He found another order up in the cutting room. But why report the conversation? It varied only in the number of cusswords used. It was always the old story.
"Can't be done."
"Put more people on then. Will two be enough? Or had we better make it three?"
All down the line it went. More people. Costs went up. And did orders get out? Oh, yes, some did. But they got out at the expense of others. There was more congestion than ever. Complaints increased.
Then the big boss called him in—and down—pointed out the increasing costs and asked how come. So the new production manager went back over his trail demanding retrenchment.
"Put 'em on" was changed to "take 'em off."
The big boss tells the rest of the story.
"He had simply jumped in without finding out what it was he had to do. Maybe it was my fault for giving him too much rope.
"Anyway, he hanged himself—or rather we had to fire him. Then we took on a quiet lad who had served his apprenticeship with a large electrical supply house.
"He didn't know a twelve-iron sole from a three-quarter foxing. But he knew plenty about managing, as it turned out.