Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-26

series Of kuI1IIIIllIl1
tricky queS- MR.. rICKERi>G
lions, you can tell in advance
what his chances are.
You might say that It's a
method Of X-rayine joes brain
and personality. 10 see If he has
what il takes 10 make a good
foreman.
To put il more simply. Joe
gets thorough going-over by a
trained psychologist.
One mammoth corporation in
particular is pioneering along
this line in Detroit. On the basis
of two or three years work. It
looks highly promising. This
psychological X-raying seems TO
have what il takes, because when
the tests show that the man in
question will be a good welder,
craftsman, research worker,
superintendent or what have
you, he turns out TO be one.
The men who are doing it
admit that sometimes the system
goes wrong-this week we were
talking about one case that
went wrong, which brings us to
Joe Doakes, the Needler.
I'VE had foreman" one OF
the plants high executives told
us, "who had all the qualities
Smith WAS smart, he conide rea-
son things out, he could look
ahead and anticipate trouble.
But his department just wasn't
going right"
Skipping some details, let's
jump TO the point at which a
division manager suggested put
ting Joe Doakcs in Smiths
place.
Joe mightn't be as smart"
said the division manager. but
he'll get work out OF that gang"
And, all the psychology not
withstanding, Joe did. II showed
up within a week. His depart
ment was hufnming.
THE fact is," said our in
formant. 'that up to now we
seem 90 have missed Just one
thing with our tests. We don't
know how 10 test to find out
whether o man has the knack
of getting things done.
That's the only way I can
express 1.-THE ability TO get
things DONE"
Here's the way Joe Doakes
works: He has an 10 of about
"a: Smith is 12S. Joe can't fig
ure things out. He doesn't antici-
pate trouble-why. after he'd
been on the job for a while /
asked him, 'Iiow are things
going? Run ming into any
trouble ?"
"Joe said, Swell. No trouble
at ALL Well, knew ne had
troubles, plenty OF them. He was
getting some brackets that didn't
fit, for one thing. But he said,
No trouble at ALL
"When Joe's there, N the
brackets don't fit. he hollers at
his men, Well. let's find some
way to get these brackets on.
Make 'em mt! Remember, you
.gnyx-I gotta turn out my quota
for this department or I'll be In
dutch. So how's about some &C
tom
"If he Sees a couple OF men
talking. he walks up and SAYS,
What's the matter here: What's
the trouble? Outa parts:' He
knows perfectly well they're not
out Of parts. They're just talk
ing. They grin and go to work.
"Or he sees one of his crew
day-dreaming. 'Somethin' the
matter?' he says. Your riveting
gun busted? Let's get IL fixed.
Come on! Let's get II fixed
$50 the day-dreamer gets TO
work. Joe's needIer-thafs
what call IL. Needles them all
the time. Not mean-they like
him-and they work for him.
That's what ! mean when I talk
about the ability 20 get things
done"
Smith. who is smart and can
reason things out. is in another
job. (And a pretty good one.
tool But Joe Doakes. the
Needler. is meeting and beating
his quotas.
So Joe Doakes is one problem
that science runs head on into.
and can't solve. Or rather hash I
solved so far.
Next week a new order is co
ing 10 be sent 20 the p>ychol-
ogists:
"Will you try 90 find out TIE
order will say. "sOme Way Of de-
terminlng whether a man ha, the
ability 10 get things done o"