10 bizarre and daring feats of salesmanship

4 of 10

John H. Patterson

National Cash Register's founder had strange and stringent rules for his hires. He built fields on NCR's campus and required salespeople to do exercises. He dictated how much they could pay for neckties.

He once fired an employee who nearly slipped from a horse during a character-building equestrian event he organized. Seen as the father of the modern sales force, Patterson mentored (then fired), IBM founder Thomas Watson Sr.

NEXT: Herman T. Smith

Last updated September 26 2008: 10:53 AM ET

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