Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-09-01
THE UNPR0DUCTlVE MAN.
He Who Has Neither Imagination MOI
Ideas In Business.


Ideas In Business.
1t is a commonplace that the real
" valuable man in business or any
thing else is the man who has ideas
or imagination. Mr.. Lorin F. De-
land, writing in the Atlantic Month
ly, tells of a young man who went
to him for advice as to some way
of getting an increase of salary. He
was even debating whether he had
not better give up his situation and
trust to luck to find something bet
ter. 81 urged him at once against
such a course" says the writer,
"and told him to look for something
better while he was holding his
present situation. | said to him:
"Mills, the important thing for
you in this matter is to ascertain
whether you are paid all that you
are worth and, that settled, whether
you can make yourself worth any
more. But first of all let us see If
you can make yourself worth any
more, whether you are paid it or
not. If you can, you had better
stick and look for your raise at the
first fair opportunity He agreed,
and went ahead with my plan.
'Tirst ! told him for thirty days
to put his mind on one thing-to
devise some method whereby his
house could sell at least 800 worth
more of goods. 1t must be prac-
ticable plan and should be present.
ed as any interested employee would
present such a matter to his su-
perior.
"Thirty days passed, and Mills
came in again. With all his think
ing he had found no method by
which the business of the firm could
be extended even 500 year.
81 then put him to work on his
second months labor-to discover
any method by which the firm
could transact its present volume of
business with greater economy, so
that by improved methods there
should be effected a saving OF at
least $50 year.
cat the end of the time he came
back to me with his report. He
had been able to discover no new
method whereby the firm could
economic. He had, however, dis
covered one thing-namely, that he
would not need to 60 ahead for
another thirty days with our expert
ment. for he had about made up his
mind that he would continue where
he was.
"My boy said to him, Just
realize for a moment where you
stand. You are not able, though
you have worked three years in this
house, to increase the volume OF the
business 500 a year, nor can you
point out a way to save that amount.
My warning is, lie lowl Attract as
little attention to yourself as you
can. Don't let the proprietors or
the manager remember that you
have been three years in their en-
ploy if you can help it.
doYou are an absolutely unpro-
ductive man. | don't mean that
YOU are a bit inferior to thousands
of other young men who are in the
stores and Wholesale houses of this
city, but you, like them, are simply
sitting upon the head of one of the
bright men in the counting room
He has to solve all these problems.
You and fifty others in your estab-
lishment are just sitting on the top
of his head, like so many dead
weights. If the business prospers
you expect a raise of salary wher
it is his headwork that has gained
every inch of progress. He has to
carry you ALI ;,
"The young man went off, sadder
and wiser than he came. For tve
years thereafter, in which was able
IN follow his course, he held the