Presto

October 3, 1925.
15
PRESTO
load and directing quickly to sound decisions. And
this seems to be true in larger businesses than in
smaller ones.
An Executive's Views.
"How can we hope as executives to get the re-
sults we want if our subordinates feel we are not
thoroughly informed of the responsibilities and work
Veteran Piano Traveler Analyzes Functions in their respective departments and if they have the
of That Important Personage of a Piano feeling that we are not in a good position to check
thoroughly what they are doing," said the head of
Business and Compiles Interesting Collec-
retail branches of a big Chicago house this week
tion of Views Bearing Out His Point.
when I had described my interest in the topic. "I
can see, too, the effect of a 'high-hat' executive on
others. The attitude would be copied and soon a
force of stallers too proud to use their knowledge
and experience in forwarding the work, would be
General Belief, Encouraged by Magazine Special the result."
Another Opinion.
Writers, That Executive Should Ignore Details,
"This may be the day of big business but it is
Forcibly Decried by Writer.
also the day of the detail man," said an important
In every piano business there is some individual functionary of a well-known Cincinnati piano house
whose functions are those of an executive, whether who rose from the ranks and stuck to a knowledge
or no he calls himself by that dignified title. A few of every detail of every job in his ascent. "You
weeks ago I lunched with the manager of a prosper- know it is human nature to lag sometimes and get
ous and progressive piano house in a midwestern city into a rut, unless we know there is some superior
and as usual on such occasions we differed on our who is familiar with our work, who gives credit for
subject of discussion. My manager friend held to successes and jacks us up promptly if we show signs
the doctrine that the executive of any business must of continuing in the rut."
free himself from detail; that he must supervise and
Executive work divides itself into two classes:
deputize in the exclusive manner of tradition.
planning and administration. It is a pretty story of
I insisted that although no executive could afford the feature writers of the magazines that the big
to swamp himself with minute detail., the practice of executive concerns himself exclusively with plans,
ignoring detail had been carried to ridiculous lengths. but, fortunately for the stockholders of the country,
He got rather hot when I insisted that a too liberal it is fiction not fact. I recall the words of the
application of the principle was worse than ignoring head of a comparatively young piano manufacturing
it entirely and that most of the executives who were concern: "Ideas come from definite suggestions, and
getting the most out of the possibilities of their busi- I know nothing so productive of suggestions as
ness kept in close touch with the essential details.
actual contact with living details."
Looking Backward.
Believes in Tradition.
In my close association with retail piano houses for
Besides my midwestern friend with whom I dif-
a great number of years I have studied heads of
houses whose executive methods grew with the busi- fered during luncheon, I have met, since that time,
ness. And in all cases of successful management 1 two other executives who believe they must be free
found that the executives kept close tab of the essen- from thinking details to be free for deciding policies.
tial details as a necessity to supplying the right kind But I told them the views of other men which
of leadership, introducing new ideas, giving encour- differed from their own. That a policy not built on
agement to the sales force, keeping prices right and the rocks of the essential facts will be found a shift-
preventing leaks that result in minimized profits or ing, weak policy, with tremendous possibilities for
disaster. More and more policies are being decided
no profits at all.
Of course I have met piano house executives who on first hand knowledge; responsible executives are
believed in the traditions that the executive should not having their facts diluted by too much handling.
The literal application of the general run of
free himself entirely from details, but as I recall,
the majority of successful managers believed that too speeches and articles on the subject of management
little rather than too much attention was usually would bring disastrous results. Leadership of the
paid to details. Anyway, only in a limited number best kind can be developed where the men know that
of cases did I find the business big enough to justify the boss knows more than they. And the leadership
that really counts is that based on knowledge. This
the executive from freeing himself from details.
explains the success of many men who have come up
A Man's Value.
through the different phases in the activities of piano
As the man in any department of a music business houses. They could go back and fill any position
is more valuable when he is familiar with the details without much preparation. Their grasp of details is
of his job so the executive can more wisely operate reflected in their leadership. An executive, of course,
when he knows the requirements in every incident of should not do clerical work or perform minor jobs,
the business. Without an extensive working knowl- but he requires a close knowledge of how everything
edge of the essential details and to some extent the should be done. The bigger problems in a business
minor details. Going over in my mind the men in the are a culmination of a series of little problems. There
piano industry and the retail trade I can distinguish is always the danger of the executive getting out of
the ones whose fitness for their executive jobs is touch with essential things by not coming in contact
based on their acquaintance with the minor details with every day details.
of every job in the house. They do not perform the
. M. D. S.
things but they know how and when certain activities
should be performed. Far from being an unnecessary
and added burden on the shoulders of the executives,
The Wolcott Music Company has established a
I consider such knowledge a means of lightening his store at 2813 East Tenth street, Indianapolis.
DEFINES DUTIES
OF AN EXECUTIVE
SCOUTS A TRADITION
INDIANAPOLIS SELLS
ON QUALITY NOT PRICE
Geo. Lennox Likes "Knabe" and F. 6.
Wilking Tells of Quality of French and
Visit to New Castle Factory.
By HOWARD M. RADEAUX.
Geo. Lennox, of Rapp & Lennox, says that the
cool weather has helped the sale of pianos consider-
ably, and his company is enjoying some excellent
business in Knabe grands, especially the styles "A"
and "B." "There has been a marked difference in
business in the last two weeks," said Mr. Lennox,
"since the cool weather set in, and some of our old
prospects are materializing in good sales. The
Knabe of course needs no introduction to the real
pianist, and, like all good pianos, it sings its own
praise."
F. O. Wilking, of the Wilking Music Company, is
pleased with the recent sales of the style "H*H"
Jesse French piano. Mr. Wilking says that it is the
quality of the instrument that sells, and not the price.
"We have sold a great many of this particular make
of instruments, and feel assured that every sale is a
good sale and will help to make another, not con-
sidering price, but quality," said Mr. Wilking.
A recent visit to New Castle was considered worth
while, when Mr. Wilking saw some of two-tone ebony
style "H" instruments, and speakes of them as works
of art.
The Indianapolis Music House has completed some
very effective improvements in the way of redecorat-
ing their warerooms, changing the mahogany wood-
work to an old ivory finish, and removing all letter-
ing from the windows. Mr. Hoag believes in using
windows for displaying goods and not as signboards.
Neat signs in small letters have replaced the old let-
tering which partly obstructed the view from the out-
side, and the change is quite an added improvement.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
OF PIANO CLUB OF CHICAGO
Dinner at Harvard-Yale-Princeton Club, October 7,
Will Be Stag and Informal.
The Piano Club of Chicago will hold its annual
meeting and dinner at the Harvard-Yale-Princeton
Club, 321 Plymouth Court, at 6:30 p. m., October 7.
Al Neely, chairman of the dinner committee, says
in notice to members that "this party is a stag and
informal. Enclosed are two dinner tickets—if you
want them send us $4, if not please return them. You
may bring as many male guests as you wish—if you
need extra tickets just write. Each ticket will have
your name on it."
The features are two 3-round boxing bouts, one
wrestling match, Irving and Jack Kaufman, and a
second Earl and Bell from Ed Wynn's Grab Bag.
TO MOVE ORGAN PLANT.
Negotiations have been opened for the removal to
Portland, Ind., of the Page Pipe Organ Company
plant of Lima, Ohio, and a representative is sched-
uled to meet a committee of business men to discuss
arrangements for the location of the plant, according
to the News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.
THE BEST PIANO SEASON
is with us. Dealers and salesmen who take advantage of it—and most agree that this season will be a good one—
must have the proper facilities for displaying and delivering the instruments. The only complete equipment is the
latest fool-proof Loader. It may now be had for only $95. Satisfaction guaranteed.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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