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ERNIE’S PUMP B. J . Luberof, Ph.D. Several of the past articles on these pages had to do with handling numbers. I n a splendid lecture entitled the “Chemist of the Future” [Davis, D. S., Chem. & Ind., p 736 (1969)], Dr. D. S. Davis cited tests to measure the relative importance of numeracy and literacy in different trades. Unlike all other trades but one, chemistry required each equally. What is industrial chemical literacy? Ernie is a plant engineer. Recently, he was charged with moving a 20-year-old, fine chemicals plant to a new building. Ever since, if something fails, he gets a call to the effect, “Ernie, come on down here. Your pump is out.” I t isn’t Ernie’s pump any more than it was his during the 20 years that the plant was in the old location. Yet, when it fails, its “Ernie’s pump.’’ How come? There’s a nice young job applicant across your desk and you ask him what he’s been doing. “They had me working on dibutyl futile.)’ or “I was working on dibutyl futile.” or “We were working on dibutyl futile.’’ Is there a significant difference among these itnswers? One chap I know says that he knows things are clicking when his boss stops talking about “your idea” and starts calling it “our idea.” Then there’s a young supervisor I know who will say, “Jack made it work,” on the one hand, and “We couldn’t quite pull it off,” on the other. These little shadings may not seem very important, but if you think about them, you can tell a great deal about attitudes from them. Take the job applicant who saw his job as They us. Me. You should find out about the They he was working for. Maybe the relationship originated
within the young man. He’s the kind that asks about hours and vacation instead of work in progress and objectives. If so, you don’t need him. Maybe They made him feel the way he does. They can do that, you know. They don’t if they give orders in the form, “Let’s do it this way, okay?’’ and introduce a subordinate as a fellow who “works with me” not
