TWO TYPES OF EXECUTIVES

There are two distinct types of executives.  There is the impatient, driving, quick, keen, positive, irritable type.  This man can get good results from a certain type of worker, but he only irritates, frightens, and drives to sullen resistance other types.  The other is the mild, kindly, persuasive, patient, enduring, persistent, determined type of executive, who wins his success by attracting to himself the intense loyalty and devotion of his men.  Both types are successful, but they are successful with different kinds of men.  The employer who selects executives, therefore, needs to bear this in mind, and to select the right type of men to work under his various lieutenants.  On the other hand, men who take executive positions should see that they secure for themselves the type of workers from whom they can secure results.  This will not be easy, because, as a general rule, an executive tends to surround himself with men of his own type, which is usually a mistake.  Men, in selecting positions, should also bear this truth in mind.  They should know the kind of executive under whom they can do their best work, and, if at all possible, work under this kind of superior officer.

SLAVES TO MACHINERY

In an earlier chapter of this book we referred to the type of boy or girl who is too restless to study, to continue in school; who is eager to begin his life work; who therefore leaves school at an early age and takes up some work for which he is then fitted, but which, in after life, he finds to be uncongenial and unprofitable.  As a general rule, such individuals are ambitious—­oftentimes exceedingly ambitious.  They find, as they grow older, however, that they have not sufficient education and training to enable them to realize their ambitions.  Thousands upon thousands of these condemn themselves to mere unskilled manual labor.

It is not to be wondered at that these boys and girls leave school, because in school they are compelled to sit quietly and to try to learn things in which they are not interested out of dry, unprofitable books.  Such pupils need to spend a great part of their time out-of-doors.  They can be thus taught far more easily, will take a greater interest in their studies, and can gain both knowledge and skill which will be more valuable to them in the world of work.  They also need to be taught indoors manual training, domestic science, printing, laundry work, scientific horticulture, scientific agriculture, dairying, and many other such branches.  The recently projected vocational schools, continuation schools, half-time schools, and other such contrivances for giving the boy or the girl an opportunity to learn a useful trade while he is mastering the three R’s, are a very important and valuable step in the right direction; With an opportunity thus to find expression for his mechanical ability and his great activity, the boy will be encouraged to remain longer in school.