Our individual perspective can be distorted by our position within, knowledge of, or tenure with a company. It can be sharpened by understanding its history and heritage; or myopic because of their lack. This can cause very emotional and conflicting opinions. IBM before the 1990s survived the Recession of 1921, the Great Depression and 13 recessions since. Thos. J. Watson Sr., the founder of IBM, constantly referred to his company as "The IBM" in his depression-era speeches, articles and conversations. What characterizes the culture that powered this company through the worst of history's economic storms? What defined the culture that enabled this corporation to retain its best and brightest employees? Did Thomas J. Watson Sr. found a company on principles that were as he said, "fixed and lasting principles?"

Books published "Beneath the Dancing Elephant" will always be from an employee's perspective. They will strive for a caring, balanced view of businesses that inspire the emotion in the word home; they are so much more than a house. We will start with Looking Back at Tom Watson Sr.'s "The IBM." We will then be Looking Up at modern day  "IBM." There are two IBMs. There was "The IBM." There is now "IBM." It will take two books.

The journey starts with The World's Greatest Salesman, An IBM Caretaker's Perspective: Looking Back.