Evening star., 1921-03-28
3.-Thoroughness.

German national efficiency" is at
pre- sent somewhat in disrepute. but
we still hear people of German de-
scent or birth refefS pridefully to
German thoroughness?
have made a close study of this
thing called German xthoroughness
however. and withoGt prejudice. !
have come to the CONCLUSION that. al
though there is great deal in it
which is cofnmendable. 1t should not
be accepted unreservedly as the kind
of thoroughness to be cultivated by
the American business world.
1 have observed. for instance, in
many Germans tendency to be al
most painfully thorough in compare
lively unimportant matters. Whiid
omitting to take proper precautions
in a related matter of infinitely
greater importanCe-thus indicating
that thoroughness. when entirely au-
tomato, may have the effect of dead
ening ones sense of proportion.
In it's larger and more important
aspects thoroughness comes from con-
centration. which. as we have seen.
results from interest in ones work.
once heard Thomas A. Edison say
to an employe. in speaking OF piece
| Of imperfect work that had gone out:
1T hurts my pride to have a thing
like that happen" Does it hurt your
pride to make a stupid or careless
error? Does it hurt your pride to
overlook something which you should
have noticed? Does it hurt your pride
| when your work has to be patched up.
or done over, by another person? If
SO. and your desire to avoid making
mistakes becomes sufficient to en-
| gender concentration against maxim &
mistakes, you are on the high road
t; to that brand of thoroughness which
is of more Importance than the form
| that is prompted solely by discipline
! either self imposed or impressed on
US by those whom we must obey.
| Not Always Perfect.
| Mr.. Edison is celebrated for his mis-
trust of anything-mechani expert
lment or plan-which appears to work
perfectly the first time it is tried. He
has learned from experience that al
| most never does any one get any new
thing right at the first attempt. He
expects to find what he calls bugs.
and his almost uncanny faculty OF
discovering bugs" has played an inn
portant part in his success as an in
ventor. His is the kind of thorough
ness which comes from concentration
which is to say from interest and a
desire to accomplish the best possible
| result.
! However, we must recognize that
+, there are certain elementary phases
of thOrOughneSS which ShOuld-aS in
German method-become part of
ones second nature. Overconfidence
| is frequently a cause for lack Of thor
| oughness A man who has great con-
! fdence in his mathematical accuracy
for instance. may feel in some cases
that his figures do not need to be
| proved" 1t has been my experience
that figures should always be proved
no matter how expert mathemati
Lcian the man who makes them
may be.
Questions May Aid.
The following questions may ale
you in determining the extent~<tt
which thoroughness Is at present q
Characteristic OF your work:
| 1. When anothers figures are hand
ed to you. do you blindly accept then
as correct, or do you inspect then
for evidence OF inaccuracy?
2. When q statement Of fact or Sc
Of figures is handed to you do yot
ground necessary to be covered, o.
do you carefully analyze and con
slider the statement or figures to de
termine the adequacy thereof to tn,
intended purpose?
3. In preparing your incoming mai
| for reply do you study and analyz
| each letter and collect all OF tn
necessary Information to enable yo,
to make responsive answers, or d.
you find it frequently necessary I,
interrupt your dictation for furthe
| investi CATION or consideration. be
cause your original preparation wa
inadequate?
! Tho distinction between this ques