The manifestations of discipline and morale, and the various appeals to inspire them, differ in accordance with the work to be done by the members of the group and with the personalities of both the leader and his men. But all spring from an application of the same principles—and making this application to the specific case in hand becomes the interesting study and exercise of wit for the leader concerned. It is for him to arouse just the kind of spirit he needs for the special work and with the particular men he has. The spirit which holds the stoker faithful to his task in the bowels of the ship is different in form from that which animates the gun crew on the deck above—yet both spring from the same sources.
Leadership.—The development of man as an individual, his inherent qualities of manliness, high purpose, and a self-respecting individuality whichstill recognizes its responsibility as a citizen of the community—all these developed qualities make him potentially a splendid tool in the hands of a skillful master, and a dangerous one in the hands of a bungler. To handle these tools skillfully has therefore become a recognized art. It will be only when this art is generally known and practiced by our leaders that the nation may hope to benefit by anything like the full measure of its manpower.
This art of handling men is called leadership; and during the late war was made a study for practical application in all armies. On his excellence in the practice of this art depended every military leader's ability to deliver that superior manpower of his men which made his unit victorious. In the past this used to be the function of the few "born leaders" who seemed to know instinctively how to inspire others to give their uttermost. But these born leaders were too few to meet modern requirements, so we were forced to make their natural art a matter of analysis and instruction.
This art is based on the fact that there is in every man a tremendous latent force which may be aroused and used by a skillful leader who knows how to inspire the man's loyalty, pride, and ambition to do his utmost for the glory of his group and the honor of his cherished leader. The poorleader leaves all this enthusiastic service and devotion dormant in his men, and therefore commands only mediocrity. His men do just well enough to conform to cold requirements. The letter of the law is their sole guide, and they may even seek means to evade that. Such leadership paralyzes efficiency, and does actual harm to the character of the man who must operate under it. Denied the privilege of giving free play to his constructive instincts, he becomes prey to those which breed on discouragement and discontent, and the end of this man is far worse than the beginning.
Not so with good leadership. It wins its efficiency and material reward, not at the expense of manhood, but by appeal to the very instincts whose free play gives pleasure to the inner man and results in the upbuilding of his character and his faculties. The end thus finds him a better man and citizen for the kind of work he has done. It is this dual result which so highly commends the practice of this art. The most mercenary may well adopt it for the material gain it will bring; the altruist may adopt it for the inner joy of seeing the character and manliness of his men growing under his hands. And in the end even the leader who accepted it for material reasons will find self-satisfaction in that he must feel that the community is better for his living in it.
Leadership is an art, not an exact science. Its seat is in a man's soul rather than in his brain. To attempt to teach it we appeal broadly to a man's understanding and appreciation of what the laws of life require. It is a comprehensive subject which may be far from completely covered in one chapter. But fortunately one need not attain anything like perfection in order to be recognized as a good leader and to win a fine response from his men. So much is man a creature of the better instincts, so responsive is he to fair and decent treatment, that if his leader but be genuine in his practice of but a few of these principles of leadership, his men will deny his weaknesses and failures, and give him their loyalty and service without measure.
Our object in this chapter is to get at the practical elements of leadership; to find out what leadership requires in one's own personal qualities and in the methods of dealing with men. In doing this the first consideration is to understand the object of leadership. To get a clear conception of the object of an undertaking should always be the first step in its execution, for men work to better advantage and leaders lead to better advantage, when the object of their efforts is clearly defined in their minds. One would think that the Allies had been fighting the war to the best of their ability; yet recall the tremendous impetus given their efforts, when, in answer to the President's question, they had clearly defined their object in fighting.
The Object of Leadershipthen is so to handle one's men as to build up and maintain a high spirit of discipline and morale, of individual initiative, of loyalty and of teamwork; and so to direct this spirit as to win the highest efficiency for the accomplishment of the purpose in view. In short its object is to develop the psychological elements of the machine of organization, and thus increase its efficiency by doubling its manpower. So the object of every step in this discussion, the psychologic object of every step in leadership, is to secure better discipline and morale, more intelligent initiative, keener loyalty and better teamwork. The student must keep these objects ever in mind in both study and practice, as furnishing a purpose or guide in all that is said or done. The accomplishment of these objects is a constant inspiration to a good leader; by his comments and criticisms during the progress of the work, by his every act in administration, he seeks to build up morale and initiative and all these essential qualities in the characters of his men.
As to thePersonal Qualitiesrequired in the leader, we only ask that each man use intelligently the ones that he has. It is not intended to enumerate all the high qualities of the great leaders of history, and then expect the reader to adopt them as his own. None of us begin to have all of these qualities, or any of them in perfection. But all of us do have some sense of justice and fairness, are possessed of a degree of manliness and self-control, and can use our judgment and will power.The point is to learn the value of our various qualities, and to cultivate them by intelligent use. We are all human—let us admit it and act accordingly. And that would be a very good first step toward success in leadership, for there is no other one thing so often heard of a good leader from the sincere lips of his admiring men as that "he is a real human being." An appreciation of the meaning of that fact alone should serve as an inspiration and an excellent guide.
Many men of but mediocre ability have successfully carried through one big job after another simply because they had the faculty for inspiring the loyalty, initiative and best endeavors of their subordinates. Many others of stronger character and higher mental attainments have failed to do so because they failed to inspire, and even antagonized, their subordinates. And while this seeming lack of tact may have been due to natural deficiency, in nine cases out of ten it was due to the fact that they had accepted as their guide some old-time rule about how to enforce discipline, or else that they had never given thought to the subject of handling men and realized its importance. It is not difficult to learn how to avoid their mistakes, and to acquire the art of those who know how to inspire the enthusiastic efforts of others.
It is understood then that we are not discussing the high qualities of the superman, or striving to attain to the leadership of a Lincoln. It must also be understood that not all these points will apply to any one case of leadership, in which many of them might be unreasonable. But all are based on the same philosophy of human control, and are consistent with the modern spirit of individualism which has become a prime consideration. So as you read something that may strike you as unreasonable in the case you have in mind, give it fair consideration as applicable to certain cases, and weigh it as a means of adding to your comprehension of the true spirit of leadership. You cannot know too much about this in the general case. The broader your knowledge and the better defined your individual opinions, the better judgment you will be able to bring to your particular problems.Youare the big factor. In the end it is going to be what you believe and think and feel that is going to make you successful or not. You will never win by following any abstract rules you do not yourself feel and live by.
Qualifying for Leadership.—Any man of native character may fit himself to lead successfully. Hundreds of thousands of young Americans thus fitted themselves in the late war to lead their fellows asofficers, commissioned and non-commissioned. Many had had no previous experience of command to guide them, had never given a direction even to a servant. Yet by application they rapidly learned how to handle themselves more or less successfully as leaders and their men as loyal followers. No one expects perfection. All history records but one Leader without fault. It is impracticable to follow rules or to assume qualities that are not natural. The thing to do is to realize that leadership may be developed, to absorb its ordinary fundamentals into your system, and to study yourself as applying them to the problems of your position.
Your own personality is the one big thing for you. Learn to appreciate its strong points and its weak ones, its possibilities for doing the right thing and the wrong, and its probable effect on others. Get it well in hand through practicing self-control, and make it work intelligently in accordance with your wishes. You will make mistakes—the best men do. The point is to have sense enough to recognize the mistake, to correct it and try to avoid repeating it. You watch yourself and you watch others, asking in each case if the best thing was done to get the desired result. There is generally one best thing to say or do, and at least a dozen wrong ones. The chances are largely in favor ofusing the wrong one, but by giving it thought you learn to pick the right until in the end it becomes quite instinctive for you to do so. We can sum it all up in just about this: that you begin to think seriously about yourself in your job, and determine that you are going to be natural, genuine, fair and self-controlled; that you realize that your instruments are human beings and that you have got to control them throughyour ownpersonality; and that therefore you determine to study your personality and your tools so you may use them intelligently. Observation and personal application of its results are the great things.
No two leaders may act exactly alike, for each must use his own personality. One may be naturally cold, short-spoken and stern, the other suave and gentle, yet both be equally good leaders. But when you analyze their treatment of their men you will find that both observe the same fundamental principles of justice, fairness and regard for their individual development.
And as the personalities of leaders must differ, so even more will those of the men. To control them you must have a working knowledge of human nature—for while all mankind respond more or less alike to well-known instincts and habits, there are times when you have to consider the individual. Here is where observation, experience and thinking about it prepare you to act intelligently. As a good horseman soon comes to handle a thoroughbred or a cold blood with equal assurance and success, so the leader of men gets to know instinctively what touch to give the reins or spurs in order to get the result he wants. And if in any given case you are not sure what to do, think what would make you respond cheerfully if you were in his place, and what would make you "buck." Let this decide what you will do. It will generally be the right thing, for at bottom we are all pretty much the same.
Above all you must be genuine. You must use the personality God gave you—only use it naturally and with earnest purpose to play the game fairly. If by nature you are gentle and tactful, thank God, and do not try to be a bear, because you have seen and admired some big burly man who was a successful leader. The genuineness and earnestness of your personal efforts to do the right thing will go further than the best possible imitation of some other, be he ever so good.
Self-Control.—You are probably shrinking from the thought of taking yourself in hand in preparation for leadership. But it is quite natural that you should thus train yourselves, for self-control isthe one first step toward ability to control others. And you will the more eagerly accomplish your own self-discipline, as you observe human nature and note the blessings of the man who is self-disciplined and the curse both to himself and his fellows of the man who is not. Those parents who allow a child to grow up to manhood undisciplined put a great burden upon the community in which he is to move, and above all a great handicap upon the man himself. Selfish, petulant, flaming into passion at any opposition, egoism coloring everything in life for him, he is a poor member of the team in sport or business, and is more often tolerated by his fellows than heartily welcomed. He has many hard lessons to learn before he comes to appreciate true values in the life about him, and thus become a truly worth-while member of society. Far from being fit to lead others, he is generally the most difficult problem for the leader, who now has to do the work that the parents should have done in the man's childhood.
You may assume that you have the requisite native character for leadership, or you would not be in position to use it. It remains for you to prove its worth and improve its natural qualities. You will not do this by any grandstand plays, or even by prayer. You will do it by continued thoughtfulness in meeting the human problems of your position, and by a discipline of self which will make and keep you fit for your duties.
Consideration for Rights of Others.—It is a good thing for any citizen to make himself realize that he is part of a community whose members are entitled to some consideration as well as himself. This certainly is important for the man who is responsible for the conduct of others. Everyone hates a hog as a candidate for fellowship in sport, business or community living. You see him elbowing women and old men aside as he crowds himself to the front at a ticket window; and so through a busy day always jamming and trampling others to get the best for himself. He gains a questionable satisfaction for his swollen ego, but at the cost of the scorn of his fellows who have thought enough about life to realize that his type is a curse to community living and far from desirable as a characteristic of the race.
Put Yourself in His Place.—If you want to put something over with a man you may take an ax or a hammer and drive it into him—in which case you leave him sore and rebellious—or by putting yourself mentally in his place you may so express yourself as to win his cheerful acquiescence—even if, as may often happen, he does not end by thinking he originated the idea himself. The latter method is called being tactful—and compared to the former gets tenfold results, not to mention adding to the joy of life for all concerned. In presenting an idea by this method you give your attention to the form and manner in which you present it, rather than concentrate all your thought on the idea alone, let him take it as he will. It requires only a bit of consideration of what are the probable feelings and thoughts of the other, a realization of his point of view and how you would feel in his place. The leader who has won his promotion from below has an advantage in having experienced the point of view of his men. Yet he often throws it away and exhibits a case of swollen head by bellowing his "Hey you!" in absolute disregard of the outraged feelings which he must know this always engenders.
It is so much more efficient to be reasonably tactful—to be considerate. To do it one may sacrifice a bit of vainglory, may not appear to himself and his fellows as such a lord of creation, but he will get better results, make life more worth living for all, and win for himself a place in the estimation of others which may well return him tenfold of advantage in some future contingency. It is never the really big man whose arrogance hurts thefeelings of the less fortunate or forbids him to show respect and consideration to each man who does well his appointed task in no matter what capacity. This arrogance is found rather in the toad who is trying to make others think he is an ox—and the humbler a man's station the more likely he is to recognize a toad when he meets one, and the more pain it causes him to have to bow to its bovine pretensions.
Loyalty and Initiative.—We have seen how the leader is responsible for developing these qualities in his subordinates. He wins their loyalty to him by gaining their admiration of the personal qualities he displays; and their loyalty to the larger organization and the cause, by his own example and by timely comments. He develops their intelligent initiative by the policy and methods he employs in handling them in their work. He constantly encourages individual effort, taking pains to commend every display of interest, inventiveness, ingenuity, or improvement. He keeps the group informed of what it is trying to do as a whole, so each may understand the object of his particular part and seek opportunity to do it better. He tells the man what to do, not how to do it, and praises whatever shows original effort and decision. By constructive criticism and explanation he encourages the man so thathe wants to do it better next time. In short he encourages his men to observe, to think, to decide, and to act on their decisions. So long as their spirit is loyal, the best results come from such service, and he must be patient in developing these faculties.
Development of the Men's Powers.—How natural it is to be impatient with the man who is bungling his early efforts. How often the master grabs the thing and does it himself rather than wait for inexperienced hands to find the way. The parent says petulantly, "I'd rather do it myself than see John struggling with it." The boss cares more to have a certain thing done exactly as he would do it than he does for all the good that might come from the developed skill and resourcefulness of his men. Of course these are all wrong. Your way is not always the best way. One way is often as good as another, and improvements come out of the interested inventiveness of the worker. Your object is to get the best efforts of your men, and good work is not done in an atmosphere of humiliation and discouragement. You must avoid the natural display of temper at awkwardness and the cutting remarks which indicate that you think the man a hopeless idiot. If he really is that you have a different problem and should avoid wasting your time and that of the others in efforts to use him.You are developing men and their powers. The constructive and inventive instincts thrive in an atmosphere of encouragement, and opportunity to employ them keeps the worker cheerfully at his task. You get a double reward from this system of control—the satisfaction of seeing your subordinates grow in ability under your hands, and the satisfaction of increased output or accomplishment under your management.
Popularity.—Should a leader strive for "popularity" with his men? By all means, if he is man enough to win it on his merits, for it is a large element in establishing their loyalty. But it is very easy for the beginner to have the wrong idea as to how popularity is won. He must clearly understand that it is not gained through easy-going methods, overlooking faults and neglects, playing favorites, sympathy with growling and kicking about the way things have to be done, nor in any of those things which go to undermine discipline and morale. Such popularity is properly called cheap. It takes no manliness to get it, it has no value once you have it. Such leadership is worse than worthless, it does actual damage. It will be exposed for the sham it is by the first occasion for endurance, by the first thing that comes to test the real grit and ability of the group. Then one of two thingsmust happen—failure, or some better man will jump out of the crowd, take the leadership from these weak hands, and lead the men through the emergency.
We have seen this illustrated often enough in the army, where authority has held in his peacetime position of leadership some weakling who faded into the ranks in the actual tests of service, while some strong quiet character stepped to the front and successfully assumed the responsibilities of leadership. It is the duty of all management to discover and remove these weak leaders. It is equally the duty of every leader to study himself and his methods, and to make sure that both of them display the qualities which will justify his holding the leadership and will give it such character as to make it proof against any emergency demands.
The popularity that counts, that makes men say they would follow so-and-so through anything, makes them brag about their chief and proud to serve under him, is founded on admiration for his real ability, confidence in his fairness and justice, and in the courage and strength of his character. He has won this popularity by being absolutely fair and square to all, by seeing that both privileges and extra hardships are equitably divided among his men, by holding everyone to a strict performance of duty, by reward of merit where due and recognition of delinquency where it exists, by avoiding anything like deceit or duplicity in his conduct of office, by never appearing to ignore any of his men as of no consequence in the group, by showing a sincere personal interest in the welfare of his men as individuals and above all by such use of his own head in planning and forethought as to save his men unnecessary work or trouble and yet increase their efficiency, thus making them realize that he really has the ability to lead them.
Appearance—As to Dignity.—The leader holds his position on the assumption that out of the whole group he is the best all-around man for the job. He must retain this reputation for excellence, and should add to it by further performance. First of all in appearance—in how he carries himself before his men. The nature of the work may determine the amount of dignity which must go with the office, but in every case there is a certain dignity which all men must find in their leaders to which they may instinctively give their respect. This is just about the amount of dignity that comes naturally from earnestness and sincerity of purpose. It is not a virtue to be assumed, a superficial garment to be put on for the work. It has nothing to do with haughtiness or stiffness—unless it be an assumed dignity which is often thus manifested. "It comes simply from seeing things in their right proportion—big things big, small things small," and really has more of humility than of pride. It forbids you to patronize your men, to appear to condescend to them in your dealings, and it does admit your sharing both their earnest concerns and their fun. Professor Hocking says "To make a quick transition from fun to business, and carry your men with you instantly, is the test of real dignity. The two opposites of dignity are permanent solemnity and permanent triviality." Both have a bad effect on humans.
As to Example.—Remember also in the matter of appearance that you are an example. Imitation is a great teacher—the sole teacher of our infancy, not to be despised in our manhood. Your men are going to be very much as you are—if you are really their leader. Your example of cheerfulness, promptness, loyalty to superiors, cleanliness, courtesy, energy and interest, will find response in that of the men. I have seen this carried to the extent of copying the cut of the hair, the angle of the hat and other personal peculiarities. The power of example is a potent force, and very useful in establishing loyalty.
An important example for you to give is one ofearnestness of purpose and interest in the work. The accomplishment of the work must appear to be a vital matter to you. Listlessness and indifference on your part will be quickly reflected by the men, while they will equally respond to a reasonable amount of smartness and earnestness on your part. You can imagine the amount of earnestness we used to put into our English lessons at West Point where we had an old instructor who closed his eyes and dozed while each cadet recited. There was great keenness to get into his classes but it stopped there. You should appear to care so much for your work that you are indifferent to the little things that affect your own comfort. If the men see you taking advantage of your position to enjoy comforts denied to them it induces a state of mind that interferes with good work. A good example of this was the conduct of a captain of cavalry in the Philippines who, being required to conduct drill during the heat of the day, took up his position under the shade of a solitary tree on the plain and drilled his troop in a circle around him. That drill did not add much to the excellence of the troop or to their loyalty for the captain.
As to Ability.—Again you want to impress the men as being one who knows at once what is to be done in each case that arises, who makes quick decisions, and who carries through what he has undertaken, without changing his mind. We will discuss this more in detail later, enough here to say that by figuring out ahead of time all the details of a certain undertaking and carefully planning for it, you can carry it through with an apparent readiness of decision and resource that will be surprising; and a few such successes will establish your reputation as an able leader.
Knowledge of Details.—Your position presupposes that you know the work better than does any other man in the group. Generally speaking you should be able to do each man's part at least as well as the man, able to know when he is working to best advantage, able to recognize particularly good performance to commend it, able to correct improper methods and point the way to improvement. This superior knowledge gives you the self-confidence to appear before the men as their leader and to give them instructions and orders which you know are reasonable. The men instinctively feel and recognize this superiority, and naturally give it respect and obedience.
Of course no one man may reasonably claim to know everything, nor to be more skillful in every detail than certain specialists. This fact is frankly recognized by all the group, and is used to stir thepride of individuals in their particular superior performance, and also as a reason for expecting all to make suggestions for any improvements they may have thought out.
Suggestions from the Men.—These suggestions are to be really encouraged, and given fair consideration when made. If accepted, credit is to be given to the man, if rejected, he is to be told why it is not found good. It is a mistake to feel that the leader loses caste in accepting or even listening to suggestions from his subordinates. "Nobody can tell me how to run this job" is a narrow policy, destroying individual initiative—and it is not true anyway. The very statement shows that the leader does not fully know his job, for everyone is capable of improvement, and any job is better done for the combined interest and resourcefulness of everyone connected with it.
Prestige.—The leader loses none of his prestige in hearing and considering the thoughts of his subordinates. In the end the decision is his and on that they all have to act. And it does not hurt his leadership to have to say frankly "I don't know. I'll have to look into that." If he finds that he has taken a wrong course, it does not hurt even to admit frankly that he was mistaken, especially if his action has happened to do an injustice to one of hismen. Mistakes are readily forgiven, but not meanness or injustice. Remember always that the men admire manliness in their leader and demand justice from him. These qualities are better than infallibility, for after all they like to feel that you are human. And above all they will not respect a bluffer. It is hopeless to try to bluff when you do not know. Someone will know and expose you, and away goes the respect of your men.
Asking Men's Opinions.—I have known successful leaders to make it a rule to ask, whenever one of their men came to them with some question or trouble, "What do you think about it? What would you advise doing?" The man has generally been thinking about this for some time before he presented it. If it is a question about the work he has probably in mind some solution which he thinks an improvement and this is his way of getting it considered. By thus asking his opinion you encourage his personal interest in the general success, enlist his co-operation, give opportunity for that self-expression which means so much to every self-respecting man, and not least of all you gain time for consideration of your own answer while he is presenting his. This is often a particularly good way to handle the case of a man brought before you for some dereliction of duty. Ask him what he woulddo, if he were boss, with a man who had committed the same offense. It is astonishing how this makes him realize the whole situation, which he probably had not thought of before, and nine times out of ten he will suggest a more severe punishment than you would give, and come out of the experience a much more responsive member of the group than he was before.
A Representative of Authority.—In any business undertaking the immediate leader of a group is to his men the direct representative of the authority which holds them to their tasks; of the purpose and policy which inspire their endeavors; and of the management which directs the enterprise. These men will largely get their impressions of the justice and fairness of this authority from that displayed by their leader; they will judge the worthiness of its purpose and policy from his enthusiasm and loyalty; and will estimate the efficiency of its management by that which their leader daily displays. Management considered all this when it selected you as a leader, it is now for you to consider it constantly in dealing with your men. The more ignorant the man, the more nearly are you his sole representative of these elements, and the more important that you treat him fairly and wisely. He may be a poor immigrant unable to understand ourlanguage and wholly dependent on how your treatment impresses him for his conceptions of the fairness of our management and the worth of our industrial life and institutions. It is up to you to make him a contented useful laborer and happy citizen—and not to drive him to the ranks of revolution by making him believe that authority is unjust and our institutions unworthy his loyalty.
The Head of the Family.—A good leader is always a jealous guardian of the personal rights of his men. It is only over his dead body that an injustice is done to any of them or to his group as a whole. He is their champion in every contact with the larger organization, and they look up to him for it. The group instinct is one of the strong self-protective instincts. In the multitudinous groupings of the modern community, the individual chooses those groups which he believes offer him the best protection and to them gives his loyalty. The leader but takes advantage of this psychological fact when he makes his men realize that he is constantly on the lookout for their interests. He may row at them himself (in a fatherly way), but he allows no one else to do so. He sees that they get what is coming to them. If hardship has to be borne, he sees that it is borne justly, and shares it with them. If food is short and shelter poor, as often happens on fieldand engineering jobs, he does not rest until he has exhausted every effort to improve them, and in sharing them is very careful to show himself no favor. He fights for their fair name, and for full recognition of their merit. If one of his men has a trouble, it becomes his trouble until it is adjusted. He thus establishes the feeling that it is a family matter, and that he is the head of the family. (Incidentally he is sure to be rewarded, for the men will soon be taking a keen interest in the welfare of the head of their family.) And in the end the men come to speak of it as "our" group—not Smith's or Brown's but "our" gang, for each realizes that his interests are equal in it with any others. And until his men do thus speak of the outfit as ours rather than his, the leader may know that he has not yet got the co-operative spirit which he desires.
The Group Spirit.—Any group of individuals working together for a common purpose are going to establish unconsciously a group spirit of some kind. This has got to happen. The leader knows that success largely depends on what this spirit shall be, and takes pains to make it a helpful one. By getting to know the men and "how they feel about it," he keeps in close touch with the spirit that runs through them all, and by suggestions here and therehe does much to build it up in the way it should go and make the men feel a membership in his team. When he has got to know this spirit well, he can count on his men to respond in a certain way to certain appeals or impulses, and he thus makes this group spirit a tool in his hand for getting results. In time of hardship or strain he plays on this spirit to arouse new energy or endurance, and jaded muscles spring anew to life, just as martial music will put renewed life and spring into the lagging steps of tired soldiers. Thus always spirit may make men endure and dare and carry through far beyond the normal accomplishment. Thus the thoroughbred will run unfalteringly till his mighty heart breaks with the strain, while there need be no fear of killing the ambitionless cold bred, who slows down and quits at the early warnings of fatigue.
So the good leader is constantly on the lookout for means to build up this splendid spirit in his group. By word and deed, and particularly by thoughtful conduct of the work in hand, he fosters the spirit of putting things across and never being defeated, which is going to carry them through to success when called upon. His men come to realize that what he requires of them is always reasonable and that it makes for efficiency; they find that he is always considering their welfare before his ownand taking the greater pride in their success for the team; and they come to realize that while he so directs their work as to make it as interesting for them as he can, he will never accept failure for them or himself, but insist on carrying through to successful accomplishment. It is possible thus to establish so strong a group spirit for doing good work and generally winning out that the men themselves will get after the laggards and expose the worthless for elimination as unfit for membership in the team.
This Spirit Requires Efficiency.—Such results are possible to the leader in direct proportion to his knowledge of his job and his ability to conduct the work with efficiency and without wasted time or energy. Men naturally hate inefficiency. They become critical, caustic in their remarks, and finally disgusted under a leader who wastes their time and efforts, who hesitates over decisions and wonders whether to do this or that and how to do either, who hasn't the tools and material right at hand, who is always picking the wrong man for a piece of work, and who holds up the work of all while he fusses with the clumsy efforts of some "dub." Such a leader will never build up any good spirit. That comes only from the reverse of this picture of incompetence.
Work for the Leader.—But not all leaders may be gods to be always right and sure in their management of affairs. True, but by looking ahead, by planning and preparing for each new task, by headwork and overtime work, they can so fit themselves for each task that they can carry their men through it with such efficient direction that they will seem to their men to be almost godlike. Of course this means work for the leader. But the notion is foolish that work grows less as one ascends the ladder of promotion. In reality the leader who is half as good as he should be in his position is generally earning far more than his pay. His task is no easy one. Ambition for accomplishment, pride in success, joy of meeting manly responsibility, and not that enjoyment of an easy berth which some assume it to be, are the motives which hold the leader to his job.
Where Leadership Really Shows.—As we watch a skillful boss directing his men through a job, tools and material all at hand, every man moving efficiently, all the parts working smoothly toward the result, how natural it is to exclaim, "What teamwork!" and "What a leader!" But out of years of experience I tell you that this leader seems so good, not because God especially endowed him with skill, but because he has previously sat down and plannedout how he was going to handle this especial job, and because he took pains to see to it ahead of time that everything was prepared for the work. His superior leadership shows not in the work he is here doing, but in the work he did beforehand in building up the discipline and teamwork of his men and in making preparation for handling this especial job efficiently. That is why he may now appear so quietly sure of himself and his men, and that is the real task for leadership—fitting self, men, and team ahead of time so they may work smoothly to the best advantage without waste or friction.
Assuring the Confidence of the Men.—It is a common fault of leaders to take too much for granted and assume that men understand conditions without bothering to explain them. Remember that a man cannot give good work if his mind is harboring fear, distrust, or even questionings as to his rights, his duties or his assurance of receiving impartial justice and fair dealing. Confidence and a knowledge of the conditions under which he works will keep his mind free from these disturbing invaders. Instead of assuring this mental freedom, many leaders are so poor as positively to inject fear and anxiety. Perhaps nothing can do more to free his mind at once for useful impulses than to provide him with printed rules and regulations whichclearly define the policy of the undertaking as regards administration and control; the rights, duties and mutual relations of its members; and particularly the method by which each may secure immediate consideration by superior authority in case of real or fancied invasion of his right to justice and impartial treatment. We all know that in industry the man's distrust of the impartiality and honesty of his boss is often justified, and we can see the advantages of letting the man know his rights and giving him easy sure access to higher authority. The vastness of modern organizations has too often made management forget its responsibility in the matter of discipline and fair treatment among its employees. These laborers find themselves to-day in a case not unlike that of our forefathers who had to force from their tyrant king a written acknowledgement of their rights—yet rights so simple and fundamental as would seem to go without saying, and to require safeguarding only from a selfish, unfeeling brute.To none will we sell, to none will we deny or delay, right or justicemay well be borrowed from Magna Charta and published as a fundamental rule for the interior administration of many modern enterprises.
Assuring Justice.—The possession of authority makes a wise man consider the rights of others, lesthe do a grave injustice. It is likely to have a far different effect on a man of narrow soul and intellect. He often becomes selfish, mean and arrogant, indifferent to the feelings and rights of others, partial to favorites whom he chooses for selfish reasons. He thus denies justice and forfeits his right to leadership. Such men as bosses in industry are often the cause of serious labor troubles, and are always the cause of reduced production. By deceit and duplicity they may long conceal these qualities from higher authority, while they continue to negative the most humane policies of management. For this reason, when troubles show in any group of men, first seek the source in the defective leadership of their boss. It is for this same reason that successful management finds means to check up the methods of its subordinates, and has it clearly understood by all that every man has ready access to higher authority for the presentation of any grievance.
Joy of Doing Work Well.—A man naturally takes real delight in doing a piece of work well, in the successful play of his constructive instincts. He gets an actual pleasure from doing well whatever he puts his hand to. This was another of Nature's wise endowments when she determined that man should be her main instrument for progress in the world. Whatever a man is doing in an agreeable frame of mind, he finds himself naturally striving for perfection—the farmer looks back with pleasurable reward to see that he has turned a clean, straight furrow, the carpenter and mechanic get an inward glow from the perfect fitting of a joint, and it was not poetic fancy which made David Grey take such delight in digging that drainage ditch under a hot summer sun. These joys from fine execution of work are the result of a natural instinct, and form one of the best means for getting results if the leader knows how to use them.
When you see a man taking no interest in his work and not trying to get good results, perhaps even purposely doing poor work, you may be sure that something is fundamentally wrong. Some stronger instinct has been aroused whose force forbids the operation of this happy one for construction. Our strongest instincts are those which regard our self-protection, and one of these may be causing the trouble. If conditions are such as to make the man fearful of his welfare, of his livelihood or of injustice, contrary instincts are likely to overcome or at least confuse the instinct to do well. So we may expect superior results only under a system which assures fairness and justice, and under a leader who honestly practices them.
The Curse of Conscious Deadbeating.—A common complaint of labor is that the end of work finds the man too tired to do anything else that day. This is true, however, not because of the amount of work he has done but because of the small amount of interest and ambition which he has been allowed to put into it. Man is so designed that he is happiest in doing hard work and good work if he may but take the right spirit to it. This is the curse of the lack of trust between employer and employees, and the consequent labor union policies which deny to their members the privilege of giving full play to their constructive instincts. These policies establish a standard of mediocrity, and thus do daily violence to the character of those capable ambitious men who, instead of being free to give their best, are thus forced to work consciously as "deadbeats." No wonder that these men are tired at night and that they have no heart for outside interests. They are working in a spirit which saps their manhood and injures their self-respect as members of the community. You may see this evidenced in their hang-dog faces as they "soldier" on their jobs. Nothing but honest belief in the necessity for this policy of loafing could hold them loyal to it. Even this will not always do it; for men often become more interested in the success of "their business,"their undertaking, than they are for the time being in the observance of union regulations. When no particular danger threatens or issue is at stake, a clever boss may so appeal to the constructive instincts as to make them dominate the self-protective ones.
Public opinion is likely to play an important part in the above question. The community is interested in anything which so materially affects the character of its citizens and the output of its industries. It may come to a decision; and demand certain action which it believes will correct a situation it finds so injurious. And it may do this without a true conception of the facts, so that its dictum is as likely to offend the best interests of the laborer as of the employer. Far better that the leaders of both should themselves solve their common problem for their own common interest—and many have done this.
This question must be a serious consideration for leaders of labor. For only that leadership can last whichmakes for progress. Its purpose must be clear and honest, and must satisfy the constructive instincts. Otherwise its following will fall away, to seek some other which offers this satisfaction. Appeals to passion and prejudice will carry men a long way in a short time, but sooner or later comesthe time for serious thinking. Then these men must be convinced that their course makes for progress and greater ultimate good. And unless the leadership has had a broad vision based on realities, they will discover its fallacy or selfishness, and so abandon it.
Depending on a Man.—You can make a man feel so strongly that you are trusting him to play fair in a certain matter, "put it up to him" in such a way, that his sense of manhood and good sportsmanship will make him feel that he owes it to you to make good. This is a strong influence on conduct—too strong to be used constantly. It may easily become burdensome to ordinary mortals, who generally want more freedom from the promptings of conscience. The point is to use it only in special cases, and thus get its good effect both in results obtained and on the man's character. When you do use it, do so quite naturally and easily without too much fuss or talking, and certainly without formally "putting him on his honor." There should be no apparent question of your confidence being justified—it is so sure that you do not have to talk about it. Here is an illustration: I found in my command at Camp Grant a husky soldier who was a prisoner serving a three months sentence, and considered a surly, insubordinate brute who would never be disciplined. Soon thereafter his major brought him to me with a most unusual request for authority to let the man go to Chicago to be with his wife during a serious operation. The man stated his case—too proud and obstinate to ask any favors. I discovered that he felt that his first punishment had been a rank injustice, and that he had thereafter been so sore as willfully to defy authority. I asked how long he would need to be in Chicago—he did not know. I took the chance and authorized the major to let him go in perfect freedom and stay as long as the man found necessary. He was back long before we expected him and in an entirely new frame of mind. He soon had the remainder of his sentence remitted for good behavior, and before we left for France he had become a non-commissioned officer and one of the best subordinate leaders for arousing loyal service. Another good citizen made—or at least saved from the hell he was driving into. If he survived the war he is to-day proud of the service he once hated for its injustice—and some day no doubt he will be championing his major for mayor of the city.
Proprietorship and Self-Expression.—Other strong instincts which the leader should take advantage of are those of proprietorship and of self-expression. To get the full benefit of his instinctto do his work well, the man should be made to feel that he has a personal interest in this job that he is doing, and that in actually doing it he is using his own skill, resourcefulness and inventiveness. So the leader watches for the chance, and drops a remark to show that he sees how well the man has done some step he has taken, and no harm if others overhear the remark! The leader is equally careful to speak of it as Smith's job, to praise the waySmithhandled it, to commend the excellent condition of Smith's tools, and thus by rewarding Smith's little success and making it appear to be the result of his individual work on his own job withhis own machineor tools, he encourages in all the feeling that each is doing his own work in his own way and will get credit accordingly.
It is also well to remember that these same constructive instincts in the men have another meaning for you as their leader. They will cause the men to resent it when they find themselves doing useless work, wasting energy and even approaching failure as a result of your poor judgment, hesitation in making decisions, and blundering through lack of forethought. This makes you see the necessity for knowing your job, and carefully preparing yourself to handle its details.
Knowing the Purpose of Work.—Human naturedemands that before men can put their best efforts into work they must know the object of it. Purpose is the big guiding motive in all life, and we are so made that we seek for the purpose in all our efforts, and finding it and believing in it, we naturally give it our best endeavors. It is stated that one of the three greatest faults in handling labor to-day is the fact that the men do not know what they are doing, or why. Yet it is plain that a man must have some interest in his task before he can put much heart or intelligence into it. It is quite possible in assigning a task to make sure that the man understands the object of it, what part it is and its importance in the general work of the team. Then no matter how prosaic this part may be, as the man works he may build a mental picture of the completed whole, see his part fitting into it, and employ his constructive instincts in making his part perfect. Meanwhile, the necessity of thus clearly defining the object of the work to the man reacts advantageously on the leader. It requires him to have a clear conception of this object, and thus enables him to hew truer to the line in carrying on the work.
To illustrate the value of knowing why, imagine two men each for a different day carrying buckets of water from a stream to dump into a tank on anear hilltop. One knows that every drop of this water is precious for the necessary irrigation of a garden he can see beyond the hill; the other has no idea why the water is carried—someone may be trying to dry up the stream for all he knows. Not only would the former carry more water, but he would take more pleasure in his work and be trying to invent some means for increasing the amount transported; and when night came he would be far less tired. This illustrates a truth which applies to all human activities, and it is the leader's job to take advantage of it for the good effect it will have on his men and on the work to be accomplished.
In starting any new work, new undertaking, or new policy, the one most efficient thing to do is to assemble the whole group of men concerned and explain to them what you and they together are going to try to do; how they are organized for it, and the part each is to take; and finally such a picture of the whole to be accomplished as may serve as an inspiration, or at least appeal to their reason. Do not let it ever be said of your men that they are working in ignorance of what they are trying to do, and thus debarred from putting intelligent interest and co-operation into their respective parts.
Relationship Between Leader and Men.—The relationship which should exist between the leaderand his men is a difficult thing to explain accurately. It depends largely on the leader's personality, and accordingly each must work this out for himself. This is almost always a matter of difficulty and embarrassment for beginners, who are apt to go to an unhappy extreme either in surrounding themselves with an atmosphere of isolation and autocracy or in showing too much familiarity and even frivolity. Let them first remember that the leader is not an autocrat or dictator, but the foremost of his companions. This position puts responsibility and authority in his hands, and a certain restraint on the perfect freedom of his relations with the others. He may still be called by his first name in perfect good fellowship; may be even affectionately nick-named; may and should be in relations of mutual and absolutely impartial friendship and confidence with his men; yet there must remain in reserve a something of superiority and true dignity which they recognize and which makes it natural for them to respect him and obey his instructions. He may be intimate, but must not be familiar. He should be courteous and thoughtful for their interests, but must never be patronizing.
You will notice if you take pains to observe, that a real gentleman or lady is always courteous to those in subordinate positions. The real superiorhas no anxiety about his prestige and is quietly at ease in dealing with subordinates. Those who bully them are thus showing that they have not had long experience in exercising authority. The true spirit of America believes in the dignity of labor. Our nation was built in the actual sweat of our forebears, who hewed the forests and tilled the soil with their own hands and did not attempt to enslave the labor of the natives as did the pioneers who colonized the countries further south. That spirit survives and makes it natural for us to respect those who do their parts well in whatever activity fortune has placed them. So the leader and his men, the employer and the laborer, are all companions in labor, and each shows respect for the ability and accomplishment of the other.
That is the spirit of the relationship between leader and men by which he is to regulate his conduct. You can see how this spirit is sure to be offended by anything like patronizing or exhibitions of either pompous authority or childish familiarity. Both men and leader are each entitled to the serious consideration of the other, and to respect in direct proportion to the ability each shows in performing his own part on the team; and each will be judged by this test. As an officer in one of the new war organizations put it to his men in explaining thespirit he sought in training, "We are all on the same team. It happens that I am in the pitcher's box now, but some day each one of us will have to come to the bat."
Reception of New Men.—The ultimate success of a new man joining an outfit depends of course on the real stuff that is in him. But much can be done to hasten this success. It has been the practice of the ages to haze the newcomer, and thus bring out this real stuff if it is there. But this is not approved in modern practice, which aims to get good results quicker through encouragement and by showing him how rather than baffing him on the head with a marlin spike for not knowing. Both schools of training have their adherents, and youth—excepting the hazee—is generally in favor of hazing. There is something to be said in favor of enough judicious hazing to remove any tendencies toward "freshness" which might interfere with the new man's progress, and enough to implant in him an appreciation of the seriousness of life where that is lacking. But the difficulty is to make the hazing judicious—to avoid overdoing it, or doing it where not needed.
So this becomes another care for the leader, who must see that each new man gets the right start if possible. You can be sure that most new men wantto make good. Encourage them along that line and try to prevent the occurrence of anything which will switch them to the other track. To most of them an early exhibition of your friendly personal interest in how they are coming on will be a great help and incentive to better work. There will be many things that they do not understand, and some real or fancied troubles. This is your chance to establish a relation of confidence in which they form the habit of bringing these troubles to you for solution, instead of letting them rankle in their minds and act as deterrents to the good impulses for work. This gives you many opportunities for improving the group spirit and may some day be the means of clearing up real grievances which might otherwise lead to serious trouble.
The man's future depends largely on the start he gets, on his first impressions of the spirit and policies of the outfit, and on the habits he personally forms. The smarter he finds the outfit to be, the more pride he will take in belonging to it. The closer attention he is forced to give to the exact performance of little details the sooner he will get the habit of doing things exactly right, and the sooner he will become a helpful member of the team. You can teach new tricks to new men much more easily than you can to old ones, whose well-formed habits you must break before you can implant the new ones. New men are a valuable asset to a live leader, for he can come nearer making them the kind of men he wants.
Take Time to Hear Men.—The leader must have time to listen to his men. He must not be too busy to take up this matter or that which anyone of them may properly bring to him for consideration. It is easy to look important and say "I haven't got time," but each time the leader does it he drives one more nail in the coffin of the team spirit whose life he should really be cherishing. The chances are that he declines the interview because he fears that he does not know the answer. But it is far better to take that chance, make the man feel that he was right in coming to you, and listen to his proposition, even if in the end you have to admit that you do not know. You must "have time," if you want the loyal co-operation of your subordinates. I know an officer who took charge of and straightened out a tangled organization in Paris, and the first thing he did was to tack outside his office door, "I have got time to hear you." It is much harder to get your subordinates to give you the frank timely expressions you need, than it is to avoid being bothered by too many of them.
The busiest leader can and should so arrange hisaffairs and his policy that every subordinate may know that he may personally see the chief if the occasion warrants. In the midst of all the cares of building the Panama Canal, General Goethals still set aside one morning each week for his men; and among all those thousands of employees every Jamaican and Hottentot had the comfort during the week of knowing he could see the big boss in person on Sunday. His gang boss also knew that the Hottentot could go to see the general, which had a salutary effect on his methods—so in the end not so many actually went after all. Let everyone know that anyone having troubles is to bring them direct to you and the troubles will rapidly diminish, and your time be well repaid in added efficiency.
Talking to Men.—There is much for the leader to consider in the matter of talking to his subordinates. He may not talk enough, or he may talk too much. He must explain to all the object, organization, and policy of any new undertaking. He thus gets better results and saves a lot of talking later. On the other hand a reputation for constantly "sounding off" as they say on the street and especially for preaching, would practically ruin him. A leader should observe the rule not to talk unless he has something worth saying, and thatnothing is worth saying unless it is worth being listened to.The habit of talking without demanding the close attention of those supposed to be interested is bad business, and makes trouble and misunderstandings later. Yet many leaders are guilty of it, and expect to repeat their instructions over and over before they are understood. This is partly their fault and partly that of the listeners—but the leaders are responsible for both. In the first place the leader must talk directly to the point. If he has not this ability, he must self train in it, which he may daily do to advantage, both at home and abroad. Let him first think what he has to say, even exactly how he is going to say it—then say itand stop. He will not talk as much, but it will go farther. There are many men so unaccustomed to saying things which really count, that they become embarrassed and confused when they find themselves the object of close attention. Yet the leader must meet this, for holding the close attention of the men is the second and equally important part of his responsibility in talking successfully.
Demanding Attention of All.—When you have anything to say, to one man or to many, get full attention first, and insist on having it while you are talking. We so often see the impossible situation of a leader making remarks which he considers important and the men of his group plainly giving attention to other matters, even engaging in side conversations. When you have to talk to a number of men, call them all about you, in front of you where you can see all their faces, and as near you as practicable so you may speak if possible in a conversational tone. You will have to give this constant attention, for the devil prompts some men always to slip around behind you, while others always take the most distant seats and await the Biblical invitation to come forward. With the men thus before you, you can now make sure that your points tell. If an interruption occurs, immediately stop talking until all can give attention again. If your remarks are for everybody, everybody should hear them, andyouare responsible that they do. Make that a rule, stick to it yourself, and you should have no trouble.
Talking to Individuals.—In talking to an individual, try to be so clear and definite that you will not have to repeat, and let it be understood that you expect such attention from him that repetition will not be necessary. Of course, you sometimes have to deal with a mind so untrained in concentration that it cannot take things in and retain them, and you will have to be patient in making yourself understood. The meanest type of mind is that which keeps thinking, while you are talking, of what itis going to say when it gets a chance, and gives your remarks just enough attention to note when a pause comes so it may begin to talk. This kind of man is a curse in any walk of life, and not to be tolerated in business. The art of listening is a valuable one. Everyone should cultivate the habit of concentrated attention to what is being said, if it means anything to him. It is particularly valuable in receiving instructions, and promotion is more likely to come to one of whom his superior can report that "He gives his full attention when you tell him anything, and you never have to repeat."
Example Better Than Talk.—In the line of not talking too much, it is well to remember that American spirit is not aroused by Napoleonic addresses before the fight. If the leader wants keenness and enthusiasm in doing a piece of work, he arouses them rather by example than by words. It is here that actions speak louder than words. You cannot put your men "on their toes" by telling them that you want them there. You must bring the "follow me" spirit to the work, and put so much cheerful energy and vitality into it that your spirit is contagious. By keen direction, happy suggestion, possibly a bit of competition, and most of all by example you put your men on their toes unconsciously, and hold them there till the task is done. Then youmay all talk about how good it was, and share the credit.
Proper Subjects for Talk.—On the other hand there are things that you must talk about. Your subordinates must understand your methods and policies, for you want their co-operation in carrying them out. Remember that while you are dealing with intelligent men, they still are not wizards to be able to divine your thoughts. So do not assume a manner of aloofness and superiority, or wrap yourself and the work in an atmosphere of mystery. Explain in frank, homely, man-to-man talks what you are getting at and how you intend to get at it. The atmosphere you want is one of mutual understanding and confidence. You get it, however, not by saying you have it, but by showing that you have it in the way you treat the men.
Another subject for you to explain is the spirit of discipline, its objects and its necessity. Many men have never thought about it, never realized the necessity for obedience and the advantages of cheerful obedience, never heard of teamwork or thought of loyalty to comrades. As occasions arise you can explain these things in a way to make them interesting and very real influences on the men's conduct. In this way you may do much toward building up the group spirit you want. In a givencase of violation of rules or dereliction of duty it is often possible to explain to all your men how this offense damages the discipline and reputation of the group, and thus get better results than you would from inflicting punishment.
You should also take occasion from time to time to explain the affairs of the larger organization, to tell the men what it is trying to do and how it is getting on with it. Tell them anything to increase their knowledge of the whole scheme and their interest in its success, for both these add to loyalty and morale. You want the men to have the stimulation that comes from a live interest in the general result, so keep "the cards on the table," and make the men participants with you in the developments of the work. We Americans are all "from Missouri," and need to be shown. But when we once understand what is wanted, we jump in heartily and put it over.
Talks by the Big Chief.—The head of any organization will get far better results if he will make occasions for assembling all his subordinate leaders in a body and talking to them of his policies, his plans, and of how things are going in general. The day has passed when the source of authority is supposed to be clothed in awe-inspiring majesty, whence issue commands for servile obedience. That chiefwho denies close relationship to his subordinate leaders, who does not take them into his confidence and let them know his plans and how he proposes to carry them out, creates to-day the suspicion either that he is not sure of himself in his job or that his plans and purposes will not bear the light. The big man does not fear close scrutiny and does seek co-operation and suggestion. The successful business head to-day makes himself the captain of a team whose members co-operate intelligently for the team's success. For this purpose he brings them together in a body where shoulder to shoulder they feel their comradeship in a common cause; where they all get the inspiration of their captain's personal leadership, and absorb enthusiasm from his personal presentation of his hopes and plans. All are thus filled with a common purpose and return to their tasks each better fitted and more highly determined to play his part to the best advantage of the larger organization. Thus the most successful American commanders, like General Summerall, took time and pains to go about before a battle and explain in person to assembled groups of their commands the general plan of the coming action and the exact part this particular group was to play. There was no effort at oratorical appeal to passion or patriotism, simply a recognition of the American's ability and willingness to do his full part if he only knows what it is. It never failed to work, and it will work as well in civil affairs.
Mutual Acquaintance Among Subordinates.—Another important thing is to get these subordinates together in such a way that they will get to know each other personally. They are really partners in the same enterprise, and a knowledge of each other's personal equations is quite indispensable to their successful teamwork. Personal acquaintance and even better, friendship, will add tremendously to their efficiency. The various departments of an organization are more or less interdependent, and Smith will give quicker and better attention to the needs of Jones if he knows him and especially if he thinks him a good fellow. Thus in battle the covering fire of the artillery is far more efficient when its commander knows that his friend Bill is out there commanding the infantry. Therefore army control takes pains to bring those two commanders into personal relationship before the battle. So in business the head should make occasions for getting his subordinates together in friendly personal relations. They will be pleased to find that they all speak pretty much the same language, though some may not have thought so before. This closer association removes the affectation of some and the extremehumility of others, and exposes them all for what they really are, fellow members of the same purpose; equally sincere in striving for its success, and equally to be judged on their sole merits of performance. This has been tried out successfully in many industrial enterprises, with happy surprise for the holier-than-thou skeptics. It is sure to be of advantage if the management goes into it with sincerity of purpose.
Supervision of Workers.—It is plain that the leader's job is one of supervision and direction. It is his business to see that each member of the team does his part to the best advantage for the general result, and so to know the individual capacities of his men that he can assign the right man to each task. This, as in fact do all the other duties of leadership, requires him to be continually watching the individual performances of his men, commending, correcting, and co-ordinating their efforts. This forbids his actually taking part in the work himself, not because to do so would be beneath his dignity, but because to become involved in doing the actual work would distract his attention from the duties of supervision, and many things would be going on without his knowledge. If the boss shows himself anxious to use the pick or shovel, there is always some man willing to lend him thetools and watch his efforts with assumed interest. I recall the case of an officer charged with building a piece of government road in the mountains of California. No one could have been more faithful, he set a wonderful example of energy, but expended it all on personally working the road plow. Meantime the contractor was putting in blind culverts and otherwise so slighting his work that most of the road slid down the mountain that winter.
There are always some members of the team who need to be held up to their work. For the leader to allow them to "get away with it" in shirking their parts of the task, would naturally cause chagrin to the others. The leader is responsible for the spirit of teamwork, which requires that each man may feel sure that all the others are equally faithful in doing each his part, and he must therefore see to it that they are. Of course conditions may arise, as when the task is unfamiliar or peculiarly difficult, when the leader may jump in for a minute to show the men how or to set the pace—but he should never put himself in as an actual performer of the work.