For many years, new Nordstrom employees were given the famous Nordstrom’s Employee Handbook – a single 5-by-8-inch gray card containing 75 words:

Welcome to Nordstrom

We’re glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.

Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use best judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules.

Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time.

Eventually someone changed it and now new hires get that with a full handbook.

That was a dick move.

But times change. Back when they used just the card, Nordstrom had the highest sales per square foot performance in the retail industry – by almost double.

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