October 10, 1917 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



23 



Dividing the Responsibility 



The Value of Assistance Which Employes Can Give the Manager 



changes or enlargements were under consideration. He 

 would call into consultation every one of the subordi- 

 nates to whom he had delegated authority, lay before 

 them in detail the matter he had in mind and ask their 

 opinion. Quite commonly in the end he did whatever 

 he had planned before consulting them, but by his 

 methods he not only got the opinions of others with 

 which to measure up and guide his own judgment, but 

 he also secured their co-operation and stimulated think- 

 ing on their part. 



He would often take a stroll through his plant and 

 ask the opinions of men operating machines relative to 

 the merits of this make of machine and that make and 

 which kind he would buy if a new one were to be 

 ordered. As a result of shis practice a mistake was 

 seldom made in selecting machines. The men operat- 

 ing the machines took more pains with them and felt 

 more kindly toward them because of having been con- 

 sulted before the purchase. J. C. T. 



Veneer Manufacturers Win 



The Wisconsin Railroad Commission recently issued an order 

 granting the petition of veneer manufacturers to put veneer made 

 of common woods in the same classification as veneers of elm, 



F WE HAD NEVER LEARNED to train two 

 horses to work together and divide the load 

 between them, we never would have had any- 

 thing but one-horse teams. Likewise, if we 

 had never learned to divide responsibility among fac- 

 tory heads we never would have had anything but one- 

 horse industrial institutions. One-man domination of a 

 business is the greatest handicap to further expansion 

 and there are many institutions suffering from such a 

 handicap. This should not be interpreted to mean 

 some man should not be boss of the whole business, be- 

 cause there cannot be a business without a final authority 

 or business head, and the authority of the head must 

 be respected. 



In the veneer and panel business perhaps more than 

 any other branch of the woodworking industry it is 

 necessary to divide responsibility and to delegate to 

 others the management of different steps in the process 

 of manufacture. This is largely because of the many 

 intricate details involved and the high technology that 

 enters some of the work. The veneer and panel busi- 

 ness is highly specialized and it is one in vi^hich thorough 

 knowledge of woodw^orking is necessary. It becomes 

 important to have the work divided into branches and 

 men especially trained in solving the problems in each 

 branch. These men must be given authority and 

 encouraged to develop initiative. In this way the best 

 growth of an institution is secured. 



Occasionally one encounters the head of a veneer or 

 panel factory who seems to enjoy dominating in all the 

 technical details in different departments. Where a 

 condition of this kind exists, a fair degree of success 

 may be attained provided the man at the head applies 

 himself all the time to his business. It becomes a one- 

 man institution even though it may be unusually large 

 to be so classed, due to the capacity of the one man in 

 charge. The men under him become skilled workers 

 under directions rather than skilled directors of work. 



On the other hand, there are institutions of great mag- 

 nitude and long years of success where the manager in 

 charge has gradually delegated authority to others in 

 different departments until seemingly he has but little 

 left to do himself and may w^ell be absent for an in- 

 definite period without any apparent difference in the 

 business. This is the ideal way to build up a business. 

 It not only makes a well balanced division of the re- 

 sponsibility and authority but it contains an element of 

 insurance against sudden disorganization, and it makes 

 for better team w^ork all around. 



The successful manager of a certain large veneer plant 

 not only began early in his business career the work of 

 selecting for different departments men who showed 

 ability, but also of consulting with them when any 



All Three of Ui Will Be Benefited if You Mention HARDWOOD RECORD 



Made in Si. Louis by 



Stlouis Baskets Box Co. 



WE MANUFACTURE 



a complete line of 

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