Best Advice

Published: November 24, 2009, By Yolanda Simonsis

I love it when I hear from readers who respond to questions within any of PFFC's publications. One of our subscribers' favorite monthly reads in the magazine is a guest column titled, “Experience Speaks,” and I posted a question at the bottom of the November column featuring David Premo, VP/General Manager of Adhesive Applications Inc. I asked: “What's the best advice you ever got?”

So one of our faithful readers, Eric Bartholomay of Toray Plastics (America) took me up on the challenge, providing his personal recollection. While Eric thought his commentary was NOT publishable, I quite disagreed and think others might benefit from Eric's experience:

“The best piece of advice I have received was given to me by Mike Day of ICI some 35 years ago. I was in technical service with ICI having moved up from quality control at the Hopewell factory. I was about to move into sales and relocate from Wilmington, DE, to the Chicago area. Mike had one piece of advice for me. He said, ‘Eric, never start to believe your own bullshit.' I kept this piece of advise with me over the years, and when I look back at stock market crashes, bank foreclosures, and corporate collapses, one thing often rings true, people start to believe their own bullshit and calamity isn't far behind.

“I would doubt that this piece of advise is publishable, but it sure has helped me along the way.”

Are there any other sage pieces of wisdom YOU would like to share?