第1讲 管理思维案例 A Message To Garcia

AMessageToGarciaInallthisCubanbusinessthereisonemanstandsoutonthehorizonofmymemorylikeMarsatperihelion.WhenwarbrokeoutbetweenSpainandtheUnitedStatesitwasverynecessarytocommunicatequicklywiththeleaderoftheInsurgents.GarciawassomewhereinthemountainvastnessofCuba-nooneknewwhere.Nomailnortelegraphmessagecouldreachhim.ThePresidentmustsecurehiscooperation,andquickly.Whattodo!SomeonesaidtothePresident,“There’safellowbythenameofRowanwillfindGarciaforyou,ifanybodycan.”RowanwassentforandgivenalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia.How“thefellowbythenameofRowan”tooktheletter,sealeditupinanoil-skinpouch,strappeditoverhisheart,infourdayslandedbynightoffthecoastofCubafromanopenboat,disappearedintothejungle,andinthreeweedscameoutontheothersideoftheIsland,havingtraversedahostilecountryonfoot,anddeliveredhislettertoGarcia-arethingsIhavenospecialdesirenowtotellindetail.ThepointthatIwishtomakeisthis:McKinleygaveRowanalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia;Rowantooktheletteranddidnotask:“Whereisheat?”BytheEternal!Thereisamanwhoseformshouldbecastindeathlessbronzeandthestatueplacedineverycollegeoftheland.Itisnotbook-learningyoungmenneed,norinstructionaboutthisandthat,butastiffeningofthevertebraewhichwillcausethemtobeloyaltoatrust,toactpromptly,concentratetheirenergies:dothething-“CarryamessagetoGarcia!”GeneralGarciaisdeadnow,butthereareotherGarcias.Nomanwhohasendeavoredtocarryoutanenterprisewheremanyhandswereneeded,buthasbeenwell-nighappalledattimesbytheimbecilityoftheaverageman-theinabilityorunwillingnesstoconcentrateonathinganddoit.Slipshodassistance,foolishinattention,dowdyindiffer-ence,andhalf-heartedworkseemtherule;andnomansucceeds,unlessbyhookorcrookorthreatheforcesorbribesothermentoassisthim;ormayhap,GodinHisgoodnessperformsamiracle,andsendshimanAngelofLightforanassistant.You,reader,putthismattertoatest:Youaresittingnowinyouroffice-sixclerksarewithincall.Summonanyoneandmakethisrequest:”PleaselookintheencyclopediaandmakeabriefmemorandumformeconcerningthelifeofCorreggio.”Willtheclerkquietlysay,”Yes,sir,”andgodothetask?Onyourlife,hewillnot.Hewilllookatyououtofafishyeyeandaskoneormoreofthefollowingquestions:Whowashe?Whichencyclopedia?Whereistheencyclopedia?WasIhiredforthat?Don’tyoumeanBismarck?What’sthematterwithCharliedoingit?Ishedead?Isthereanyhurry?Shan’tIbringyouthebookandletyoulookitupyourself?Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?AndIwilllayyoutentoonethatafteryouhaveansweredthequestions,andexplainedhowtofindtheinformation,andwhyyouwantit,theclerkwillgooffandgetoneoftheotherclerkstohelphimtrytofindGarcia-andthencomebackandtellyouthereisnosuchman.OfcourseImaylosemybet,butaccordingtotheLawofAverage,Iwillnot.Now,ifyouarewise,youwillnotbothertoexplaintoyour“assistant”thatCorreggioisindexedundertheC’s,notintheK’s,butyouwillsmileverysweetlyandsay,“Nevermind,”andgolookitupyourself.Andthisincapacityforindependentaction,thismoralstupidity,thisinfirmityofthewill,thisunwillingnesstocheerfullycatchholdandlift-thesearethethingsthatputpureSocialismsofarintothefuture.Ifmenwillnotactforthemselves,whatwilltheydowhenthebenefitoftheireffortisforall?Afirst-matewithknottedclubseemsnecessary;andthedreadofgetting“thebounce”Saturdaynightholdsmanyaworkertohisplace.Advertiseforastenographer,andnineoutoftenwhoapplycanneitherspellnorpunctuate-anddonotthinkitnecessaryto.CansuchaonewritealettertoGarcia?“Youseethatbookkeeper,”saidtheforemantomeinalargefactory.“Yes,whatabouthim?”“Wellhe’safineaccountant,butifI’dsendhimuptownonanerrand,hemightaccomplishtheerrandallright,andontheotherhand,mightstopatfoursalonsontheway,andwhenhegottoMainStreetwouldforgetwhathehadbeensentfor.”CansuchamanbeentrustedtocarryamessagetoGarcia?“Wehaverecentlybeenhearingmuchmaudlinsympathyexpressedforthedowntroddendenizensofthesweat-shop”andthe“homelesswanderersearchingforhonestemploy-ment,”“andwithitalloftengomanyhardwordsforthemeninpower.”Nothingissaidabouttheemployerwhogrowsoldbeforehistimeinavainattempttogetfrowsyne’er-do-wellstodointelligentwork;andhislong,patientstrivingafter“help”thatdoesnothingbutloafwhenhisbackisturned.Ineverystoreandfactorythereisaconstantweeding-outprocessgoingon.Theemployerisconstantlysendingaway“help”thathaveshowntheirincapacitytofurthertheinterestsofthebusiness,andothersarebeingtakenon.Nomatterhowgoodtimesare,thissortingcontinues:only,iftimesarehardandworkisscarce,thesortingisdonefiner-butoutandforeverouttheincompetentandunworthygo.Itisthesurvivalofthefittest.Self-interestpromptseveryemployertokeepthebest-thosewhocancarryamessagetoGarcia.Iknowonemanofreallybrilliantpartswhohasnottheabilitytomanageabusinessofhisown,andyetwhoisabsolutelyworthlesstoanyoneelse,becausehecarrieswithhimconstantlytheinsanesuspicionthathisemployerisoppressing,orintendingtooppress,him.Hecannotgiveorders;andhewillnotreceivethem.ShouldamessagebegivenhimtotaketoGarcia,hisanswerwouldprobablybe,“Takeityourself!”Tonightthismanwalksthestreetslookingforwork,thewindwhistlingthroughhisthreadbarecoat.Noonewhoknowshimdareemployhim,forheisaregularfirebrandofdiscontent.Heisimpervioustoreason,andtheonlythingthatcanimpresshimisthetoeofathick-soledNumberNineboot.OfcourseIknowthatonesomorallydeformedisnolesstobepitiedthanaphysicalcripple;butinourpitying,letusdropatear,too,forthemenwhoarestrivingtocarryonagreatenterprise,whoseworkinghoursarenotlimitedbythewhistle,andwhosehairisfastturningwhitethroughthestruggletoholdinlinedowdyindifference,slipshodimbecility,andtheheartlessingratitudewhich,butfortheirenterprise,wouldbebothhungryandhomeless.HaveIputthemattertoostrongly?PossiblyIhave;butwhenalltheworldhasgonea-slummingIwishtospeakawordofsympathyforthemanwhosucceeds-themanwho,againstgreatodds,hasdirectedtheeffortsofothers,andhavingsucceeded,findsthere’snothinginit:nothingbutbareboardandclothes.Ihavecarriedadinnerpailandworkedforday’swages,andIhavealsobeenanemployeroflabor,andIknowthereissomethingtobesaidonbothsides.Thereisnoexcellence,perse,inpoverty;ragsarenorecommendation;andallemployersarenotrapaciousandhigh-handed,anymorethanallpoormenarevirtuous.Myheartgoesouttothemanwhodoeshisworkwhenthe“boss”isaway,aswellaswhenheisathome.Andthemanwho,whengivenaletterforGarcia,quietlytakesthemissive,withoutaskinganyidioticquestions,andwithnolurkingintentionofchuckingitintothenearestsewer,orofdoingaughtelsebutdeliverit,nevergets“laidoff”norhastogoonastrikeforhigherwages.Civilizationisonelonganxioussearchforjustsuchindividuals.Anythingsuchamanasksshallbegranted.Heiswantedineverycity,townandvillage-ineveryoffice,shop,storeandfactory.Theworldcriesoutforsuch:heisneededandneededbadly-themanwhocan“CarryaMessagetoGarcia”.SowhowillsendalettertoGarcia?ElbertHubbard1899