大学英语精读第五册 UNIT9 课后阅读 Who Makes It To The Top by Richard R.Conarroe

The following selection is abridged from “Who Makes It To The Top”,an article first published in The American Way magazine,January,1974.
Who Makes It To The Top
by Richard R.Conarroe
What does it take to succeed in American business? Opinions vary widely. Given approximately equal qualifications and circumstances,some claim the success factor is largely a matter of luck--being in the right place at the right time.Others speak of utter devotion to work,combined with a degree of ruthlessness.Far-out theories abound.One “expert’’maintains that it’s undoubtedly a matter of how much education your mother had.
To get a better perspective on who makes it to the top--and why--I interviewed four men who should know--management consultants and executive recruiters for some of the biggest corporations in the country Here are their informed opinions.
Thomas A.Buffum,head of the executive recruiting firm of Thomas A.Buffum Associates in Boston said:“We hear about new technology making engineers obsolete.In the same way,new methods of management can make executives obsolete.The men who rise the highest and stay there are those who never stop growing and learning.These flexible fellows seldom stall on the corporate ladder or get shaken off.
“A key test of this flexibility comes at the time of a merger or acquisition.Can you adapt to the new management framework--do things ‘their way?’ Or are you so used to your old methods that you’11 resent any changes?
“The men who can truly answer ‘yes’ to the first question and ‘no’ to the second are the ones who never find themselves ‘between jobs.”’
Charles Ferguson,another consultant,agrees:“How to cope with change--that’s the key to success or failure for many businessmen.
“Change comes in several forms.0ne is the constant flux of the job itself,because of shifting conditions in the company and the industry.The late 1960’s offered case after agonizing case of brash young go-go entrepreneurs who put together glittering conglomerates that they had no idea how to manage.Once the requirements of the Job changed from pyramiding to mature management of an existing entity,they could cope no longer A different set of skills was needed.”
“Executives must be able to handle change in broad segments of industry,society,and government.But perhaps the change that’s most challenging of all is that within themselves.Many things cause ‘executive metamorphosis’--family or financial change,declining health,age,‘burnout’ from overwork,perhaps even a certain complacency at having attained many of life’s goals.But the executive who realizes he’s changing is the one who will be able to handle it.’’
William B.Beeson,manager of executive recruitment for Lawrence-Leiter ＆ Company in Kansas City,looked at it another way:“It has been said of everyone from Robert McNamara to Edward Carlson (the president of an airline) that their rise to the top of their companies ca

me largely because they were in the right place at the right time.There may be some truth in that,but the question is why they were in the right place.I think their own career decision must have had a lot to do with it.”
Have you ever drawn up an honest balance sheet on yourself--really put down what you’re good at on one side,and what you’re not so good at on the other?It isn’t easy Those weaknesses are hard to admit But if you’11 make this painful self-analysis at least once every six months,you’11 be in a better position to focus your energies toward the kind of position that will make you successful--and happy.’’
To make it big,executives must possess four basic skills:
“First.drive.Business success takes an unusual amount of energy A successful executive--almost by definition--is a striver.According to one industry psychologist,86.5 percent of top managers have a higher activity level than the average middle manager.Top men get tense when they’re not striving’’
“Second,people sense.Some say being able to judge people is more important than a high IQ.The skill can be instinctual,but in most cases it’s painstakingly learned.’’
“Third,communication ability.An executive gets things done through other people.That means his communications must come through loud and clear.Different executives make themselves understood in different ways.Some transmit ideas best face to face;others are masters of the telephone call;still others are persuasive writers.One way or another,they all communicate clearly.’’
“Fourth,calm under pressure,or as Hemingway put it,‘grace under pressure’ No businessman will get very far if he chokes up.”
“An example:One unusually able vice-president blew a chance for the presidency because he froze while making an important product presentation to the chairman.The company had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in research and development,and tooling up for production would take millions With so much at stake,the chairman had a great many hard questions.Despite thorough knowledge ofthe subject,the vice-president became just a little unsure under questioning.A few months later,when the president’s job became vacant,someone else was chosen to fill it.”
And finally.John W.Silver,an executive recruiter in Milwaukee,puts it on a more basic level.“What it takes is guts,”he says.“And,most of all,guts in dealing with subordinates.Time after time,our executive search people have been told,‘We realized long ago that Phil had to be replaced,but we didn’t want to hurt his feeling’ Or,‘We just couldn’t bring ourselves to do it’ ”
“The executive who is marked for success sets high standards for himself--and also for other people.If someone doesn’t measure up after a proper trial period,he replaces him”
“It was said of one successful executive,‘He can’t tolerate people who don’t pull their weight.His philosophy is that he doesn’t care who your

friends are--can you produce?’ That’s not bad.If you insist on top performance from your subordinates,they’11 insist on top performance from their subordinates,and so on down the table of organization.That’s the kind of attitude an executive had better have--if he plans to survive”