Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

38 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 2, 1944 IT TAKES DOINGBUT EASY DOES IT Take a Breather! There's a Short Cut to Smooth Operation via Organization By The Showman It is one thing to live in the past and something totally different to use the past as a guidepost to the future. One is for doddering old men for whom the future holds little promise, the other is for eager, aspiring men who are looking ahead. In such eventful days as these it is healthy to look back, survey the record, profit by our mistakes as wrell as those of others in planning for the future. As we are about to turn in our tally sheets on the 50th year of motion picture production and presentation for the industry's history book we have much to be proud of and of course a little to regret. Against a backdrop of the most protracted period of material and manpower shortages in the movies' history, theatres have come through with a record that is little short of brilliant. More people have been handled than ever before, fewer fires and fewer casualties have occurred in the theatres of the nation, the most impressive contributions to the welfare and betterment of community health and life, and a war effort record without precedent in all phases. This is the asset side of the ledger. As deficits we might list one very ugly item— neglect, and another — complacency. No record of human endeavor completely avoids these pitfalls unless the individual be constantly on guard in the conduct of his daily affairs. We have talked with many showmen, good showmen who know their business, showmen with records of notable achievements who candidly admit they have 'slipped' in these two departments during the year. Sure, we have tried to keep our theatres comfortable, we have talked like a Dutch uncle to our staff about courtesy, we have harped about maintenance to the crew, but despite all this the seats are falling apart, carpet is worn, we have breakdowns in projection and we just about go nuts trying to break in new help and keep up with our war activities. Need for Teamwork The willingness and recognition of fault is there all right and it is sincere. Showmen have been used to hard work — to plugging for business— to long hours, but the pace in the passing year has been too much for a two-armed, twolegged fellow to cope with. Unless of course, the full meaning of organization and team-work is achieved. Some men are individual whirlwinds at getting out and hustling but they have failed to learn the full meaning of organizing and supervising. Others who have mastered this technique of management are today's leaders. For they are the fellows who get a lot accomplished with a minimum of confusion. There are few living individuals who are possessed of the stamina to turn in a good one-man performance under today's rigorous demands. Where an emergency arises, there you will usually find the buck-passers vocally engaged in disengaging themselves from blame. Every one winds up in the innocent column but the man ager, and he has to be the fall guy to take the rap for any and all members of his staff. Before the war, when jobs were none too plentiful, it was always possible to keep the staff on its toes by threatening dismissal, although we have never advocated this means of getting results. The fellows who operated on this theory are today confronted by a replacement problem which makes it the better part of judgment to overlook or forgive rather than "fire." It is this type manager who is at a loss to adjust himself to conditions. Those who have the qualities of leadership, who build staff efficiency on a foundation of intelligent instruction, understanding, team-work and supervision are having the easier go of it by far. Such leadership demands more than just personality, or the ability to impress the employes that he is a good fellow. Human nature is such that employes are prone to "like" the boss who is a good fellow, but they are equally inclined to take advantage of his good nature. He is "meat" for the buck-passers brigade and winds up just the little fellow who has to take it. Successful leadership requires knowledge of a business which commands respect. You must know not only how to handle people but how to instruct and supervise the execution of orders. When something goes wrong you must be able to put your finger on the cause without taking an employe's word for it, you must be able to circumvent the buck-passers if you are to command the respect of your staff and get results. Leadership Takes 'Know How' Adequate knowledge for leadership cannot be acquired in the office swivel chair. To do the good job, the manager of the average theatre must be willing to don coveralls occasionally, step down from his executive perch and inspect, supervise, acquire first-hand knowledge of the physical side of his operation. He must know where switches are located, what makes his air conditioning system tick, the most efficient methods of operating his heating system, how the curtain controls are worked and the why's and wherefore's about booth equiment. To know whether the sound is right or the picture in frame requires not only observation but the experience of participating in the making of tests — More About Teamwork! "When crew and captain understand each other to the core, It takes a gale, and more than a gale, to put their ship ashore." —KIPLING Note — This happy thought on the topic of organization and teamwork comes to our attention through its publication in the Robb & Rowley "24 Sheeter."— Ed. for the production of better sound and projection. An alert manager must know that safety precautions are being exercised by means of personal inspection. It is one thing to delegate authority and another to check up on the carrying out of instructions. Over-fhe-Shoulder View This is as good a time as any to give yourself a personal check-up on the record, for an overthe-shoulder look at what you have been doing as a matter of course during the year. Most managers will come up with the number one discovery that they have been devoting so much time to the sale of War Bonds, promotion of recruiting drives, blood donor campaigns, Red Cross solicitations, March of Dimes, etc., that they have neglected show selling and maintenance. In short they have been neglecting the bread and butter department. All these extracurricular activities are most essential to both community and national welfare and there can be nothing but the highest praise for the zest and enthusiasm with which they have been put across. The only criticism one might make is in that matter of neglect. Through careful organization, delegation of authority and supervision nothing need be neglected. Suppose you had set aside several hours a week for inspection tours with those to whom authority is delegated? Perhaps a certain strip of aisle carpet at the top of the aisle or down the middle might not today be threadbare, had the section been reversed to distribute wear. Perhaps a patch of loose plaster would not have fallen off the sidewall or ceiling had you inspected the roof in time to have ordered needed repairs before a serious leak developed. Perhaps row upon row of chairs would not present a shabby appearance if the seats and backs had been switched to a less used area of the house in time. Perhaps, perhaps and perhaps and the manager cries out not uncle, but why don't people tell me these things? We know of the elaborate office procedure involved in the transfer of managers in circuit operations which occur frequently. Great pains are taken to have ticket inventory, petty cash accounts, and stock room supplies in order. But, how often does the retiring manager take the new man on a complete tour of inspection? In the majority of cases the new man is On his own when the money and tickets check and the keys change hands. Unless he takes the trouble to make the check on his own, things just roll along in a routine sort of way until something goes haywire and then — "why don't people tell me these things?". . .and the buck-passing begins. Sure, the manager holds the bag. Take a look over your shoulder and see how long it has been since you made it your business to check the following : asbestos curtain, dates for fire extinguisher refills, standpipe hose and connections, stage skylights, curtain control mecha(Continued on Page 48)