Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-11
EXECUTIVE ABILITY AND TECHNICAL
PROFICIENCY.

EXECUTIVE ABILITY AND TECHNICAL
PROFICIENCY.
In an article in the July number Of Everybody's
Magazine, about the manufacture of fireworks, it is
stated that in the whole fireworks industry of America
Germany, England France and Italy, there only
fifteen real masters of mixing coors and that only six
OF those know all the details Of the industry They
every effort keep what they know to themselves This
knowledge has down through five hundred years
Of experimenting and work that is hazardous
kind.
Notwithstanding that there only few men in
the whole world possessed of this knowledge Of color
mixing and the danger attending their work. they only
get about half much salary is paid to the supern
tendent Of the factories in which they work
The article referred to says:
This is simply another illustration Of the fact that
executive ability commands higher price than techn
cal proficiency"
There is a lot of opportunity for study in that
statement It is possible to make right and wrong de-
auctions from it. Upon that topic could be held mtless
debate But after ALL it is results that count and in this
instance it is the pay envelope that is the result.
Individual technical proficiency produces what
ONE man can make
Executive ability is the force that directs the tech
nical proficiency Executive ability is the power to form
an organization, perfect it and maintain it.
Some men think that driving other men is execu-
tive ability 1t isn't The strongest executive ability is
that which gets all the organzatlon pulling together
without any thought of driving
Remember fault finding is not even a part of ex-
ecutve ability One of the biggest factors in executive
ability is confidence in those who working with YOU
Trust men; give them something to do expect them ia
do it, and depend upon them to do it.
Executive ability is in almost all cases, simply
other name for hard work 1t is the child of long hours
and constant study The with the detailed technical
knowledge generally works specified number Of hours
day. and then dismisses his work from his mind until
the next morning The head Of the business is forced to
take part in dozens of things outside of the institution
that have more less direct bearing the standing
and workings Of his plant His effort may be felt in the
community in many ways, and all these results Of
executive ability. He may be doing something that does
not to be in any way connected with the business
he is conducting yet he may feel that it is He is willing
to give the community the benefit Of his knowledge and
effort He not worrying for fear will find out
about how he does his work The Of greatest execu
tive ability always ready to lend their mental and
physical powers their communities and to those as
ISOLATED with them They do not lose their jobs by giving
information to those about them. Proficient labor
would not get as much does if it were not connected
with proper management, and the management would
not be able to make the showing it does if it not for
the skilled labor Each is directly connected with and de-
pendent upon the other-neither succeed by ITSELF
most entirely