The Washington herald., 1916-10-20
Carrying a Message Part Way to Garcia.
BY ORIsoN SWEET MARpE

A messenger boy in New York was recently
sent to a hotel to deliver message to business
man. The boy had had no special instructions
to put the message into the hands of the man to
whom it was addressed, but finding he was not
in he inquired where he would likely be at that
time. He was told that he often dropped in at
certain place on Broadway of an evening, and
might possibly be found there. The boy went to
the place indicated but did not find the man.
Undaunted, he asked if any one there had seen
him that evening. Yes he was told, he had been
there, but had left short time before, and they
rather thought he had gone to a certain theater
| naming the place.
To cut the story short the boy found the
theater and the man and delivered the message
1t proved to be of great importance. and the
was so struck with the resourcefulness of the
messenger that he not only rewarded him, but
helped him to good position.
This is the sort of youth who could carry
message to Garcia, wherever he might be- He is
the exceptional youth, The average one only
carries message part way to Garcia
The average employe will follow instructions,
but will not exercise originality and resourceful
ness to meet the unexpected. If he is told to go
to certain place errand he will do it;
but if he carries a message and the person for
whom it is intended does not happen to be there,
or has moved gone to another hotel, he will pay
no attention to any modifying conditions. He
was told to leave package or to deliver mes
sage at certain place, and he is going to do just
what he was told, more, and no less. He may
be honest and faithful, but he doesn't think for
himself. He merely follows instructions; works
automatically like a we-regulated machine.
There is all the difference in the world be-
tween doing thing mechanically and using your
ingenuity, your inventveness for the purpose
of making your work effective. Better make
mistake and then than fall into the habit of
letting others think for you all the time. No
employer wants an automaton in his employ.
1t is the little unexpected, resourcefu in
genious, original things about an employe which
attract his employers attention, and mark him
for advancement. And it is the habit of thinking
for himself, Of acting on his initiative, when
necessary, that develops employe and stamps
him unusual, above the average, coming
man.
You may carry out instructions to the letter,
my friends, and stay in rut all your life, simply
because you do no more than follow instructions
to the letter What every employer wants is eff
fective work. He is after results, and when he
intrusts any with a message to Garcia he
expects it to be delivered.
People who can carry out program if every
detail is thought out, every possible hitch or mis-
chance provided for can be found in any en-
ployment bureau. But give of these people
a message for Garcia and he will say, ooh, that's
too much work, I not going to cudgel my
brains to try to do a thing in a different way
from what l am told. I going to carry out
instructions and more"
1t is not enough to take message part way
to Garcia. 1t is not enough to take it almost to
him. The message must be put into Garcias
hands. The ambitious youth who is eager to
forge ahead, will not rest satisfied with anything
less Whether you resourceful and use your
brains in finding way to take your message to
Garcia, or merely follow instructions and take
it only part way, may make all the difference to
you between ordinary humdrum career as an
inferior employe, and a partnership in a big con-
Copyright, 1851