Fundamentals of business

Front matter

JACKSON AND CODY oooi?a2 3 c JOS

COPYRIGHT DEPOSm

By WILLIAM MARVIN JACKSON

Preface

This book has been written by one who knows better how a business man would train a young employee than perhaps any one else in the United States. Not only has every detail of the subject been studied with the greatest care over a period of years, but Mr. Jackson has been actually successful to an unusual degree in the spirit of his appeal to young office workers, especially boys and young men, but the talks are just as applicable to girls who may become private secretaries, since they are really assistant executives. The “Talks by the Morale Officer” are actual talks reduced to writing, and they reach the heart of the young worker. Any one who reads them aloud in a sympathetic tone of voice cannot help feeling the force of their inspiration.

The material in this book was first worked out for the Office Boys’ Training School at the Boys’ Club (New York City), and as director of the Boys’ Employment Department of the West Side Y. M. C. A. (New York) Mr. Jackson had opportunity to confirm his observations. Then as educational director of the National City Bank (the largest national bank in America, and known as perhaps the best organized institution of the kind) and later employment and personnel manager, he had opportunity to apply these principles more widely, and found that they were just as useful to girls who are entering business and who ought to learn to assume more responsibility if they wish to get ahead. The chief handicap of women in business has undoubtedly been their own mental backwardness in thinking that they are capable of being executives, whereas all boys instinctively conceive them¬ selves as potential presidents of corporations. The very essence of a good private secretary is to be capable of taking the place

and doing much of the work of a higher executive. Girls and c.

IV

PREFACE women make the best private secretaries in the world, and what they need for success in this secretarial work is training in being potential executives, just the same as the boys. They need to get around to see things and learn how business is done. Boys need this training badly—they seldom get it in the systematic fashion Mr. Jackson here outlines. But girls who ought to become private secretaries need it just as much, I am almost tempted to say more.

Mr. Jackson says: “It was as Educational Director of the National City Bank of New York that I had the best opportunity to observe at first hand the effectiveness of practical training and instruction as applied to the young workers, both boys and girls. About one hundred and fifty boys and young men under twenty were given daily instruction in the things which would make them most useful in their daily work and prepare them for execu¬ tive positions of importance in the future. Every one agreed that the efficiency of these employees was decidedly improved, and the subsequent progress of these ‘students’ is irrefutable evidence of the efficacy of a program of this kind. This specialized instruc¬ tion was not confined, however, to the younger employees—over six hundred employees of all ages took part in the educational program with credit to themselves and to the institution. Each year this number has steadily increased, until to-day I understand that over one thousand employees are enrolled in the educational and training classes.

“While the wisdom and foresight of Mr. Frank A. Vanderlip, former president of the bank, made the development of this great practical training work possible, credit for the greater part of the planning and work of organization is due to Mr. F. C. Schwedtman, one of the vice presidents. My sincere thanks are due especially to the following assistance in preparing the lessons indicated:

Mr. J. A. Sanders, of Dallas, Tex.—Real Estate;

Mr. E. C. Van Dyke, of New York—Railroad Information;

Mr. W. F. Schmidt, of New York—Telephone Information;

Miss Florence Rollins, of New York—Filing.”

Sherwin Cody,

Contents

CHAPTER page

I. To the Student. 7

Talk No. i by the Morale Officer on Ordinary

CHAPTER I To the Student

Making good in this world is a matter of self-help—it depends upon one’s capacity to manage his affairs, to look out for his daily living, to be able to take care of himself at all times and under all circumstances. From fourteen years of age on, each person is largely responsible to himself for his conduct in life.

Heretofore others have had more to do with your life than you have, others have had more to say about your actions than you. But from now on, to a large extent you will have control of your own life. If you get along well it will be because you so direct it. If you do not make progress, you alone will be to blame. Don’t imagine that luck, or lack of opportunities, or bad surround¬ ings have anything to do with whether or not you succeed. There may be obstacles for you to overcome, but remember this: nothing can keep the right kind of man or woman down. Nothing can keep any one with grit from pulling through. Nothing can keep any one who has stuff in him from making a name for himself.

From now on it is strictly up to you to acquire knowledge and learn how to do things by yourself. If you will not make yourself learn, no one will. If you will not so order your life that from this day on you steadily climb up the ladder of success, no one can make you. Now is the time, therefore, that you should begin to cultivate “self-help.”

In taking the course offered in this book you are given ample opportunity to develop this important capacity, to show that you know how to do things on your own initiative. Some young people have been so used to having everything planned for them, so used to having their problems solved for them that they feel

lost the moment they are left to take care of themselves. While

*

taking this course each student is largely his own master. He must solve his own problems and keep himself at work. Of course, you must be given instruction in telephoning, switchboard operating, and the like, by those in business who know more about it than you do, but as far as practicable each student will be left to work out his own salvation. In taking this course you can turn yourself loose completely, you can do your very best without the least hindrance. You are urged to learn all you can, and do your own thinking and planning. Many young people do not do much thinking. They are used to letting their minds wander. They do not know how to see ahead—to plan. The purpose of this course is to help you to learn how to think and how to plan, to develop originality and initiative, to help you develop those qualities which are absolutely necessary to make good in a job and rise to an important executive position.

In developing self-help, thoroughness is essential. Carelessness, indifference, half-heartedness breed failure, breed incapacity for taking care of one’s self. Here is one rule that you must follow if this course is to do you any good: Don’t pass over a single lesson without understanding it thoroughly. It is better to take one day’s work and master it than to get over several days’ lessons in a slipshod manner.

Skimming over things is a result of a lack of self-control. Of course every one thinks that he is master of himself. But if a student is not thorough, if he is shallow, if he lets things get by him without understanding them, something is bound to be wrong —that student shows an inability to take care of himself. If there is one quality that is more important than the others in making good in the business world it is thoroughness. The care¬ ful, painstaking, accurate worker is bound to make good. The inaccurate, careless worker who lets things get by him without understanding them is destined to fail.

Endeavor to put your whole heart into the study of these lessons

TO THE STUDENT and into the doing of the exercises. You will doubtless find the

course different from any you have heretofore had, and for that

reason interesting, at first. Do not let your interest wane. There will be every opportunity for the display of initiative and orig¬ inality—two important business traits. Thus you will have an opportunity even now to begin to form an estimate of your ability to make good in business, of your likelihood of success in the business world. Should it happen that you do not intend entering business or following a business or professional career, you will

find that every lesson will prove helpful sooner or later, anyway.

Do not think, therefore, that you will derive no benefit from these lessons.

Another thing: Do not think that any of the facts, or sugges¬ tions, or hints are too small or trivial. The knowledge and mas¬ tery of these “little things,” and many others not mentioned, is essential if you desire to get the right start.

The Business Notebook

The course outlined in this book will require many visits to business offices, banks, etc., for the purpose of seeing how things look and how business is carried on. Many persons go on visits of that sort and come back without remembering much, if any¬ thing, of what they have seen.

There is just one way in which this new sort of study can be made a success, and that is by keeping a business notebook.

The ordinary stenographer’s notebook open at the end will do very well, if nothing more permanent is available. These note¬ books may be had almost anywhere for ten cents.

Before a trip is undertaken the observer should know just what he is expected to look for. Each question should be written in the notebook with a space of two or three lines after it in which notes may be made of what is observed.

Notes made on a trip are usually brief and imperfect. It is very desirable that they should be written up properly in a dupli¬ cate notebook for permanent reference. It is desirable, therefore, that each student have two notebooks, a small one for rough notes made on trips, and a larger one for permanent notes, to be kept as a reference book. With this permanent book it will be possible to go back and review the work, and even when one gets a position in a business office it may be useful to be able to refer to some¬ thing in that notebook. It should, therefore, be written so that its meaning will always be clear and complete.

Every notebook should have the name and home address of the owner written on the first page, near the top.

Below this should be the date at which the notebook is begun.

On a third line should be written the general subject to which the notebook is devoted.

Each new subject should be written at the head of a fresh page, and should be underscored. This will make it easy at a later time to look through the notebook and find what is wanted. Each question written down should be numbered.

Organization of a Local Business Study Club

Much of the work in this course could be carried out more suc¬ cessfully with the help of other students interested in the same topics. Two or three persons can work together to advantage, and a club group of as many as twenty-five would bring inspiration and personal interest into the work.

Some member of this group who is a good reader can read aloud the Talks of the Morale Officer. (You remember it was the Morale Officer in the army who went around and gave in¬ spirational talks to the men to keep up their spirits when they were far from home, and encourage them to fight with the spirit of real men.)

The cooperation of two or three persons (who of course may be simply members of one’s own family) is particularly useful in the exercises on speaking, telephoning, meeting callers, etc.

Every business house has the equipment of telephones, adding machines, typewriters, etc., which are not used before nine in the morning or after five at night, and which will be loaned to ambi-

ORDINARY OR EXTRAORDINARY ii

tious students who wish them for practice. In some cases this must be done under the supervision of some responsible em¬ ployee of the house, and in that case it will seem better worth taking the trouble for several than for one alone. In other cases the future young executives will be given free permission to use the business equipment, since there will be full confidence that they will not abuse the privilege.

In all cases where the use of business equipment of any kind is loaned after office hours, a sense of decency will cause those who benefit from this favor to disturb desks, chairs, and other furniture as little as possible, to replace papers and other articles in exactly the position in which they were found, and make no litter on the floor after the janitor has cleaned it up. And all courtesies may be paid for at least by return courtesies. This is due to all employers who are willing to cooperate.

TALK No. i by the Morale Officer on Ordinary or Extraordinary

Nearly every young person wants to be more than ordinary. In fact, most young people think that they are more than ordinary. Each one has a kind of self-esteem which makes him more or less satisfied with himself and causes him to think well of his present status and future possibilities. As a result, without good reason many persons become self-satisfied. And in spite of poor progress, in spite of poor standing as compared with others, they cling to the notion that somehow or other they will come out all right some day. The thought is, “I may not seem to he ambitious, or I may not have a good education (and I really don’t think I need it), but I’m all right and I’ll probably surprise people some day. If I have good luck I’ll come out pretty well—well enough to suit me, anyway.” And thus they hypnotize themselves into a state which makes it practically impossible for them to be able

1. To take advice;

2. To judge themselves properly;

3. To see the necessity for action.

Such young people have fixed for themselves ordinary places in life. They have determined that they will be just the common, ordinary kind. About the only place where they will ever accom¬ plish anything will be in their imagination. Now, imagination is a good thing. But vivid imagination without some ability to execute is worthless. It is well nigh useless for one to imagine that some day he is going to get somewhere, unless he begins at once to see the visible results of his efforts, unless he is able to point out each day something done, something accomplished.

It is the ordinary person who in business or in school is contented to work along in a half-hearted, careless manner and deceive him¬ self with the belief that something will happen, something will turn up which will give him a better place, which will pick him up and place him on a higher rung of the ladder of success. It is the ordinary person who does not think to stop occasionally to see if he is getting somewhere, who is not constantly thinking of learning and making progress, who knows not the joy that comes from the knowledge that he is getting ahead.

Why is it some young people are content to be ordinary? Why is it they have no desire to forge ahead and grasp the big things which are surely awaiting them if they will but “get a move on” themselves, to use an expressive slang phrase? Why is it some people live only for the present, think never of the morrow, view themselves with entire satisfaction and never feel strong impulses surging within their souls to be up and about? Why is it that the great world, with its millions of successful, happy people, has no call for them, issues no challenge to their latent ambition and energies ? And then, why is it that others are always wide-awake, full of energy, anxious to learn, willing to work, happy to accom¬ plish—are steady and sure in their progress? There is no great difference in the amount of sense that people have. There is really no very great difference in natural powers or gifts. One person has about as much natural-born sense as another. Where, then, does the difference come in? What makes young men and women at the age of seventeen to twenty, say, so different? The

ORDINARY OR EXTRAORDINARY 13

difference lies in the use one makes of his native ability. The difference lies in a young person’s inclination to make use of his mind, in his willingness to use his powers, and in his anxiety to improve himself in every possible way.

After a certain age every one has his future almost entirely in his own hands. He has his making or his undoing in his own grasp. He can do with himself as he pleases. He is master of his actions, and hence absolutely responsible for what he does.

If he begins to climb, if he so orders his life that he begins to increase in knowledge and improve his natural abilities, if he learns to choose the right paths, to form strong helpful friendships, if he lives a clean life, if he lives unselfishly, if he gathers strength as he goes and gains the confidence of all who know him, it is be¬ cause he so wills it. It is because he desires to be not the ordinary but the extraordinary type.

But on the other hand, if he fails to take himself in hand, if he takes a loose grip of himself and goes out for immediate pleasures, disregarding the higher, the more helpful and lasting things, if he begins to step downward, to show weakness instead of strength, it is because he so orders it, it is because he wills it. He is a self-made failure.

Every self-made failure has a hundred explanations and excuses to give for his failure. Rarely will a man who has failed acknowl¬ edge that it is all his own fault. As a rule he will talk about hard luck and no chance, and he will never see that he is directly the cause of his own doom, that years before he sentenced himself to such a fate.

We cannot all be presidents, but we can all fill as big jobs as we fit ourselves for. I have had people say to me, “Don’t make young men and women discontented by advising them to try to be great or famous. Encourage them to be good plumbers and good clerks: these are honorable callings and good men are needed in them.”

But let me tell you something: such positions are indeed honor¬ able, and men are needed in them, but there is more room higher up. There’s a greater demand for good office managers, and good bank presidents, than there is for good clerks. The danger lies not in aspiring too high. The shame is that more employees are not aspiring higher.

The crying need of our nation to-day is men and women of unusual ability, of more than ordinary mold, of strength and power; men and women of action, of big ambitions, with vision, with almighty desires to climb as high as persistent, intelligent effort will take them. Don’t be afraid of aspiring too high. Don’t let the thought of failure scare you. Reach up as high as you can and pull with all your might.

CHAPTER II Learning to Speak Distinctly

While no one can tolerate a “loud-mouth,” every one when talking to his employer or fellow workers should endeavor to make himself well understood. Distinct tones show self-con¬ fidence; mumbling words show lack of self-confidence and breed distrust in the listener.

It is surprising that most people grow up without ever giving any thought to the effect that their manner of speech has upon their hearers. And yet most people use their vocal organs more than any other part of their body. Most of us say thousands of words every day, little realizing that what we say and how we say it has a very great deal to do with our progress and success, has more to do with what people think of us than anything else.

If you want to realize, therefore, the best that’s in you, begin to-day to learn the proper use of that wonderful instrument, your voice. You are used to hearing yourself talk. It sounds perfectly natural to you. “Surely,” you think, “there can be nothing wrong with the way I talk.” Don’t make that mistake. Don’t be too sure of it.

Employment managers, when asked “What is the first thing you notice about an applicant? What one thing is there which more than anything else enables you to decide whether you want a particular applicant?” will nearly always say immediately, “The way he talks,”—not so much what he says, as the way he says it, whether clearly and distinctly, or indistinctly and in a mumbling tone.

All of us have noticed the vast difference in people’s ability to sing. We absolutely forget or fail to notice the great difference in talking ability. And just as the singer whose voice is the

IS

I most highly trained will usually be the most successful, so in business the ability to use one’s voice properly, in conversation plays no small part in one’s success.

Now let us analyze briefly why so many young people fail to make themselves understood when reciting, applying fon a posi¬ tion, or talking to the “boss.”

One reason is timidity. Under the circumstances just men¬ tioned a boy (and even more a girl) is often afraid. His words seem to stick to his tongue—he just can’t turn them loose.

Another reason is poor judgment. He really doesn’t know that he is not talking loudly enough. He perhaps imagines that by speaking very quietly he will make a good impression,' but he very often overdoes it.

A third reason is this: Many applicants who lack ambition and push, who do not know what it is to put their whole energy into living and making good, are unable to speak distinctly be¬ cause they lack self-confidence. There seems to be a feeling of guilt or self-condemnation, mixed with sullenness, which prevents their being able to speak up when under the eye of the teacher or of a prospective employer.

Even those who are not affected by timidity, or poor judgment, or lack of ambition often have peculiarities in their speech which make it practically impossible for them to make themselves un¬ derstood without having to repeat a great deal.

It is very hard to criticize one’s self fairly with reference to many things; but it is particularly difficult for one to realize the weaknesses of his speech, of his manner of pronouncing his words. Bad habits of speaking and enunciating are the easiest to slip into but the hardest to get out of.

It should be the ambition of every one who hopes for success to be able to talk properly, that is, distinctly, clearly, and with well rounded tones. When should one begin? Now—to-day. Will it be easy to improve? No. Will improvement come quickly? No. It will take patience, persistence, and above all the cultivation of the ability to listen to one’s self and to compare one’s talk with that of other people. This is not the sort of thing that will appeal

LEARNING TO SPEAK DISTINCTLY to the ordinary person. But in order to make good in this world it is often, yes, very often, necessary for us to attend to things that don’t appeal to us.

Assume that you can improve your speech. The assumption will doubtless be correct in spite of the fact that you have never thought of it before, in spite of the fact that heretofore you have assumed that you talked as clearly and as distinctly as anybody.

Begin to listen to yourself as you talk. Listen through your external ears. As a rule we listen to ourselves through our heads and through the ears of our mind. We know what we are saying without actually listening to it. Go off by yourself and talk in your natural way and see how it sounds. Then listen to other people. Compare their manner of saying things with yours. Make note of any peculiarities.

Perhaps it would be well to begin with your name. Most people, including grown-ups, rarely pronounce their own names distinctly. They know it so well themselves they assume that it is easy for every one else to catch it. If your name is Elbert Robinson, don’t come down strong on “El” and “Rob” and slur over the rest of it. People won’t get it. Just this thing happens thousands of times every day.

A teacher in a commercial school who had noted this peculiarity gave a demonstration to illustrate how carelessly people pronounce their names. He had twenty students stand up and give their names. Then he asked the members of the class to tell how many names they had understood. The highest number that any student gave was eight. All the members of the class seemed to have names of one syllable.

The most common fault of speech is mumbling—that is, trying to talk without moving the lips sufficiently. Limber up your lips. Don’t be afraid to move them freely. Don’t let them get stiff from misuse.

There may be plenty of lip movement and yet no roundness of tone. The words sound flat. We all know how different our voice sounds when we talk through a pipe or with our head in a barrel. Well, every student who has studied physiology knows i8 that there are what are called nasal cavities in the head. They are almost like a series of pipes, while the mouth is a sort of barrel —which simply means that if we try we can make our words sound full and resonant without putting our mouths to a pipe or our heads in a barrel. Try it. Get off by yourself and learn how to use these cavities in giving a full, ringing sound to your words.

In this connection, however, be careful that you do not talk through your nose. Keep your lips moving freely, use plenty of breath, and don’t be afraid to open your mouth. A person who talks through his nose usually holds his jaw stiff. Practice opening your mouth wide. Some of you will discover that it actually hurts to move your jaw up and down a few times in succession.

It is not the purpose of this lesson to go into a technical dis¬ cussion of the various methods used by voice specialists to teach their pupils how to use their vocal chords properly, how to make every effort produce the proper sound. The preceding paragraphs give a few hints and suggestions of which the student should make the best possible use. It would be well, however, for the student to practice the various sounds and combinations of sounds contained in the alphabet. If you watch closely you will be sur¬ prised to note how the position of your lips and tongue changes. No two letters or sounds can be pronounced correctly and dis¬ tinctly with the lips or tongue in the same position. Yet in actual conversation many people try to do this. They try to say “a” with their lips fixed for “e”; or “m” when they are ready for “n” and so on. Remember that every word, if spoken properly, requires a change—requires effort.

Take the following sentences, for example. Say them aloud distinctly, and notice how hard your lips and tongue have to work.

I came to apply for the position advertised.

The advertisement appeared in this morning’s paper.

I am attending night school.

My name is Henderson Robinson.

I realize the need of an education.

Upon my next birthday I’ll be seventeen.

LEARNING TO SPEAK DISTINCTLY

It would be a good idea to read aloud several paragraphs every day just for the purpose of noticing the various sounds and the various formations of the mouth, lips, and tongue necessary to pronounce distinctly. This will help you form the habit of enunciating clearly in your conversation.

Try at once to break yourself of the habit of “chopping off” your words. People not only do this with their names but with a hundred other common words. Words ending in “ing” are probably the most poorly pronounced of all. Many boys say, “Pm goin’,” and leave off the “d” at the end of “and.” Another word often abbreviated is “you.” If you say to another person, “What did I tell you?” the last word doesn’t sound like “y-o-u,” but rather like “yuh.”

Many other similar examples could be given. But the im¬ portant thing is to make up your mind that you will not “chop off” your words, and that you will try hard to put every sound into a word that should go in it.

Don’t forget these suggestions to-day, or to-morrow, or the next day. Don’t imagine that there is nothing to it, and that there is no necessity for paying attention to this lesson. Make up your mind to learn to speak correctly and distinctly, and stay with it until you acquire the habit. Few accomplishments will help you more in life than this.