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4 Fnict WrW. July 7.
you'' re. not advancing
as fast as you
should, there's
probably a good
reason. Here are some
practical suggestions
for getting
ahead.
o
Never before in the history of
American business has there been
greater opportunity for advancement
from the ranks. Today, most businesses
are looking inside their own organiza
tions for men to fill executive openings
made possible . through retirements, job
changes, and company expansion.
This growing trend is typified by the
following comment from a top personnel
specialist for a major company: "The
day is past when men are picked by
appearance alone or by what colleges
they attended or what clubs they belong
to. Today, we're looking for executives
scientifically among all of our 230,000
employees. We're going to make sure
we don't overlook a single man!"
In such a balmy business climate, if
you're not moving up as rapidly as you
should, if you've been passed by for
promotions, or if there is an opening
coming up soon for which you feel quali
fied, now is the time for some thoughtful
self-examination.
The ammunition is at hand. The des
perate need for good executive talent
has led to the growth of a number of
management consulting firms which
study and procure business executives.
As a result, dozens of comprehensive
surveys have been made of the business
executive, 1957 model. From them
emerge eight signposts which indicate
plainly the route to business success.
If you'll answer the questions below,
you should have a better insight into
your own executive qualifications and
also see clearly how to move up in the
business world, if that's what you want.
1. Do you have broad interests?
There is growing emphasis today on
what the personnel specialists call the
"flexible man" the one whose abilities,
interests, and talents extend beyond a
highly specialized, restricted area. This
is a radical change from a few years ago,
when the specialist was the fair-haired
boy. The reason for the change was
summarized by a chemical company offi
cial, who said: "A purely technical back-
ground will enable a man to solve imt
mediate technical problems, but it may
leave him unprepared to cope with to
day's highly involved human problems
of anagemedj." n