The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-10-27


you aro-that is prima fnclo evidence
that oH an executive you're duo for
the scrap heap twenty years before
your time. No real executive ever
docs anybodys work except his own.
aud 10 does aA little OF that aH posi-
bic. Whnt he works hardest at rs
playing golf, and he iS never such n
boob that he begrudges himself two
afternoons a week and then tries 20
make up for It by playing 90 holes on
Sunday instead OF resting and keep.
Ing holy the Sabbath Day.
Skinner, did you ever hear that
old story OF tho problem that was
given to the class In engineering at
the United States military academy
nj West Point7 Nor AIy command.
Ing general told II 10 me when was
soldering as a knights OF Columbus
secretary nj Camp kcarney during
tho late war. Well. Skinner. II seems
the problem was how 20 raise a flag.
pole OF "A given length. weight, butt
and Tip circumference; how deep n
hole TO dig 10 receive IL and then
what engineering methods 10 employ
In order 20 get the drafted nngpole
standing up atnight In that hole and
be able 90 resist cyclone.
"a class Of embryo officers worked
all day on that problem. They drew
diagrams and wrote long theses and
worked the problem out In mighty
fnshion-and when they had finished.
no two or tho answers agreed with
each other. SO the old colonel Of en-.
cheering. who had been detailed as
an instructor at the academy bawled
them out and told tho Gloss they were
all wrong. Whercupon tImid youth
pipod up and said a bit hneeringly:
Perhaps the colonel win be good
enough 20 tell us how HE would raise
that flagpole7' I viii. with great
pleasure tho instructor replied.
What's more. I VIII give you the
answer In exactly seven words. and
In those Eeyen words I viii give you
also tho alpha and omega OF com.
nland. the true inwardness OF that
rare commodity known as executive
ability and leadership
We'll, Skinner. tho class leaned
forward respectfully and tho old
colonel. smiling benlgnantly upon
them and taking hitch In the 90.
inch belt that ~ tho trademark OF
all true executives. made good on
his bluff. Young gentlemen, the
problem assumes Tim, Zach OF you Is
captain in command OF onc-com.
pany post and you have received an
order from your superior officer 20
erect this flagpoie. The problem Is:
How would you erect ~ The answer
Is: Tell the first sergeant 20 do IT,"
But do not SEQ the sense Of that
answer" Mr.. Skinner admitted help
lessiy.
Then you arc much further gone
In mental and physical decay than
had suspected cappy replied tender.
~. FSkinner. dear boy, any com.
manding officer who gives subordi.
nate an order 10 do something and
then 30 far forge,s himself and his
dignity as 10 scll tho subordinate how
70 do II and then adds insult TO In.
jury By standing over him and seeing
that he does Il, IN absolutely untitled
for command. THAT. my dear Skin.
ncr, Is why you are all run down like
an old Waterbury watch. Uncoli
yourself. my boy. Spring out OF It.
There's nothing wrong with the quail.
ity Of brains or energy In your subor.
dlnates. The trouble lies with you,
and you're killing yourself harasslng
them. by worrying about il"
Wei. I'm 80 afraid they'li ball
things up. Mr. Kicks"
'Let en- hall 'em upr cappy yelled
furiously. Good land OF Goshen. do
you expect 10 go thru life without
making any mistakes? II you lay
yourself out 10 mako an omelette
you'll have to beak eggs. VIII you
not2 The man who never makes mis-.
takes, or who has phobia against
mistakes is plainly a person OF mark.
ed psychopathic inferiority and be.
longs to n ward. not an office. What
he needs Ia a trained nurse. not
wise old boss like cappy Kicks.
Now. then. Skinner. thls very in.
slant you quit doing three mems
work. III not have you making
martyr OF yourself and a nuisance 10
me. Here are two round trip tickets
10 Europe. Take them with my com.
pllments. You and Mrs. skinner
have two weeks In which 80 pack and
get 10 New York TO catch the Levia.
than. and II you travel on anything
except Shipping Board vessel.
you're a poor American and you
needn't come back. Just keep right
on going. Skinner. Meanwhile one
Of these boobs under you will sit in
at.your desk and try his hand for
three months at wrccklng the Kicks
Logging & laundering company. And
he may wreck IL and be hanged to
him. However. it's a pretty solid
corporation and in the short space OF
three months do not think he'll get
very far on the road 10 ruin. But
U' w HaNi u Aitt 10
show what's in him. and IL he doesn't |
show It while you're away. he'll not
be among those present when you
get back
''Mr. Kicks, you're extremely kind. |
but really. affairs in the office are in |
such state now that / dare not go |
away. Thank you" %
GO" Cappy yelled. Get out.
Goodbye. Don't argue with me. And |
when you return. you will play golf |
two afternoons week. and there are
no Sundays in a Cappy Kicks week.
You will do nothing in tho office ex.
cept render decisions. You will 20 |
fishing and hunting and you viii not
see any mail except the mail you
ought to sec. Whenever there Is
anything TO be done in your depart.
ment hereafter. Skinner. you viii sec
that George does It. II you let your
job get on top of you, then you cease
to be worth anything to me. / want