGovern viewed this as smart business, aligning employee interests with company success and reducing turnover.When recruiters approached IDG employees, most declined, citing stock ownership and McGovern’s personal commitment.Failure never triggered punishment.
McGovern accepted that experimentation meant some initiatives wouldn’t succeed.What mattered was learning and trying again.When publications underperformed, McGovern worked with managers to understand problems and improve.He never fired people for making honest mistakes while pursuing reasonable ideas.This psychological safety encouraged risk-taking that fueled innovation.Employees knew McGovern had their backs, so they proposed ambitious plans rather than playing safe.
McGovern’s sixth lesson was mindset driven: The best is yet to come.Optimism is infectious, so use it.Saying the best was yet to come wasn’t some kind of empty cheerleading; he meant it sincerely, and employees believed it.McGovern genuinely saw enormous potential in information technology and his team’s ability to capitalize on it.When others worried, McGovern focused on opportunities.This optimism was pragmatic and grounded in data.
At 61, McGovern went skydiving to demonstrate this mindset.He gathered managers and explained he’d conquered his fear of small planes by jumping from one.The message?If he could do something terrifying, they could tackle business challenges.
The stunt worked: employees left energized.McGovern understood that leader enthusiasm spreads through organizations.His consistent optimism during crises reassured employees and encouraged persistence when the easier option might have been giving up.
In publishing, the boundary between editorial content and advertising pressure is constantly tested.Advertisers fund publications and naturally want favorable coverage.Trade journals often became marketing vehicles.McGovern took the opposite approach.
Editorial decisions remained completely independent from business considerations, even when independence cost millions in lost advertising.His seventh lesson tied into this: Integrity is priceless – never cross the line in the sand.This wasn’t theoretical.In 1969, IBM sent eight executives to intimidate McGovern.They disliked Computerworld’s coverage and suggested changing course.McGovern politely declined.
When IBM faced antitrust proceedings, Computerworld assigned a reporter to cover the trial full-time, publishing detailed daily coverage of internal documents that painted IBM unfavorably.IBM executives complained repeatedly.McGovern never budged.He told his team that if they compromised journalistic independence, they would destroy what made IDG valuable.Other advertisers tried similar pressure.Computer Associates CEO Charles Wang frequently threatened to pull advertising when stories portrayed his company negatively.
Hewlett-Packard canceled advertising across all IDG publications after columnist Bob Metcalfe wrote a critical piece.Each time, McGovern stood firm.He understood that readers trusted IDG precisely because it published honest, independent journalism.Compromising trust for short-term revenue would destroy the brand.Surprisingly, these companies typically resumed advertising, recognizing they needed access to IDG’s extensive audience.McGovern gave business units extraordinary autonomy.
Managers controlled hiring, budgets, and strategy.But McGovern maintained tight financial controls.This was lesson eight: “Loose-tight” leadership builds empires.Every unit submitted detailed monthly reports.McGovern studied these carefully, looking for trends and problems.Managers who missed targets received pointed notes.
Success brought congratulations, but consistent underperformance triggered intervention.This dual approach required sophisticated systems.IDG invested heavily in financial tracking.McGovern believed accurate, timely data was essential for effective decentralization.
Without reliable numbers, headquarters couldn’t distinguish well-managed units from struggling ones.With good data, McGovern could spot problems early and offer help before small issues became existential threats.He also used performance to identify best practices, applying successful approaches from one market to others.Leaders gathered regularly to share strategies and learn from each other.
McGovern’s ninth lesson?Be the chief encouragement officer – never stop cheering your employees on.He sent thousands of “Good News” notes over his career: brief handwritten messages on distinctive rainbow-logo stationery congratulating employees or simply checking in.Recipients treasured these notes.
One journalist kept every note McGovern sent over seven years.The gesture seemed small, but its impact was profound.Employees felt genuinely seen and valued; they weren’t anonymous workers but individuals whose contributions mattered.The Christmas bonus tradition epitomized this approach.Each December, McGovern spent two weeks traveling to every American IDG office, personally handing bonus checks to every employee and spending time with them.He studied crib sheets, memorizing names, family details, and recent accomplishments.
When McGovern stopped at your desk, he knew your spouse’s name, asked about your kids, and referenced your recent project.This took enormous effort.By the 1980s, IDG employed thousands.McGovern signed 5,000 holiday cards personally each year.Why make such an effort?McGovern understood people work harder for leaders who truly care.
This personal touch wasn’t manipulation.McGovern sincerely valued employees and wanted them to succeed.But he recognized the practical benefits.Turnover was expensive.Creating strong emotional bonds reduced attrition dramatically.Recruiters complained they couldn’t hire IDG employees because everyone felt personally connected to McGovern.
That loyalty was earned through consistent, authentic attention over decades.McGovern extended his encouragement beyond individuals.Annual holiday parties featured elaborate video productions where McGovern and executives dressed as Star Trek characters or rock bands, performing comedy sketches.The production quality was terrible – deliberately so.McGovern played himself as a hero defending IDG from villainous competitors.Everyone understood these as playful morale boosters.
They reinforced company values and celebrated successes memorably.Employees looked forward to these events, knowing McGovern would make a fool of himself to entertain and inspire them.And that brings us to his tenth lesson: Love your employees, adore your customers.McGovern insisted on staying close to customers.He regularly visited subscribers and clients, asking what they needed and how IDG could serve them better.McGovern personally made customer calls weekly, even as the CEO of a multibillion-dollar enterprise.
He believed leaders should understand customer needs directly, not through intermediaries whose filters might distort reality.This customer focus shaped every decision.When planning new publications, McGovern commissioned extensive surveys.Computerworld emerged from research showing technology buyers desperately needed independent information.Each product launch started with customer needs, not with what IDG wanted to sell.McGovern told employees to focus on customers, not competitors.
If you serve customer needs well, he said, you’ll succeed regardless of competition. McGovern also insisted business leaders spend time with customers rather than holing themselves up at headquarters.When Kirk Campbell mentioned struggling to complete administrative work, McGovern walked him to his office, opened a desk drawer full of papers, and dumped it in the trash.He explained that anything really important would resurface.Everything else was a distraction from the real work: being with customers.
In this lesson to Future Forward by Glenn Rifkin, you’ve learned that Patrick McGovern built International Data Group into a $3 billion global empire by following ten principles any leader can apply.Start with a compelling mission and communicate it constantly.Choose difficult paths others avoid.Decentralize operations while maintaining financial controls.
Find and empower warriors who can lead independently.Encourage experimentation with a “Let’s try it” approach.Maintain infectious optimism even during setbacks.Protect integrity absolutely, refusing to compromise values for short-term gain.Balance freedom with accountability through loose-tight management.Serve as chief encouragement officer, celebrating achievements personally.
And stay relentlessly close to customers, letting their needs drive decisions.McGovern demonstrated each of these principles through five decades of consistent action.He personally handed out bonuses to thousands of employees.He stood up to IBM and other powerful advertisers.He entered China and the Soviet Union when others considered it impossible.He gave away company stock to create employee millionaires.
And he stayed optimistic through countless challenges, always believing the best was yet to come.His legacy proves that building successful organizations while treating people with dignity isn’t just possible, it’s the surest path to lasting achievement.
Future Forward (2019) chronicles Patrick McGovern’s five-decade journey building International Data Group from a one-person research shop into a $3 billion global technology media empire. It reveals ten leadership lessons McGovern used to create publications in nearly 100 countries while maintaining extraordinary employee loyalty and editorial integrity.
On a December afternoon in 1983, Patrick McGovern walked through Computerworld’s newsroom, visiting each workspace to deliver bonuses and speak with every staff member individually.This personal touch defined the founder of International Data Group, who built a technology media empire from nothing into a $3 billion global enterprise.McGovern started IDG in 1964 in a small Massachusetts house with one research report.By the time of his death in 2014, IDG had publications in nearly 100 countries: brands like Computerworld and PCWorld as well as the For Dummies book series.
The company helped launch technology journalism worldwide and educated millions about computing.But McGovern wasn’t just successful.He pioneered technology publishing when computers filled entire rooms, entered China and the Soviet Union decades before competitors, maintained editorial integrity when advertisers threatened millions, and created a workplace culture so distinctive that employees refused other offers.His 50 years of leadership offer practical wisdom for building organizations today.
In this lesson, you’ll discover how McGovern built his empire through ten timeless principles.These lessons transformed a one-man research shop into a global powerhouse.They can transform your leadership too.
When McGovern founded International Data Corporation in 1964, his tiny startup operated from a single-floor rental.The only international connection was planes flying overhead from Logan Airport.Yet the name wasn’t wishful thinking.McGovern understood that compelling missions need to be ambitious enough to inspire action and clear enough that everyone grasps their role.
The first lesson is to have a mission that matters, and let people know you’re on that mission together.McGovern’s mission was straightforward: “Help the world understand and benefit from information technology.” At age 16, he’d read Edmund Berkeley’s Giant Brains and became obsessed with how computers could amplify human intelligence.Working as an editor, he noticed corporate buyers desperately needed reliable information.Vendors only offered marketing.No independent source existed to help decision-makers navigate multimillion-dollar technology purchases.
McGovern created that source.He compiled installation data and produced forecasts.When he suggested charging $15,000, Univac’s CEO dismissed him.Nobody would trust cheap information – charge $30,000 instead, he suggested.A higher price signals higher value.McGovern learned that if you create genuine value, people will pay.
This philosophy extended to Computerworld, launched in 1967 as a paid weekly newspaper.Unlike free trade publications filled with vendor puffery, Computerworld charged subscribers.Within two weeks, 20,000 people had signed up.McGovern communicated this mission constantly, ensuring every employee understood they were educating the world.The second lesson is to forge a path on the road less traveled.In 1960, traveling through Europe, McGovern’s train was stopped by armed soldiers.
He was detained near Leningrad for approaching a military facility.While most executives viewed communist nations as inaccessible, he saw enormous populations hungry for information.In 1978, McGovern booked a flight to Moscow via Beijing.China was starting to welcome foreigners, though travel remained limited.McGovern lacked the required documentation.The gate agent demanded a visa.
McGovern bluffed that he only needed transit clearance.Landing in Beijing, confused customs officials provided an improvised travel authorization written on rice paper warning him to destroy it upon departure.That unauthorized visit led to partnership with China’s Ministry of Electronics.Critics questioned doing business with communists.
McGovern ignored ideology, focusing on spreading technology knowledge.By 1993, China Computerworld was outearning every other newspaper in the country.IDG’s Chinese publications reached 18 million readers monthly.The venture capital fund started with $20 million and eventually generated returns exceeding $4 billion through investments in Tencent and Baidu.
As IDG expanded internationally, country managers operated with exceptional independence.Local teams made hiring decisions, established plans, and managed finances autonomously.McGovern understood that executives in Boston couldn’t grasp local conditions in cities like Tokyo, Paris, or São Paulo.This was the basis of his third lesson: Decentralize.
When building a global empire, every market is local.This contradicted traditional business thinking that emphasized top-down management.But McGovern recognized that a publication succeeding in America might fail in Japan if simply translated and imported.Each market needed leaders who were familiar with local readers, advertisers, and competitors.Country managers could move quickly, seizing opportunities without waiting for Boston’s approval.They adapted content and business models to fit local conditions.
This approach enabled rapid expansion.IDG ultimately established operations in close to 100 countries, launching an average of one new publication every two months.The result was a truly global empire where every operation felt local, not like an American company imposing its will on foreign markets.Decentralization only succeeds when you find exceptional people to lead those autonomous units.This is McGovern’s fourth lesson: Identify the warriors.He spent enormous energy finding people who combined business instincts, industry expertise, and strong ethics – and who could build teams and weather setbacks without constant supervision.
He wasn’t looking for yes-people.He wanted managers who would challenge his assumptions and fight for what their markets needed.The hiring process reflected this priority.When Burgess Needle applied, McGovern gave him an unusual test.Estimate how many houses exist in Newton, Massachusetts, then calculate how many have blue cars in their driveways today.There was no correct answer.
McGovern was assessing creative thinking and reasoning ability.When Needle scored in McGovern’s target range, he was hired immediately.McGovern cultivated his warriors methodically.Hugo Shong met McGovern at a business dinner while studying at Tufts.McGovern recognized potential and hired him, mentoring Shong for three years before sending him to lead Chinese operations.When advisors said Shong lacked venture capital experience, McGovern disagreed.
He saw Shong’s passion, intelligence, and cultural fluency.Given responsibility and support, Shong built IDG Ventures China into the country’s premier early-stage fund.McGovern’s fifth lesson is, Let’s try it!Encourage the entrepreneurs.
That signature phrase wasn’t reckless.McGovern understood that in rapidly evolving industries, waiting for complete data could mean missing opportunities.He preferred intelligent experiments to analysis paralysis.Employees learned they could pitch ideas directly, and if concepts showed promise, they’d get the resources to test them.
This approach spawned innovations.When David Bunnell suggested magazines that focused on specific platforms, McGovern supported the idea immediately.Macworld debuted the day Apple released the Macintosh in 1984, becoming enormously successful with $30 million in annual revenue by 1994.Later, when the market sagged and Apple’s fortunes declined, McGovern suggested an unprecedented move – merging with competitor Ziff-Davis’s Mac publications.The joint venture protected the market during difficult years.McGovern’s willingness to experiment extended to unconventional models.
The employee stock ownership plan he created in 1987 was unusual for private companies at the time.McGovern contributed a percentage of each salary into IDG stock funds.As the company’s value grew, longtime employees accumulated substantial wealth; many of them, including nonmanagement staff, retired as millionaires.McGovern viewed this as smart business, aligning employee interests with company success and reducing turnover.When recruiters approached IDG employees, most declined, citing stock ownership and McGovern’s personal commitment.Failure never triggered punishment.
McGovern accepted that experimentation meant some initiatives wouldn’t succeed.What mattered was learning and trying again.When publications underperformed, McGovern worked with managers to understand problems and improve.He never fired people for making honest mistakes while pursuing reasonable ideas.This psychological safety encouraged risk-taking that fueled innovation.Employees knew McGovern had their backs, so they proposed ambitious plans rather than playing safe.
McGovern’s sixth lesson was mindset driven: The best is yet to come.Optimism is infectious, so use it.Saying the best was yet to come wasn’t some kind of empty cheerleading; he meant it sincerely, and employees believed it.McGovern genuinely saw enormous potential in information technology and his team’s ability to capitalize on it.When others worried, McGovern focused on opportunities.This optimism was pragmatic and grounded in data.
At 61, McGovern went skydiving to demonstrate this mindset.He gathered managers and explained he’d conquered his fear of small planes by jumping from one.The message?If he could do something terrifying, they could tackle business challenges.
The stunt worked: employees left energized.McGovern understood that leader enthusiasm spreads through organizations.His consistent optimism during crises reassured employees and encouraged persistence when the easier option might have been giving up.
In publishing, the boundary between editorial content and advertising pressure is constantly tested.Advertisers fund publications and naturally want favorable coverage.Trade journals often became marketing vehicles.McGovern took the opposite approach.
Editorial decisions remained completely independent from business considerations, even when independence cost millions in lost advertising.His seventh lesson tied into this: Integrity is priceless – never cross the line in the sand.This wasn’t theoretical.In 1969, IBM sent eight executives to intimidate McGovern.They disliked Computerworld’s coverage and suggested changing course.McGovern politely declined.
When IBM faced antitrust proceedings, Computerworld assigned a reporter to cover the trial full-time, publishing detailed daily coverage of internal documents that painted IBM unfavorably.IBM executives complained repeatedly.McGovern never budged.He told his team that if they compromised journalistic independence, they would destroy what made IDG valuable.Other advertisers tried similar pressure.Computer Associates CEO Charles Wang frequently threatened to pull advertising when stories portrayed his company negatively.
Hewlett-Packard canceled advertising across all IDG publications after columnist Bob Metcalfe wrote a critical piece.Each time, McGovern stood firm.He understood that readers trusted IDG precisely because it published honest, independent journalism.Compromising trust for short-term revenue would destroy the brand.Surprisingly, these companies typically resumed advertising, recognizing they needed access to IDG’s extensive audience.McGovern gave business units extraordinary autonomy.
Managers controlled hiring, budgets, and strategy.But McGovern maintained tight financial controls.This was lesson eight: “Loose-tight” leadership builds empires.Every unit submitted detailed monthly reports.McGovern studied these carefully, looking for trends and problems.Managers who missed targets received pointed notes.
Success brought congratulations, but consistent underperformance triggered intervention.This dual approach required sophisticated systems.IDG invested heavily in financial tracking.McGovern believed accurate, timely data was essential for effective decentralization.
Without reliable numbers, headquarters couldn’t distinguish well-managed units from struggling ones.With good data, McGovern could spot problems early and offer help before small issues became existential threats.He also used performance to identify best practices, applying successful approaches from one market to others.Leaders gathered regularly to share strategies and learn from each other.
McGovern’s ninth lesson?Be the chief encouragement officer – never stop cheering your employees on.He sent thousands of “Good News” notes over his career: brief handwritten messages on distinctive rainbow-logo stationery congratulating employees or simply checking in.Recipients treasured these notes.
One journalist kept every note McGovern sent over seven years.The gesture seemed small, but its impact was profound.Employees felt genuinely seen and valued; they weren’t anonymous workers but individuals whose contributions mattered.The Christmas bonus tradition epitomized this approach.Each December, McGovern spent two weeks traveling to every American IDG office, personally handing bonus checks to every employee and spending time with them.He studied crib sheets, memorizing names, family details, and recent accomplishments.
When McGovern stopped at your desk, he knew your spouse’s name, asked about your kids, and referenced your recent project.This took enormous effort.By the 1980s, IDG employed thousands.McGovern signed 5,000 holiday cards personally each year.Why make such an effort?McGovern understood people work harder for leaders who truly care.
This personal touch wasn’t manipulation.McGovern sincerely valued employees and wanted them to succeed.But he recognized the practical benefits.Turnover was expensive.Creating strong emotional bonds reduced attrition dramatically.Recruiters complained they couldn’t hire IDG employees because everyone felt personally connected to McGovern.
That loyalty was earned through consistent, authentic attention over decades.McGovern extended his encouragement beyond individuals.Annual holiday parties featured elaborate video productions where McGovern and executives dressed as Star Trek characters or rock bands, performing comedy sketches.The production quality was terrible – deliberately so.McGovern played himself as a hero defending IDG from villainous competitors.Everyone understood these as playful morale boosters.
They reinforced company values and celebrated successes memorably.Employees looked forward to these events, knowing McGovern would make a fool of himself to entertain and inspire them.And that brings us to his tenth lesson: Love your employees, adore your customers.McGovern insisted on staying close to customers.He regularly visited subscribers and clients, asking what they needed and how IDG could serve them better.McGovern personally made customer calls weekly, even as the CEO of a multibillion-dollar enterprise.
He believed leaders should understand customer needs directly, not through intermediaries whose filters might distort reality.This customer focus shaped every decision.When planning new publications, McGovern commissioned extensive surveys.Computerworld emerged from research showing technology buyers desperately needed independent information.Each product launch started with customer needs, not with what IDG wanted to sell.McGovern told employees to focus on customers, not competitors.
If you serve customer needs well, he said, you’ll succeed regardless of competition. McGovern also insisted business leaders spend time with customers rather than holing themselves up at headquarters.When Kirk Campbell mentioned struggling to complete administrative work, McGovern walked him to his office, opened a desk drawer full of papers, and dumped it in the trash.He explained that anything really important would resurface.Everything else was a distraction from the real work: being with customers.
In this lesson to Future Forward by Glenn Rifkin, you’ve learned that Patrick McGovern built International Data Group into a $3 billion global empire by following ten principles any leader can apply.Start with a compelling mission and communicate it constantly.Choose difficult paths others avoid.Decentralize operations while maintaining financial controls.
Find and empower warriors who can lead independently.Encourage experimentation with a “Let’s try it” approach.Maintain infectious optimism even during setbacks.Protect integrity absolutely, refusing to compromise values for short-term gain.Balance freedom with accountability through loose-tight management.Serve as chief encouragement officer, celebrating achievements personally.
And stay relentlessly close to customers, letting their needs drive decisions.McGovern demonstrated each of these principles through five decades of consistent action.He personally handed out bonuses to thousands of employees.He stood up to IBM and other powerful advertisers.He entered China and the Soviet Union when others considered it impossible.He gave away company stock to create employee millionaires.
And he stayed optimistic through countless challenges, always believing the best was yet to come.His legacy proves that building successful organizations while treating people with dignity isn’t just possible, it’s the surest path to lasting achievement.
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