Dale Carnegie - How to Win Friends and Influence People
Chapter 12 - When nothing else work, try this
Excerpt:
Charles Schwab had a mill manager whose people werenâÂÂt producing their quota of work.
âÂÂHow is it,â Schwab asked him, âÂÂthat a manager as capable as you canâÂÂt make this mill turn out what it should?âÂÂ
"I donâÂÂt knowâÂÂ, the manager replied. âÂÂIâÂÂve coaxed the men, IâÂÂve pushed them, IâÂÂve sworn and cussed, IâÂÂve threatened them with damnation and being fired. But nothing works. They just won't produce.âÂÂ
This conversation took place at the end of the day, just before the night shift came on. Schwab asked the manager for a piece of chalk, then, turning to the nearest man, asked: âÂÂHow many heats did your shift make today?âÂÂ
"Six."
Without another word, Schwab chalked a big figure six on the floor, and walked away.
When the night shift came in, they saw the âÂÂ6â and asked what it meant.
âÂÂThe big boss was in here todayâÂÂ, the day people said.âÂÂHe asked us how many heats we made, and we told him six. He chalked it down on the floor.âÂÂ
The next morning Schwab walked through the mill again. The night shift had rubbed out âÂÂ6â and replaced it with a big âÂÂ7.âÂÂ
When the day shift reported for work the next morning, they saw a big âÂÂ7â chalked on the floor. So the night shift thought they were better than the day shift did they? Well, they would show the night shift a thing or two. The crew pitched in with enthusiasm, and when they quit that night, they left behind them an enormous, swaggering "10". Things were stepping up.
Shortly this mill, which had been lagging way behind in production, was turning out more work than any other mill in the plant.
The principle?
Let Charles Schwab say it in his own words: âÂÂThe way to get things doneâÂÂ, say Schwab, âÂÂis to stimulate competition. I do not mean in a sordid, money-getting way, but in the desire to excel.âÂÂ
The desire to excel! The challenge! Throwing down the gauntlet! An infallible way of appealing to people of spirit.
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