The ‘HP Way’, an outdated management style?

After spending the last 30 years with HP, I have been reflecting about the ‘HP Way’. In the Eighties, HP was iconic. Employees loved this company. Undergraduates and job seekers viewed HP as one of the most desirable employer. Competitors had to offer a significant higher salary scale in order to get HP employees on board their companies. The key substance of this phenomenon was the ‘HP Way’, which was the unique management style that had never occurred before in any large company. Bill Hewlett and David Packard defined the ‘HP Way’ in the following 5 principles:

We have trust and respect for individuals.

We focus on a high level of achievement and contribution.

We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity.

We achieve our common objectives through teamwork.

We encourage flexibility and innovation how the company is managed”

Another big part of the ‘HP Way’ is their management style known as ‘Manage by walking around’.

Many companies particularly those in Silicon Valley have learned and adapted the HP principles. I feel, it is still remarkable that the two HP founders articulated and implemented the rules in the Fifties, where most companies had a very rigid structure. In most companies senior managers would have their offices guarded by their stern assistance or secretaries while the managers would have their own 4 walls personal space. But in HP all employees including senior managers were seated in an open concept layout. The ‘HP Way’ softened the usual barriers of hierarchical organizations while creating a communicable working environment. It encouraged communication among workers regardless of their hierarchical level.

Fantastic! It was great then. What about now? Has there been much changes since those glory days? Did the company go through a number of crisis since? Yes, it did. Despite the changes, the ‘HP Way’ continues by certain highly motivated employees. It was definitely amazing to witness the uninterrupted attitude of employees practicing the ‘HP Way’ even during major restructuring while most organizations come to a freeze. This is due to the positive value system that has been inculcated in them since years. The ‘HP Way’ taught people to respect each other, recognising teamwork and to never let customers down, no matter what crisis they have to go through internally.

After leaving HP and starting up my own company, I asked myself if the principles of the ‘HP-Way’ are still valid today. My answer is definitely yes. There is nothing more powerful than to operate a company that is based on trust, diversity, teamwork and management by objectives.