The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-17
SMALL THINGS.
ATTENTION TO DETAILS.
THOUGH TEDIOUS IT PAYS.

tine IS too valuable to devote t
these amor matters, and yet it seem
almost Impossible to fad men 10 al
tend to them without the direct over
sight Of the Chief.
Suhordina ates who can and will at
tend to details thoroughly and relia
bly, will always be higbly es.eene
but those who are contented to do s,
year after year, have not the stuff il
the N Of which successful men ar,
made. 1LeY lack the breadth o
MUD essential to the filing of exec,
ntlve positions, or else they lacl
ambition, and one is as fatal as tn,
other. On the other kaLd, a mar
who cannot or will not attend thor
oc9hiy and promptly to busines,
when 10 subordinate position is de
| ticlent in one of tue most Important
qualities needed ip more advanced
positions.
A great deal has been written
abolt the necessity of a close atten>
ton to details on tie part of tbe
1ead Of az establish ment. whether il
he merchantile OF manufacturing
but there Is ground for the belief tha'
not only has this necessity been ex
agerated, but that jI a certain sense
close attention to details on the
part Of the chief ls detrimental 10
business success, in some degree, at
least
The successful man is he who
knows how TO get the details Of his
business looked after without giving
them bis personal attention, tor it is
urdoubtedly true that his time and
brains can lie more advantageou ly
employed IN looking after the i'm
pUrtant general features. 1t is the
worst kind of folly for a ten-thous =
end dollar man to bother his head
Continually about work that q one
thousand dollar man can do Just as
well AID careful stCdy of the sue
cesstul man will disclose the fact
that he is a man Of rare Judgment in
tue selection of subordinates, and
makes II his constant aim to get rid
of all the detail and routine work
prsslhle.
Tie attention Of 81, cesssul exec
utiye TO detail must how<ver, 90 this
lar : he mist have tho ough owl
edge Of it in every department CT his
business, and while Ignoring 1t as a
geneal thing, must make il a pr, ctict
occasionally to devote the striCtest
after tlon TO it, going over it witt the
subordinate in such way as TO let
him understand that The manager is
q thorough nss:er Of il. In this
way he Will secure proper attention
to it by the subordin ta, and il
things do not Iuu smoothly End
economically he Will! lie ab!e TO set
them Tigh3.
More than two thirds OF The half
way failures in business are due to
the fact that the chlef fflttefs away
valuable time in watching over tri> y
iI things when his attention. ou.ht
to be devoted TO weigLtier matters
A man has bat certain amount OF
energy and asaiisble working time,
and it needs lot ye:y deep reasons
ing to see that if lie de, otes large
portion Of it to minor affairs be Wi
not be able to give the attention
which lie ought to the work that he
is best fitted for.
TO be thoroughly succesaful in u
large way man should be free to
watch the situation, TO keep gener-
Al o. ersight OF all departments and
make plaGs for the iocrease ami
proper cocdJct Of the business
Ideas are The germs of success, aud
good ones properly worked out will
oe found 10 constitute tie differen ce
between the successful and the un>
-uCces>fll nan.
Time devoted to the study Of the
market, to learning the tastes Of Gus
,omers, ana 10 noting the tendency
| f IA hjon is not time thrown swa;
! and / either IS time devoted to ,
nroper cultivation Of the trade The
-nCcpssful man must keep ABREAST o
the times, and to this he must lOoE
! into the future as far as in him liea
| fer the future will soon be The pres
ent. snd not TO be prepar+ d for it i:
10 court commercial destb.