We have recently been hearing much maudlinsympathy expressed for the“downtrodden denizens of thesweat-shop”and the“homeless wanderer searching forhonest employment”,and with it all often go many hardwords for the men in power.
Nothing is said about the employer who grows oldbefore his time in a vain attempt to get frowsy ne"er-dowellsto do intelligent work;and his long,patient strivingafter“help”that does nothing but loaf when his back isturned.
In every store and factory there is a constant weedingoutprocess going on.The employer is constantly sendingaway“help”that have shown their incapacity to further theinterests of the business,and others are being taken on.Nomatter how good times are,this sorting continues:only,if times are hard and work is scarce,the sorting is donefiner-but out and forever out the incompetent and unworthygo.It is the survival of the fittest.Self-interest promptsevery employer to keep the best-those who can carry amessage to Garcia.
I know one man of really brilliant parts who has notthe ability to manage a business of his own,and yet whois absolutely worthless to any one else,because he carrieswith him constantly the insane suspicion that his employeris oppressing,or intending to oppress him.He cannotgive orders,and he will not receive them.Should amessage be given him to take to Garcia,his answer wouldprobably be,“Take it yourself!”
Tonight this man walks the streets looking for work,the wind whistling through his threadbare coat.No onewho knows him dare employ him,for he is a regularfirebrand of discontent.He is impervious to reason,andthe only thing that can impress him is the toe of a thicksoledNumber Nine boot.
Of course,I know that one so morally deformedis no less to be pitied than a physical cripple;but in ourpitying,let us drop a tear,too,for the men who arestriving to carry on a great enterprise,whose workinghours are not limited by the whistle,and whose hair is fastturning white through the struggle to hold in line dowdyindifference,slipshod imbecility,and the heartlessingratitude which,but for their enterprise,would be bothhungry and homeless.
Have I put the matter too strongly ?Possibly I have;but when all the world has gone a-slumming I wish tospeak a word of sympathy for the man who succeeds-theman who,against great odds,has directed the efforts ofothers,and having succeeded,finds there"s nothing in it:
nothing but bare board and clothes.I have carried a dinnerpail and worked for day"s wages,and I have also beenan employer of labor,and I know there is something tobe said on both sides.There is no excellence,perse,inpoverty;rags are no recommendation;and all employersare not rapacious and high-handed,any more than allpoor men are virtuous.My heart goes out to the man whodoes his work when the“boss”is away,as well as whenhe is at home.And the man who,when given a letterfor Garcia,quietly takes the missive,without askingany idiotic questions,and with no lurking intention ofchucking it into the nearest sewer,or of doing aught elsebut deliver it,never gets“laid off”nor has to go on astrike for higher wages.Civilization is one long anxioussearch for just such individuals.
Anything such a man asks shall be granted.He iswanted in every city,town and village-in every office,shop,store and factory.The world cries out for such:
he is needed and needed badly-the man who can“Carry aMessage to Garcia.”
So who will send a letter to Garcia?
Elbert Hubbard
关于本书的赞誉
这是一本内容十分丰富的读物,我把这本书推荐给每个人。
——《华盛顿邮报》
这是一个关于一名军人通过自己的努力独立完成任务的故事。它被翻译成多种语言文字,并且成为成功的典范。
——《纽约时报》
世界上,能把信带给加西亚的人是很稀少的。很多人满足于平庸的现状,在推诿、偷懒、取巧中应付自己的生活,却并不知道:想要成功就必须选择生活而不是让生活选择你。对于每一个人来说,生活需要的不是问题,而是解决问题。
——《光明日报》
安德鲁·罗文通过他不畏艰险的敬业精神,影响并推动了一项事业的发展,正如许多公司中那些孜孜不倦、埋头苦干的领导者和员工一样,他们的敬业精神有力地推动了公司事业的发展。
——《南方都市报》
一本与“奶酪理论”截然不同,提倡“一盎司忠诚相当于一磅智慧”的小册子——《致加西亚的信》在上海悄悄走红,一些公司的老板纷纷将该书赠送给员工作为激励敬业精神的教材。
——《新民晚报》
我希望有一天早晨,在每个公司的员工桌子上,都会端端正正地摆上一本《致加西亚的信》,而不是《谁动了我的奶酪》。我希望借这本书,中国能够掀起一场关于诚信的讨论,这种热烈讨论的场面能够出现在每一家公司、商店以及每一个政府机构里。
——《中国经营报》
这本书最初是一位银行总裁推荐给我的,他曾要求他单位的所有雇员阅读它。我发现书中有许多概念正是我所需要的,于是也要求公司每一个新聘用的员工都要读这本书,并且加以讨论。
——斯坦银行总裁拉尔夫·库米
我曾经把这本书推荐给我的一位下属,他在看完之后打电话询问我,是否有什么话想对他说的时候,我微笑着告诉他:没错,我想表达的意思很简单,那就是敬业和忠诚。
——卡里斯公司总裁约翰·莫里森
因为有了安德鲁·罗文这位英雄,阿尔伯
特·哈伯德才创作了不朽的名作《致加西亚的信》。
让我们通过这部作品获取一种进取心,在这种追求中获得一种动力,即使我们自己付出再多的代价,就算是付出生命,为了国家也在所不惜。
——著名的人力资源管理专家哈里斯