The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-26
GREAT LEADERS CALLED CRANKS
Forbes Quotes Some Business Rules Of John H.
 Patterson
By B, c, FORBES


 By 8. c. FORBES
 Men who achieve the unusual very often are called cranks, eccentric. crazy. Henry Ford has been called crazy a thousand times. Edison is often de- scribed as eccentric Carnegie had what were regarded as fantastic notions about wealth. John D. Rockefeller used to have all kinds of epithets Socrates was condemned to drink the hemlock cup-and then had statues raised in his honor. Christ Himself was in the eyes of most of his contem- poraries hopelessly eccentric.
 Whenever used to write anything about John<H. Patterson, the upbuilder Eof the National Cash Register com pany and the initiator of many reforms in the handling of business and work CTS, I invariably received letters telling me that he was a crank or that he was eccentric or that heA was a crazy re- reformer.
 former. He was eccentric. He was a But he not only developed an extraor- dinarily successful industrial enter prise, but conceived and adopted meth { ods of treating workers which have 1 since come to be recognized as essen { tial to the proper running of large or ganizations. Mir. Patterson did his own 1 thinking and went on his own way, re- gardless of criticism and condemnation' There has just been published an in tensely inspiring volume. John Fl. Fat, terson: Pioneer Industrial Welfare, written by Samuel Crowther. While reading it I marked passages wnlcn thought might not only interest put sonae of the late MT. Patterson's pro- nouucements:
 of there ever comes a tin1e in this business when courage will not be nec- essary, when it will not be necessary for us to fight against obstacles, l shall know it is time to put up the shutters, turn off the power, and draw the fires for all time."
 "It has always been stated that cash register salesInen were born, not made. This is a big bubble that most of the sales agents have helped to blow, but we have pricked it and 1t has collapsed. I find that cash register salesmen are made. I would rather take new man and train him into the business than to take an experienced cash register man and try to teach him new things. IL is the men who are willing to accept information and profit by 1t that will get ahead in this world; therefore, l think that better salesmen can be made of new, green men, who are willing and
  who have had some experience in this business"
 "The business that Is satisfied with itself-with it's product, with Its sales, which looks upon itself as having ac- ccmplished it's plrpose-is not. The &C., tual burial may be postponed; but 1t Is dead because it is not going for ward. To my mind, nothing can ever be good enough; am always dissatis- fled; I preach dissatisfaction. I can always see where something might be better; and therefore our business is never at rest-and never want it to be. The throbbing heart of business is the intense desire to do better. When that desire ceases, the heart stops beat ing.
 My idea of successful business Is this: Fill not only every known want of your customers, but also have in ready reserve that which you calculate they are going to need next year or the year after. That Is, do not merely keep up with the market, but preferably a few paces ahead in what you are ac- tually offering and about mile ahead in your reserve offerings"
 "we work on the plan: The secret of success in life is for man to be -,y ready for opportunity when it comes.' " "we are part of all we have met" Improved machinery makes men dear and the product cheap"
 Enthusiasm is the biggest asset in business. It is the one thing that you have to work eternally to keep up. The National cash register was built by the enthusiasm of the organization both in the shops and in the field. It Is to the stimulation of enthusiasm that
 ie fran fod fnv a impossible for any one not to do his work well if he takes joy in Its do- ing. I have found that man lacks en- thusiasm when:
 q. He has not an appreciation of the work in hand.
 '2. He is out of sympathy with what you are doing.
 "3. He lacks knowledge of the busi- ness and the motives of the officers.
 A. He is not in harmony with his sur roundings.
 "5. He does not realize his obliga- tions.''
 "An organization should have but one head. Centralized authority means no red tape; no delay in making de- with divided authority. The same thing lS true in business. There must be some one to lead, to decide, to be the head. Every business needs a leader '' . "That business is best which requires the least attention from the head"
 gro do good is my religion"
 America would be a better country for wags earners and all of us if more of our employees were men of the stamp of John H. Patterson.
 (Copyright, 1924, by B. c. Foghes.)
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