Robert Townsend (author)
Robert Townsend | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | January 12, 1998 (aged 77) Anguilla |
| Occupation(s) | Corporate leader, author |
| Years active | 1948–1998 |
| Known for | Leadership of Avis, authoring Up the Organization |
Robert Chase Townsend (July 30, 1920 – January 12, 1998) was a prominent American corporate leader and author, recognized for elevating Avis to a top position in the car rental industry and for his management bestseller Up the Organization, which remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 28 weeks following its publication in 1970.
Biography
Townsend was born in Washington, D.C., and spent his formative years in Great Neck, New York. He completed his education at Princeton University in 1942. During World War II, he served as an officer in the United States Navy. After the conflict, he embarked on a career with American Express from 1948 to 1962, ultimately achieving the role of senior vice president overseeing investment and international banking divisions.
In 1962, following the acquisition of the financially troubled Avis by Lazard Frères, Townsend was appointed CEO (1962–1965) through the influence of partner André Meyer. As president and chairman, he steered Avis toward industry prominence and financial success. This turnaround was fueled by the impactful "We Try Harder" campaign crafted by Doyle Dane Bernbach and a management style rooted in Theory Y concepts. Townsend attributed his achievements to empowering staff members and delegating responsibilities effectively.
While on leave, Townsend would entrust decision-making to competent team members by sending memos marked "Please handle this in your own personal way," exemplifying his commitment to decentralized leadership.
Townsend departed Avis in 1965 after its acquisition by ITT Corporation. He later joined Congressional Monitor as senior partner and advisor in 1969; this organization eventually became Leadership Connect. His seminal management essay, Up the Organization, advocated for pushing decision authority down to the lowest feasible organizational levels.
Personal life
In 1990, Townsend underwent triple-bypass heart surgery. During the late 1990s, he served as chair of the executive committee for Leadership Directories (formerly Washington Monitor). On January 12, 1998, while vacationing in Anguilla, he passed away from a heart attack. He was married to Joan Tours and fathered five children: three daughters—Claire Townsend (1952–1995), an executive and attorney; actress Jill (born 1945); and Joan P. Townsend—and two sons, Jeffrey and Robert Jr.
Works
- Up the Organization: How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits (1970, Knopf)
- Further Up the Organization (1988, HarperCollins)
- Up the Organization: How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits (2007, John Wiley & Sons)
External links
- Articles with short description
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- 1920 births
- 1998 deaths
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century American non-fiction writers
- 20th-century people from New York (state)
- 20th-century people from Washington, D.C.
- American business writers
- American chief executives
- American Express people
- American male non-fiction writers
- Businesspeople from New York (state)
- Businesspeople from Washington, D.C.
- People from Great Neck, New York
- Princeton University alumni
- United States Navy personnel of World War II
- Writers from New York (state)
- Writers from Washington, D.C.