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
Naturally enough, the word went out that Nyall could not stand prosperity;
that when placed in a position of authority and responsibility, he had
lost his head and had nearly wrecked the concern for which he worked. He
found that he could not go back to his old position with the Swift Motor
Company and that his reputation had suffered so seriously that he had to
be satisfied for a long time with a minor position in a rather obscure
concern.
THE KEY TO THE DIFFICULTY
Nyall was efficient--unusually efficient--but he did not give satisfaction
with the White Rapids Motor Company. Perhaps we do not need to point to
the moral of this tale. If Nyall had understood his superior and had
conducted himself accordingly, he might himself have been president and
general manager of the White Rapids Motor Company to-day. He would have
known that Burton was not a man to be brow-beaten, not a man to be defied,
not a man to be proven in the wrong. With a little tact and diplomacy, he
could have effected all of the changes he wished without even the
semblance of a clash with his chief. He might even have insisted upon the
first ones he advocated without serious trouble if he had done it in the
right way and if he had not permitted his feeling of personal triumph to
show itself so plainly.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
In the first place, if he had known Burton as he should, he would have
gone to him before making any changes and said: "Mr. Burton, I understand
that you have given a great deal of time and thought to the routing of
work through the factories; that you have personally directed the building
up of the present system. I usually begin my work by studying the routing,
but if you feel satisfied with this routing, as a result of your study;
and experience, I will devote my time to something else." Approached in
this way, Burton would unquestionably have directed the new works manager
to make a complete study of the routing system and to suggest any
possible improvements.
This story is typical of many others which we have observed more or less
in detail. Nyall was a great success in the Swift Motor Company because
the chief executive of that company was a little mild, good-natured,
easy-going fellow, who not only needed the spur and stimulus of a positive
nature like Nyall's, but was quite frankly delighted with it. If Nyall had
approached him with questions and suggestions and a spirit of constant
bowing to his authority, he would have been as exasperated in his own
quiet way as Burton was with the opposite treatment. His constant
injunction to his subordinates was: "Do not come to me with details. Use
your own judgment and initiative. Go ahead. Do it in your own way. I hold
you responsible only for results."
ALWAYS "SOME OTHER WAY"
In his "Message to Garcia," Elbert Hubbard has the following to say:
"You, reader, put this matter to a test:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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