ith important
visitors, but no visitor is so important as to permit neglect of one's
employees. These should be met courteously and dispatched quickly. The
host must always ask the pardon of the guest before turning to the
telephone or to a messenger, and if the guest is an employee the rule is
the same.

At the conclusion of the interview the host rises and shakes hands with
the departing visitor but does not necessarily go with him (or her) to
the door or the elevator, as the case may be. This is an additional
courtesy in which a busy man cannot always indulge. The essential part
of every interview is that the visitor shall state what he wants, that
the host shall give the best answer in his power, and then the sooner
the visitor departs the better for all concerned.

_The Rank and File._ This is the largest group in every business. It is
the one that fluctuates most. It is the one from which the discards are
made. It is the one from which officers are chosen. It is the one in
which the real growth of a business takes place. And by the same token
it is the one, generally speaking, where there is most discourtesy.
Promotion depends upon the possession of this quality much more than
people realize. Many a man with actual ability to hold a high position
is not given an opportunity to do so because the men who employ him
realize that he would antagonize those who worked under him.

There are among the body of employees in every concern (even the very
best) discontented members. In most cases, indeed, in nearly all cases
except where there is a chronic grudge against life which is not
affected by external circumstances, these are weeded out, and those
with habitual grudges are weeded out along with the others or else are
kept in minor places. Perhaps it would be more nearly correct to say
they keep themselves there. Sometimes a subordinate feels that he is
unfairly treated by his immediate superior. He wishes to go to the man
above him in authority. Is it right for him to do so?

It is an unwritten law that each worker shall be loyal to the head of
his department. Suppose the head does not deserve it?

There are three courses open to the worker. He can leave the job and
find another in a different organization. He can go to the head of the
department and state the case to him. If this should fail he may appeal
to the man above him, but _he should never go over the head of his own
immediate superior without first telli