“‘Who was he?’

“‘Which encyclopedia?’

“‘Where is the encyclopedia?’

“‘Was I hired for that?’

“‘Don’t you mean Bismarck?’

“‘What’s the matter with Charlie doing it?’

“‘Is he dead?’

“‘Is there any hurry?’

“‘Shan’t I bring you the book and let you look it up yourself?’

“‘What do you want to know for?’

“And I will lay you ten to one that after you have answered the questions, and explained why you want it, the clerk will go off and get one of the other clerks to help him try to find Garcia—­and then come back and tell you there is no such man.  Of course, I may lose my bet, but, according to the Law of Average, I will not.”

Now, there are many executives so constituted that they are not only willing, but glad, to explain the why and the wherefore of the orders they give.  When they give the order, they are oftentimes willing to listen to suggestions, and oftentimes to adopt them.  These are men of the deliberate, calm, reflective, rather mild type, with only a moderate development of the crown of the head which shows a love of authority.  Oftentimes, also, they are men of the erratic, impulsive type who realize their impulsiveness and are rather glad than otherwise to be picked up by queries and suggestions from their subordinates.  But for the man of the positive, incisive, decided, domineering type these questions and suggestions, this attitude which proposes that something else ought to be done, or that the thing ought to be done in “some other way,” are exasperating in the extreme.  Since this is the usual type of man to be found in industrial business, it is not strange that so many employees, perhaps efficient enough otherwise, fail to give satisfaction.  It is because they seemingly cannot overcome their itch to do the thing “some other way.”  There is the best of all psychological reasons why every employee should read and take to heart Elbert Hubband’s “Message to Garcia.”

Over and over again, young men and young women have come to us saying:  “I wish you would tell me why I cannot hold a position.  I know I do the work well enough, but, somehow or other, I seem to be unfortunate.  I have trouble with everyone I work for and cannot remain in any one position for very long.”  In practically every case the trouble has been that the young man or the young woman did not understand the simple principles of human nature.

HOW TO TAKE DISCIPLINE

Many sensitive souls do not understand that a wide-headed man of the bony and muscular type, with high, retreating forehead, prominent brows, large nose, high in the bridge, prominent teeth and mouth, and somewhat retreating chin, is intensely energetic, practical and impatient—­that he wants to see things done—­that he demands results and cannot wait for them.  He is inclined to be nervous and irritable.  When things go wrong,