Myths and Mortals

Chapter 6Nonstop LearningKnow your weakness and improve

“I am damn good at what I do.”

That is a statement born from a sense of credibility. Dick DeVos saw his family company, Amway, grow from $500 million in annual sales when he joined the company in 1974 to more than $4 billion in sales when he retired in 2002. The surge started in 1986. DeVos took over a fledgling international department that accounted for less than 10 percent of total revenue. In six years, international revenue exceeded domestic; today it represents 85 percent of revenue.

“I am not very bright,” DeVos says, “but I knew enough about all aspects of the business that by the time I took over as president no one could blow a fastball by me. I didn't have all the answers, but I could separate the wheat from the chaff.”

DeVos became “damn good” by ascribing to a family value: Life is what you make of it only when you make something of yourself from what you've been given.

Richard DeVos gave his children a head start. They benefited from a fertile heritage rooted in family values. “My father came from a strong Dutch background,” says the son. “He had a strong Christian worldview, a strong work ethic, and a solutions-oriented approach to things.” Richard conferred his can-do attitude to his children, anticipating that one of them would someday operate the business. He developed a five-year training program in the company that gave his children the opportunity for hands-on training in a variety of departments.