The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-09-03
49,
Fable
OF the Man Who Was A.
ways lin Conference"
~ SOPHIE IRENE LoGe:

>
Once upon q time there 9 was an
owner Of a big business. BY hatd
work and close attention he had built
an establishment that spelled success.
SO much so that his investment yielded
a return to warrant his retirement
from the management.
He was not the kind OF individual
who ceased being active when no had
made his pile. He had energy plus.
But he believed In mep who could be
relied upon for accomplishing things
and to shoulder responsibility. That
is the way all great enterprises Grow.
As there was O war in progress this
merchant deemed it desirable to do his
bit by donating some Of his business
brains in the interest Of his country.
He found he could best serve BY going
abroad and directing the distribution
of supplies somewhere in France"
He made his arrangements and looked
about for some one to manage his
business while he was away. He was
retiring" in order to do other work.
So he began to look about for q suit
able supervisor. As there are many
in the market ne found one-a man
! ticular business.
This man came highly recommend.
| ed" He was accredited with know
ing all the latest and most up to date
methods Of management. He had
| graduated from school where they
spell efficiency and economy with cap
| ital letters. and as for system. II was
like an algebra problem to him. with
no unknown quantity" =
Now. this owner believed in efficl.
ency and economy and system. but he
had never learned It at school. He
had developed 1t in the lessons Of daily
experience. But he concluded that
the new theories Of the manager might
be better than his own. So the con-
Germ was left in the care Of the new
conner.
The owner went off and became In
terested in his patriotic pursuit. He
did good work. for he used the same
Judgment in serving Uncle Sam as for
| himself. In the course Of his en-.
dsavors he had dealings with many In.
dividuals who. on returning to the
United States. were intrusted with
| several missions. He always sent
them off by saying. Get in touch with
my manager. Mr.. Efficiency. Give
him this letter of introduction and. he
will get busy"
But after the person had departed
he never heard the result Of their prof.
ect and pondered about 1t considerably.
One day an important matter came up
which required immediate trustworthy
action back home" He secured a ,
reliable elnissary to get in touch with
| tina mana gar, etcivraU There was.Ao~tlqA9r
to lose. When the messenger landed
he telephoned the manager at once and
explained to the managers secretary
that he had letter from his employer.
As this secretary had been accus-
toned to seeing people instead Of the
manager. and having had several let
ters before-which, in his judgment.
were unimportant-he gave the we'll
known excuse, 1.-The manager was in
a conference" and couldn't be inter-
| rupted.
The messenger made several efforts
to see the man, and after a couple Of
days cabled the owner of the business.
Cant reach your manager. He Is al
ways in conference" On account
Of the delay the messenger was unable
to perform his mission and was forced
to report accordingly.
| The owner reflected that there was
something wrong, quietly returned
| home and began a little investigation
on his own account. He had several
friends call up his manager, presum-
ably to transact business: but the an
swer came back. He Is in a. confer
ence." and the friends would be re-
ferred to a subordinate.
Tic owner summed II all UP and
found the "sore spot" Then he spoke
to Mr.. Efficiency something like this:
Your services are no longer required.
The excuse of being in conference Is
threadbare and a direct slap in the
face Of the person who would do bust
| ness with you. The busy man who Is
truly in a conference viii leave in
| structions either to be called out when
the matter is urgent or will. without
fail. recall the one who seeks hin,
when the conference is over.
/ Ine man VINO is lnlCCoSSlDjc ~ III
excusable. He is not in close touch
with the basis of the business. He
loses the pulse beat Of passing prog
ress. Efficiency and economy and
system look we'll on paper. but eacl,
must be put into practice in orkler to
test its worth.
"When the man makes his secretary
the stonewall between him and the
person who would see him he is shut
ting out unexpected opportunity.
Some of the best things have been Sc
cured at the chance meeting.
"The manager who Is alert Will not
so seclude himself as to exclude tho
stranger at his gate. Many such q
stranger has proved a friend. Nor
can he run his business continually
from the close confines of privacy.
The man who 'confers. all the time
usually constructs only with a pencil
"The fellow who always makes ex-