Promotion By-Pass (1958)

[Music] [Music] being a department head isn't always what it's cracked up to be I know I'm Frank Robbins office manager here at Amalgamated products something just happened to me that well shouldn't happen to anybody I did everything I could to avoid it but it happened anyway didn't take long either two weeks ago everything was fine yes sir it was it was just two weeks ago that I got that phone call Mr Robins yes Mr Radford is calling on line one oh all right thank you uh we'll finish this later yes sir hello yes Mr Radford oh fine thanks Robins we have an opening for an office manager and our Lake City plant and as you know it's a small operation but nevertheless it's a responsible job we'd like for the man to come from your office to be perfectly Frank we'd like for him to run that one the way you run yours now give us your best man Robins if he succeeds you'll get the credit and if he didn't succeed well we all know who'd get the blame so I had one obvious problem which man to send actually there were only two who really qualified Harry Stevens our oldest and most competent employee and Bob Randol comparatively new but but very promising a man with a lot of potential well for two weeks I studied these men I weighed the merits of one against the merits of the other Bob Randolph with only five years on the job had proven himself time and again University graduate a hard worker and always willing to accept responsibility Bob has a warm personality gets along well with everyone in the office he's a nice appearing chap too well-mannered well dressed the office Personnel look up to Bob he's a lot of fun and yet Bob knows where to draw the line his main qualification for the job was a knck of getting other people to do things his way without creating hard feelings in the process on the other hand Harry Stevens was a good man too in fact Harry is always been thought of as our most competent employee been around 15 years Harry is conscientious extremely efficient and very thorough we always depended on him to relate the workings of the plant to good office procedure but with Harry appearances just never counted for much neither did conversation or social life he unconsciously glowers at people people he speaks his mind in a blunt almost unfriendly manner but Harry's bark is worse than his bite and I've always made certain our people understood this before long they like him so those were the two man to choose from I didn't want to act hastily my neck was out a mile on this deal Harry deserved the promotion but I had to consider the new surroundings that he'd meet in another office and make a long story short I gave the job to Bob Randolph I was sure that he could handle it and I wasn't sure how others would react to Harry's personality nor for that matter how he would react to them I was certain that I'd made the right decision felt pretty good about it too and to make sure that Harry didn't get any wrong ideas from hearing the news second or third hand I called him in to explain my decision Harry something's come up I want to talk to you about but before I do I just wanted to tell you I appreciate the good job you've been doing the good job you've always done the time that you've put in like I told you before Harry you're the best man that we've ever had in the office sometimes it's easy for a fellow to think that he's been taken for granted and I just want to make sure that you don't think that's happened in your case no of course not Frank well good you know we've all come to depend a great deal on you Harry not just me but everybody here in the office and I want you to know that not only do I realize it but so does top management yes you've been here 15 years now and a half you know our operation like the palm of your hand Harry if anybody deserved a promotion on the basis of ability and seniority it certainly is you well thanks Frank two weeks ago I got a call from Mr Radford the company needs a manager at the Lake City plant Mr Radford expressed his admiration for our setup here and he wanted me to pick a man from our office for the job now you know and I know that we only have two men who could fill the job and you're one of them well thank you Frank the other one is uh Bob Randol yeah I'll agree he's a good man Harry I decided to give the job to Randol what now wait a minute that doesn't mean that he's a better man than you are actually I gave the job to our second best man I mean it Harry sincerely you're the best man that we've ever had it's just that well Randolph has certain personal qualifications that that I felt would assure him success and Harry I wanted you to be the first one to know about this so you wouldn't get any wrong ideas from the Great Vine I appreciate that Frank This Job Calls for going into a new office meeting and dealing with AB abute strangers the man who got the job would have a lot of people to win over to his way of thinking and you know as well as I do that Randolph has a great knack for working with people something that a lot of people like maybe you or I don't have to the same degree yes I must admit that's true I felt that Bob could go into a spot like this and start producing without any complications you know Harry that we all thank the world up you around here we know you we know the type of work you can put out I was just afraid that in a new office you might find some trouble getting started now that wouldn't be fair to you Harry no I guess not now Harry this doesn't mean that you've hit the ceiling there'll be other openings and other promotions before you know it well I guess that just about covers it I appreciate you taking the time to tell me all this Frank if you have any questions or comments let's hear them Harry I sure don't want any misunderstanding well I guess I have one thing to say about it well good out with it I quit quit but Harry you you're my best man well I'll be what did I do [Music] wrong