Successmanship

Manhattan Adman Shepherd Mead is a 38-year-old vice president of Benton & Bowles, and a devoted follower of Britain's Stephen Potter, founder and master of Gamesmanship (how to win at games "without actually cheating") and Lifemanship. Mead's ploy is successmanship. In his new book, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Simon & Schuster; $2.50), he sets down a valuable list of plonks and gambits for the aspiring junior executive ("any male in an office who sits down").

Choose Your Target. For his would-be successful businessman, young Pierrepont Finch, Mead first advises: choose the right company, "big enough so that nobody knows exactly what anyone else is doing." If he has a special knack, Mead adds, "Forget it . . . Be an 'all-around' man of no special ability and you will rise to the top."

His next problem is to free his mind for "truly High-Level thinking," which requires an escape from office routine. "At 9:30, remark: 'Oh, J.B., anything you want from me before I take off?' 'Going out, Finch?' 'Yes, sir. Don't trust that survey at all. Think I'll get out and ring some doorbells ... get down to the grass roots.' 'Good boy, Finch.' " But on Finch's Saturday off when the boss drops by to pick up his golf clubs, Finch gets there a half hour before, rolls up his sleeves, tousles his hair and litters his desk with empty paper coffee cups and old cigarette butts saved for the purpose.

" 'Oh, working this morning, Finch?' " 'Mmmmm. Is it morning already,sir?' " 'Great Scott, been here all night?' " 'No, not all night . . . Is there any way I can get in tomorrow, sir? Just in case?. . .'"

Aim Your Fire. Finch is on his way. He writes memos ("concerned only incidentally with its apparent subject"). "The main object of the memo is to impress the people who read it . . ." Other people's memos may be returned unread with a note: "'Mighty clear exposition!'"

Finch learns how to play company politics and win the boss's attention. "There are always two or more factions [e.g., Blank v. Threep] fighting for control," advises Mead. "It is essential to maintain strict neutrality long enough to determine which side is going to win . . . After it is clear that Threep, say, is going down, the humane thing to do is to finish him off as quickly as possible. Attack him freely, and preferably in Blank's presence . . . From this point on, follow Blank loyally. There is nothing like loyalty, as long as your man moves up fast enough to leave plenty of room behind." If not, Finch must think first of the company's good, "and if Blank is not Doing his Job you must not let sentiment interfere. By this time, you should be skillful at giving people the business. Give it to Blank, in a nice way, and afterwards do your best to find him another job."

A sure-fire way to win the boss's attention is to adopt his own hobbies: " 'Got to hurry home, sir. The little devils are whelping.' 'Whelping, Finch? Don't tell me you're a mongoose man!' 'Are you too, sir? We are a rare breed, aren't we?' "

Of course, it is only a matter of time until Finch is president of Finch & Co.. formerly Biggley & Co. Now that he has got rid of old J. B. Biggley, it falls on Finch to "lend a helping hand to those . . . following . . . along the road." One such: young Spruance Bibber, who even comes in to work on Saturdays, his desk all strewn with coffee cups and cigarette butts. " 'Oh, working this morning, Bibber?' 'Gosh, is it morning already, Mr. Finch?' 'Yes, and it just started to rain. Better take your umbrella into the hall. It's dripping on the carpet!'"

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