Increasing Efficiency In Business | Page 8

train of thought is
very limited; and therefore I never could have succeeded with
metaphysics or mathematics. My memory is extensive, yet hazy; it
suffices to make me cautious by vaguely telling me that I have
observed or read something opposed to the conclusion which I am
drawing, or on the other hand in favor of it. So poor in one sense is my
memory, that I have never been able to remember for more than a few
days a single date or a line of poetry. I have a fair share of invention,
and of common sense or judgment, such as every fairly successful
lawyer or doctor must have, but not, I believe, in any higher degree.''
This is presumably an honest statement of fact, and in addition it
should be remembered that Darwin was always physically weak, that
for forty years he was practically an invalid and able to work for only
about three hours a day. In these few hours he was able to accomplish
more, however, than other men of apparently superior ability who were
able to work long hours daily for many

years. Darwin made the
most of his ability and increased his efficiency to its maximum.
For a parallel in business, Cyrus H. McCormick might be named. The
inventor of the reaper and builder of the first American business which

covered the world was not a man of extraordinary intellect, wit, or
judgment. He had, however, the will and power to focus his attention
on a single question until the answer was evolved. Again and again, his
biographers tell us, he pursued problems which eluded him far into the
night and he was frequently found asleep at his desk the morning
following. When roused, instead of seeking rest, he addressed his task
again and usually overcame his obstacle before leaving it.
All these considerations point to one conclusion. It is quite certain, then,
that most of us are whiling away our days and occupying positions far
below our possibilities. A corollary to this statement is Mr. Taylor's
conclusion that ``few of our best-organized industries have attained the
maximum output of first-class men.''

_Not to give too wide application to his discovery that the average
day's work is only half or less than half what a first-class man can do, it
is more than probable that the average man could, with no injury to his
health, increase his efficiency fifty per cent_.
We are making use of only part of our existing mental and physical
powers and are not taxing them beyond their strength. Increased
accomplishments, and heightened efficiency would cultivate and
develop them, would waken the latent powers and tap hidden stores of
energy within us, would widen the fields in which we labor and would
open up to us new and wider horizons of honorable and profitable
activity.
In succeeding chapters will be described specific methods, many of
which are employed by individual firms, but which could be utilized by
other business men, to insure their own efficiency and that of their
employees. The experiences of many successful houses will be linked
to the laws of psychology to point the way that will bring about greater
results from men.
CHAPTER II
IMITATION

AS A MEANS OF INCREASING HUMAN EFFICIENCY
TWENTY years ago the head of an industry now in the
million-a-month class sat listening to his ``star'' salesman. The latter, in
the first enthusiasm of discovery and creation, was telling how he had
developed the company's haphazard selling talk and had taken order
after order with a standard approach, demonstration, and summary of
closing arguments. To prove the effectiveness of ``the one best way,''
he challenged his employer to act as a customer, staged the little drama
he had arranged, secured admissions of savings his machine would
make, ultimately cornered the other, and sold him.
``That's great,'' the owner declared the in-

stant he had
surrendered to the salesman's logic. ``If we can get all our agents to
learn and use this new method of yours, we'll double our business in
three years.''
Then followed discussion of the means by which the knowledge could
be spread.
``I've got it,'' the manager announced at last. ``I'll telegraph five or six
men to come in''--he named the agents within a night's ride of the
factory--``and you can show them how you sold fifteen machines last
week.
``We could take down your talk in shorthand and send it to them, but
that wouldn't do the business. I want them to watch you