Increasing Human Efficiency in Business Part 2

For the sake of clearness, in studying acts of imitation we separate them into two cla.s.ses--_*voluntary_ imitation (also called conscious imitation) and _*instinctive_ imitation (also known as _*suggestive_ imitation).

A peculiar signature may strike my fancy so that consciously and deliberately I may try to imitate it. This is a clear case of voluntary imitation. Threading crowded city streets, I see a man crossing at a particular point and voluntarily follow in his path. In learning a new skating figure I watch an expert attentively and try to repeat his perform-

ance. In writing letters or advertis.e.m.e.nts or magazine articles, I a.n.a.lyze the work of other men and consciously imitate what seems best. Or I observe a fellow-laborer working faster than I, and forthwith try to catch and hold his pace.

The contagion of yawning, on the other hand, is instinctive imitation. Also when in a crowd during the homeward evening rush, we instinctively quicken our pace though there may be no reason for hurry.

For precisely similar reasons, a "loafer"

or a careless or inefficient workman will lower the efficiency or slow up the production of the men about him, no matter how earnest or industrious their natural habits. Night work by clerks, also, is taken by some office managers to indicate a slump in industry during the day. To correct this the individuals who are drags on the organization are discovered, and either are revitalized or discharged.

_I have seen more than one machine shop where production could have been materially raised_

_by the simple expedient of weeding out the workmen who were satisfied with a mere living wage earned by piecework, thereby setting a dilatory example to the rest; and replacing them with fresh men ambitious to earn all they could, who would have been imitated by the others_.

In these instances it is a.s.sumed that the imitation is not voluntary, but that we unconsciously imitate whatever actions happen to catch our attention. For the negative action, the "slowing down" process, we have the greater affinity simply because labor or exertion is naturally distasteful. One such influence or example, therefore, may sway us more than a dozen positive impulses towards industry.

Imitation thus broadly considered is seen to be of the utmost importance in every walk of life. The greatest and most original genius is in the main a creature of imitation. By imitation he reaches the level of knowledge and skill attained by others; and upon this foundation builds his structure of original and creative thought, experiment, and achieve-

ment. Furthermore he does not imitate at random; but concentrates his activity on those things and persons in the line of his pursuits.

Among my a.s.sociates are both industrious and s.h.i.+ftless individuals. I instinctively imitate the actions of all those with whom I come in contact; but if I am sufficiently ambitious, I will consciously imitate the acts of the industrious.

This patterning after energetic models will render me more active and efficient than would have been possible for me without such examples.

_Imitation, accordingly, is an imperative factor both in self-development and in the control of groups of individuals. Knowing that I instinctively imitate all sorts of acts, I must take care that only the right sort shall catch my attention_.

And since imitation is a most effective aid in development, I must provide myself with the best models. To reduce my tendency to idleness or procrastination I must avoid the companions.h.i.+p of the s.h.i.+ftless. To acquire

ease and accuracy in the use of French, I must consort with masters of that tongue.

In handling others, the same rule holds.

_To profit from the instinctive imitation of my men, I must control their environment in shop or office and make sure that examples of energy and efficiency are numerous enough to catch their attention and establish, as it were, an atmosphere of industry in the place_.

There are instances in which it would be to the mutual interest of employer and employee to increase the speed of work, but conditions may limit or forbid the use of pacemakers.

In construction work and in some of the industries where there are minute subdivision of operations and continuity of processes this method of increasing efficiency is very commonly applied. In many factories, however, such an effort to "speed up" production might stir resentment, even among the pieceworkers, and have an effect exactly opposite to that desired. The alternative, of course, is for the employer to secure unconscious pacemakers by providing incentives

for the naturally ambitious men in the way of a premium or bonus system or other reward for unusual efficiency.

To take advantage of their conscious or voluntary imitation, workpeople must be provided with examples which appeal to them as admirable and inspire the wish to emulate them. A common application of this principle is seen in the choice of department heads, foremen, and other bosses. Invariably these win promotion by industry, skill, and efficiency greater than that displayed by their fellows, or by all-round mastery of their trades which enable them to show their less efficient mates how any and all operations should be conducted.

This focusing of attention upon individuals worthy of imitation has been carried much farther by various companies. Through their "house organs"--weekly or monthly papers published primarily for circulation within the organization--they make record of every incident reflecting unusual skill, initiative, or personal power in an individual member of the organization.

A big order closed, a difficult contract secured, a complex or delicate operation performed in less than the usual time, a new personal record in production, the invention of an unproved method or machine--whatever the achievement, it is described and glorified, its author praised and held up for emulation.

This, indeed, is one of the methods by which the larger sales organizations have obtained remarkable results.

_Graphically told, the story of an important sale with the salesman's picture alongside makes double use of the instinct of imitation. It suggests forcibly that every man in the field can duplicate the achievement and tells how he can do it_.

Frequently, examples of initiative and efficiency are borrowed from outside organizations.

"Carrying a message to Garcia" has long been a business synonym for immediate and effective execution of orders. One big company, employing thousands of mechanics and developing all its executives and skilled experts from boys and men within the or-

ganization, has printed in its house organ studies of all the great American and English inventors from Stephenson and Fulton to Edison and Westinghouse. These histories emphasize the facts that these men were self- taught and bench-trained, and that their achievements can be imitated by every intelligent mechanic in the organization.

_In teaching and learning by imitation certain modifying facts are to be kept constantly in mind.

We tend to imitate everything which catches our attention, but certain things appeal more powerfully than others_.

The acts of those whom I admire are particularly contagious, but I remain indifferent to the acts of those who are uninteresting.

Acts showing a skill to which I aspire are immediately imitated, while acts representing stages of development from which I have escaped are less likely to be imitated. We imitate the acts of hearty, jovial individuals more than the acts of others. This point cannot be pressed too far since a surly and selfish individual often seems to corrupt a whole

group. Also it is not always the acts which I admire that are imitated. If I am frequently with a lame person, I am in danger of acquiring a limp; one who stutters is clearly injurious to my freedom of speech; round-shouldered friends may at first cause me to straighten up, but soon I am in danger of a droop.

That imitation is merely something to be avoided by teachers, employers, and foremen is an idea soon banished when the importance and complexity of the process is comprehended.

In teaching we find precept inferior to example wherever the latter is possible.

Particularly in teaching all sorts of acts of skill the imitation of perfect models is the first resort. In business, however, insufficient consideration has been given to the possibilities of imitation in increasing human efficiency.

_In the preparation of this article representative business men who had been especially successful in dealing with employees were asked the following questions_:--

In increasing the efficiency of your employees do you utilize imitation by

(1) placing efficient workmen where they may be imitated by the less efficient?

(2) having the men visit highly efficient establishments?

(3) bringing to the attention of your men the lives of successful men and the work of successful houses?

(4) bringing frequently to the attention of the men model methods of work?

(5) Have you observed any p.r.o.nounced instance of increase or decrease in the work of a department due to imitation?

The men interviewed took a decided interest in the subject, and their answers contained much of general value. Some admitted that they had never made any conscious effort to utilize imitation as implied in the first four questions. Many others had made particular use of one or more of the methods. A few of the firms interviewed had employed all four methods with entire satisfaction.

The following is a fair representative of the answers. It is the response of a very successful general manager of a railroad:--

"I beg to give you below the answer to the questions which you have asked:--

"1. The superintendent and foremen in our shops are the most efficient we can find.

They are imitated, and thus influence the less efficient.

"2. We have the heads of our departments visit other shops to see how they are progressing in the same line. If they notice anything that is better than what we have as to the output of work, we imitate it by following their methods.

"3. We have not made a practice of bringing to the attention of our employees the lives of successful men or the work of successful houses.

"4. We keep standard models of the different kinds of work in plain view of the men. If there is any doubt in their minds, they can study these models.

"5. We have observed a p.r.o.nounced in-

crease in the work of our shops, due to imitation, since in lining up our organization we put the most competent men we have at the head. Their influence over the men in their charge increases the work, as there is no question that a good leader is imitated by the men, and the company is benefited by this imitation."

_Judged by the results of the investigation the most common use of imitation is in the training or "breaking in" of new employees. The accepted plan is to pick out the most expert and intelligent workman available and put the new man in his charge_.

By observing the veteran and imitating his actions, working gradually from the simpler operations to the more complex, the beginner is able to master technic and methods in the shortest possible time. The psychological moment for such instruction, of course, is the first day or the first week. New men learn much more readily than those who have become habituated to certain methods or tasks; not having had time or opportunity to experi-

ment and learn wrong methods, they have nothing to unlearn in acquiring the right.

They fall into line at once and adopt the stride and the manner of work approved by the house.

This is the specific process by which the most advanced industrial organizations develop machine hands and initiate skilled mechanics into house methods and requirements.

It has been largely used by public service corporations--street-car motormen and conductors, for instance, learning their duties almost entirely by observation of experienced men either in formal schools or on cars in actual operation. Many large commercial houses give new employees regular courses in company methods before intrusting work to them; the instructor is some highly efficient specialist, who shows the beginner _*how_ to get output and quality with the least expenditure of time and energy. The same method has been adapted by leading manufacturers of machines, who call their mechanics or a.s.semblers together at intervals and have the most

expert among them show how they conduct operations in which they have attained special skill.

_In the training of salesmen imitation has received its widest application in teaching new men the elements of salesmans.h.i.+p; in showing them how to make the individual sale; in giving old men the best and newest methods--all by imitation_.

Not only is the recruit to the selling ranks in formal schools given repeated examples of the most effective ways to approach customers, to demonstrate the house goods and secure the order; but the more progressive companies, after this preliminary instruction, a.s.sign him to a training ground where he accompanies one of the company's best salesmen and merely observes how actual sales are made.

Then the new man is sent out alone; usually he fails to secure as large an order as the house wants. Again the star salesman takes him in hand, a.n.a.lyzes the student's approach and demonstration, points out their weaknesses and, going back with the new man,

makes the right kind of approach and secures a satisfactory order. For the beginner this is the most vivid lesson in salesmans.h.i.+p; he cannot but model his next selling effort on the lines proved so effective.

The use of imitation, however, is carried further. In the monthly or semiannual district conventions of salesmen which most big organizations call, the newest and most effective selling methods are staged for the instruction both of new men and veterans.

The district leader in sales, for example, or the man who has closed an order by a new or unusual argument is pitted against a salesman equally able, and the whole force sees how the successful man secured his results.