ady heavily insured, as every
wise man should be, and he cannot be bothered with agents who are trying
to sell him larger policies.

"I'm sorry," the young man repeats, "but I am sure there is no use in
letting him waste your time. He is already carrying a heavy policy and
he positively refuses to talk insurance with anyone, no matter who it
is."

This should be enough for the salesman. What the young man says is true.
It would be a waste of his time as well as the president's. He does not
care half so much for the salesman's time--there is no reason why he
should--but notice how tactfully he tells him that the head of the
organization has no time to spend with him.

There is a certain rough type of salesman (we use the word salesman here
in the broadest sense, as the salesmen themselves use it, to cover all
the people who are trying to convince some one else that what they have
is worth while whether it is an idea or a washing machine or a packet of
drawings)--there is a certain rough type of salesman who tries to
bluster his way through. He never lasts long as a salesman, though
unfortunately he survives a good many years in various kinds of
business. Even he must not be turned away rudely.

"I'm sorry," the young man says to a person of this sort, "but the
president has given positive orders that he must not be disturbed this
morning. He is engaged in a very important transaction."

The next man who approaches the door has an authentic claim on the
president. It would be as great a calamity to turn him away as it would
be to let some of the others in. He presents his card and says that he
has an appointment. A truly courteous man, whenever possible, arranges
an appointment beforehand. The young man takes the card, waves toward
the reception room, and asks him to be seated while he finds out if the
president is busy. He telephones to the secretary of the president,
tells him who is calling, and asks if the president is ready to see him.
If the answer is affirmative he asks if he will see him in his office or
out in the reception room. It is much easier to get rid of a visitor
from the entrance hall or reception room than from an inside office. If
he says that he will see him in the reception room the girl reports to
the visitor that he will come in a few minutes, offers him a magazine,
and asks him to make himself at home. If the president says that he will
see the visitor in his office the young man sends one of