A Conversation with WÜSTHOF’s Seventh Generation
Legacy
When WÜSTHOF was founded on the banks of the Wupper River in 1814, there were no computers or cell phones. Cars would not be invented for another seven decades. The company was founded as a steel and ironworks factory by Johann Abraham Wüsthof, who crafted thousands of scissors using hydropower from the river just beyond the small factory’s window. Seven generations of Wüsthofs later, the family-owned company is one of the most renowned knifemakers in the world. At the helm are cousins and industry leaders Viola and Harald Wüsthof.
Harald and Viola Wüsthof
WÜSTHOF's Seventh Generation
Together, Viola, daughter of previous owner Wolfgang Wüsthof, and Harald, son of former owner Eduard Wüsthof, have navigated a 210-year-old company through the modern era. Social media, ecommerce, globalization, the mushrooming power of the Internet — these are just a few examples of ways the world has altered since the seventh generation assumed leadership. (Not to mention the enormous social, technological, and cultural changes since the WÜSTHOF was founded over two centuries ago.) When did our current leaders know that they wanted to take over the family business? How can leadership balance the need to innovate with the desire to stay true to tradition?
On a cold fall morning, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Viola and Harald to ask them these questions in person.
When did you know you wanted to assume leadership of this intergenerational, family-owned company?
Harald: I grew up at the factory. I have a family house here on the property, and I always wanted to be a part of WÜSTHOF somehow. Being a part of this family company in a tangible way is just a wonderful experience.
Viola: I started my career with an apprenticeship at a hotel. I had to work in different departments, including in the kitchen. Of course, we used WÜSTHOF knives. But I eventually decided I didn’t want to work in the hospitality segment. I wanted a real product to sell, and when you work in service, you are the product. So, I went on to study business and spent a longer term at the WÜSTHOF subsidiary in the U.S. I eventually started at WÜSTHOF as a product manager. What I love about our product is that it’s all truth. It’s true that our knives are the best quality. It’s true that everything is made here in Solingen, Germany by our employees.
What makes a good leader?
Viola: We have four company values, and I think these values also make a good leader. One, be authentic. Two, be trustworthy; people have to trust in you and you have to trust people. Three, you must have passion. And four, you must also have courage.
Harald: Besides these values — and for me the trust one is most important — a good leader must also listen, listen, listen. And when I say listen, I mean listen in a way that you’re really trying to understand. The information is not just breezing past your ears. So first listen, and then make your decisions. It’s also important to lead by example, which goes back to the value of authenticity. This means to do what you’re saying. You can’t preach water and drink wine. Finally, a leader must treat people in whatever position or role they hold with respect. Nobody is replaceable. Everyone is a human being.
Our current focus is on Project 8, which signifies how we want to bring the company into the eighth generation. Every generation before us made courageous decisions, and it is our role to continue.
As owners of a company that’s over 200 years old, how do you balance the need to continually adapt and innovate with the need to stay true to tradition and history? What does tradition mean to you?
Harald: On the one hand, you just have to be open to changes in technology, society, and the environment. It all starts with being open and willing to adapt and change. By the same token, always keep your core values close to your heart. The right formula is to operate according to your core values while being open to change. There were no cellphones or even cars 200 years ago, but here we are.
Viola: What also makes an intergenerational family company unique is that we are known for our long-term perspective. We do not just live in the short term. Our current focus is on Project 8, which signifies how we want to bring the company into the eighth generation. Every generation before us made courageous decisions, and it is our role to continue.
So far, do any moments as WÜSTHOF’s leaders stand out to you as particularly memorable?
Viola: We had our two-hundredth birthday almost ten years ago. We celebrated together as a company on a river cruiser. Harald, my dad, and I were giving every employee a handshake and welcoming them by name as they walked in. That night we had the whole WÜSTHOF family on the ship.
Harald: And symbolically, we were all in the same boat.
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