Evening star., 1939-02-26

Develop confidence; curb overconfidence.
The buffers are always Debated eventually.
BE friendly and considerate of others.
Be punctual and reliable. Conine your
clock-watching to the alarm clock.
Keep your mind open. Be alert for new
information. Study your firms business as
we'll as your particular task: find out where
you fit in the whole picture.
Sure" says you, Il could do all of that if
had an interesting job"
Well. if that's the trouble, how about
getting yourself promoted
That's an idea. you know - and one of the
most interesting angles on it was given to-
me by A. w. Robertson, Chairman of the
Board of the Westinghouse Electric & Manu-
featuring Company. ANY large business that
survives, " he said, must be able to recognize
and reward merit among its employees or it
can't possibly stay big. That's why it is pos
sible for the right men to get ahead in big
business.
Look at our own company. for example.
Thirty years ago we hired coil winder named
George Bucher in the big plant at East
Pittsburgh. The job paid only l8 gents an
hour, and it wasn't exactly interesting.
This young fellow was good workman
and he could have kept that job for the rest of
his life if he wanted to. But he didn't. Keeping
his eyes and ears open, he learned something
about other jobs in the plant besides his own.
and in time he got into the transformers
assembly department. Later he became a
motor generator tester and, soon after, asked
to be transferred to the export department
when clerks opening came up.
I'm that division he moved ahead gradually
but surely until after while he became head
of the department. And, to make long story
short. he recently was made President of the
Westinghouse organization!'
Which brings us back to Mr.. RObertsons
original point. that business has to reward
merit in order to survive. MIR. kolb. of
Macy's, made that same observations:
The first thing for an employee to re-
member in thinking about promotion is that
his employer is just as anxious to promote him
as the employee is to be promoted. It's just
plain good business to keep advancing people
as fast as they deserve it. Any large organiza-
ton with sound personnel policy must
promote from within. Otherwise the personnel
department would be stumped in trying to fill
the better jobs.
And how do these experts determine who is
to move up?
Well, they all agree on a number of ques-
tions to ask:
Does he show initiative? Or does he have
to be told what to do?
Is he resourceful? Or de he go into
tail spin as soon as the routine is varied?
Is he alert and observing? Or does he bury
his nose in the details at hand, forgetting
everything else around him?
Does he organize his work we'll or is he
always moving in circles?
Can he take responsibility or does it scare
him stiff?
Is he smart enough to detail work to others
- or does he have to do everything himself:
You may not know all the answers about
yourself but, as Mr. Boynton, of Socony-
Vacuum suggests, there's no law against your
finding out Check up with others on your
faults and your virtues, >" he advises those who
seek advancement. Consult your intimate
friends, your business associates, your SUBJ
ordinates. Especially take counsel with your
bOss after you're on the proper footing. Ask