Analyzing Character: The New Science of Judging Men; Misfits in Business, the Home and Social LifeBlackford, Katherine M. H. (Katherine Melvina Huntsinger)
Science
Analyzing Character: The New Science of Judging Men; Misfits in Business, the Home and Social Life
Blackford, Katherine M. H. (Katherine Melvina Huntsinger)
Characters and characteristics; Success
In January, 1915, the supervisor analyzed carefully twenty executives then
at work in the plant, carefully wrote out the analyses and submitted them
to the management with recommendations for transfers and readjustments of
rather a sweeping nature. The management, wishing to make an experiment,
agreed to make the changes, provided we were also to analyze the
executives in question, submit our analyses in writing, and show agreement
as to the character and aptitudes of the men. We accordingly proceeded to
the factory, and there, without consultation with the supervisor or his
report, proceeded to analyze the twenty executives independently. It would
not be fair to the executives in question to publish all of these analyses
in full, but a comparison of the essential points in a few of them will be
instructive:
Supervisor says of No. 1: "Sociable, scheming, secretive; poor judge of
men; lacking seriously in executive ability; decidedly a 'one-man-job'
man; does not plan ahead; clannish, narrow-minded; very low intelligence
for a foreman. Any organization he builds will be close-mouthed,
unreliable, and selfish in structure. Because of the technical knowledge
of the business which he has gained, and which can be gained only by long
experience, he should do good work in experimental lines. Any change made,
however, should separate him completely from the regular productive
organization."
Dr. Blackford reports on No. 1: "He is, however, an undesirable man to be
in charge of others. He is far more destructive than constructive, more
disorganizing than organizing. He is ultra-conservative, non-progressive,
and is not disposed to take on any new methods unless he himself can get
the credit for their installation. In disposition he is stubborn and
obstinate. He is also reserved and suspicious. Being of the selfish type,
he will look after his own interests first in all things. No. 1 lacks
straightforwardness and frankness of disposition, so he will be tricky,
slippery, and do things in an underhanded way. He has very great dislike
of detail and will have a tendency to procrastinate if given an
opportunity, I believe he has passed the age limit of mental growth."
Supervisor thus summarizes No. 2: "A well-intentioned, honest and reliable
man, lacking absolutely in executive ability. Should have a job as
inspector or like, where he would have no one to look after but himself."
Dr. Blackford says of No. 2: "No. 2 is a simple-hearted man of very
ordinary ability. He is not systematic or orderly; is very susceptible to
criticism; exceedingly emotional, apprehensive, and watchful. No doubt men
will like him because he is easy with them. However, he will not be a
particularly good executive, because he cannot maintain discipline."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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