Success
She began in my employ more than three
years ago. Then her duties were to take dictation when she was
asked to do so. Her salary was about the same as that which others
receive for similar service.
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WHAT helped you over the great obstacles of life?" was asked of a highly successful man. "The other obstacles," he replied. |
One day I dictated the following motto, which I asked her to typewrite for me: Remember that your only limitation is the one that you set up in your own mind. As she handed the typewritten page back to me she said, "Your motto has given me an idea that is going to be of value to both you and me."
I told her I was glad to have been of service to her. The incident made no particular impression on my mind, but from that day on I could see that it had made a tremendous impression on her mind.
She began to come back to the office after supper and performed service that she was neither paid for nor expected to perform. Without anyone telling her to do it she began to bring to my desk letters that she had answered for me. She had studied my style and these letters were attended to as well as I could have done it; in some instances much better.
She kept up this habit until my personal secretary resigned. When I began to look for someone to take his place, what was more natural than to turn to this young woman to fill the place. Before I had time to give her the position she took it on her initiative. My personal mail began to come to my desk with a new secretary's name attached, and she was that secretary.
On her own time, after hours, without additional pay, she had prepared herself for the best position on my staff. But that is not all.
This young lady became so noticeably efficient that she began to attract the attention of others who offered her attractive positions. I have increased her salary many times and she now receives a salary more than four times as large as the amount she received when she first went to work for me as an ordinary stenographer, and, to tell you the truth, I am helpless in the matter, because she has made herself so valuable to me that I cannot get along without her.
That is initiative transformed into practical, understandable terms. I
would be remiss in my duties if I failed to direct your attention to an
advantage, other than a greatly increased salary, that this young
lady's initiative has brought her.
It has developed in her a spirit of cheerfulness that brings her happiness, which most stenographers never know. Her work is not work - it is a great interesting game at which she is playing.