Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-13
MATTHEW c. BRUSH
On Qualities for Leadership


COURAGE, willingness to shoulder re-
y snonsibility and feeling of confidence
In himself are the prime qualities for sue
cessful leadership as seen by Matthew, Z.
Brush, president of the American lnterna-
tional Shipbuiding Corporation, when
made such wonderful record at niGs
Island during the war. Ability to co-ordi-
nate with his subordinates and to secure
teamwork by making them feel that they
are an important and respected part OF tne
general machine are other important requl-
sites that he names.
1.-THE greatest single requisite, in my
opinion, for a man to be leader declared
Mr. Brush, sis Iie willingness on his part
TO take responsibility and to have confidence
in his Judgment. He must, above all things,
be able to handle men successfully, and TO
do this he must have the power and faculty
Of compelling their confidence in nm.
"Successful leadership consists today in
perfect teamwork, and the most successful!
leader is he who can, with the power OF
ANALYSIS of men, surround himself with an
organization where there is, between him.
self and his. associates, perfect exchange
Of ideas, comments and suggestions, VIII
fhe ability on his part Of inviting free ana
frank discussion or criticism by the mem
bers of his team and then arriving at
decision which the entire team will under
take to carry to q successful issue.
mo one man can by himself be a sue
ccssfu chief executive of a large -lnstitu-
tiop, He must pick men for their respec-
tive duties who themselves will create in
their divisions subdivision of the team
and who must have the confidence of their
subordinates as he has the confidence of his
chief executives.
'IIc must pick men who are not afraid
of responsibility and who have for him not
only tremendous respect and confidence in
his Judgment, but who hold for him also
feeling of affection. He must be able TO
create an atmosphere OF close, intimate as
sociation where the men are not only not
afraid or reluctant to come to HIM, but feel
free to discuss any matters with him
frankly expressing their opinion and in
tcnsely and earnestly carrying out his de-
csions.
Must Know What to DO
'IIe must have for his team men who are
big enough, strong enough, loyal enough.
able enough and earnest enough to tackle
their problems with the ultimate good of
the team as whole as their goal> lie must
pick men who work together, who do not
think they know it all, and who are willing
at al times to take counsel and advice from
their associates and subordnates. Above
all things, he must pick men who run their
Jobs and who come to him with definite,
crisp, constructive well thought out and
we'll explained matters of Importance, and
under no circumstances at any time ever
come to him and ask what they shall do
without Il definite idea or their own OF what
should be DONE
Leadership today in any large institu-
ton requires intense application, complete
control of ones feelings, the power Of
analysis of individuals and, above ALL the
power to make the members of his team
feel at such ease and feel in such a way
toward him that they are thoroughly com
Portable and frank in their discussion of
problems with which they are confronted.
THE greatest leader of men would be he
I who could succeed without having to issue
instructions or orders, but who, in general
discussion with the members of his team
as to policy and procedure, could convey to
his men the gcneraf~sCheme of operation, as
well as the specific result to be obtained,
and then have the respective members of
the team carry out the scheme according
to their best judgment, coming to him for
advice, counsel or help.
I'm other words, the successful leader is
! he who puts himself in n position of en-
| deavoring to help his heads of divisions and
| his heads of departments run their jobs in
| stead of their helping him to run his job
| II have in mind very clearly an instance
of my own experience, where my predcces-
! sor had so impressed his subordnatcs with
| their subserviency that in my first inter
| view with one of them he spent all his
time, all his thought and all his energy
| thinking on how he should act In the Office
| and conduct himself to show proper respcct
to q superior officer, and how he could say
| things which would most please me, with
| the result that he had left no thought time
or energy for consideration of the question
we were discussing. 1t took me months to
untrain this man so that he would come
into the Office as a coworker and not as n
| slave.
Develop Resourcefulness
"a member of the team can give inti-
| mate, close, cordial, even friendly relations
with the leader and still not break down
any attitude of respect or courtesy. The
same spirit of gentlemanliness should exist
between the leader and his men in an Office
as won ID exist in his club or home The
leader holds it entirely within his mower
to compel such an association by his poise
attitude and courtesy and in the choice of
| his men. -
The resourcefulness of men is amazing
when once they are made to feel they are
an integral part OF machine of which the