Experience has shown that whatever may be the merits of boards of directors as counselors and advisors, they do not possess that prompt judgment that is so often needed in emergencies. If in much counsel there is much wisdom, there is also much delay, and while undue haste is bad, unreasoning hesitation is even worse, for mistakes may be remedied, but lost opportunities do not present themselves again. It is a trite saying that "Councils of war never fight," and it is not recorded that Napoleon ever submitted his judgment to that of his marshals. He listened to their advice, and then took the decision upon himself. If a reckoning be made of the most successful concerns in this country, especially among manufacturers, it will be found that almost without exception success has been due to the dominating influence of one master mind, who has impressed his individuality upon the concern and imparted his spirit to its members. He often has associated with him an equally strong character, dissimilar, yet of like nature, thus forming the needed complement.-IRON AGE. Councils and Commissions AND, IN GENERAL, BODIES OF MEN CALLED TOGETHER TO COUNSEL, SUCH UCH bodies are the fly-wheels and safety-valves of the machinery of business. They are sometimes looked upon as superfluities, but by their means the motion is equalized, and a great force is applied with little danger. They are apt contrivances for obtaining an average of opinions, for insuring freedom from corruption, and the reputation of that freedom. On ordinary occasions they are more courageous than most individuals. They can bear odium better. The world seldom looks to personal character as the predominating cause of any of their doings, though this is one of the first things which occurs to it when the public acts of any individual are in question. The very indistinctness which belongs to their corporate existence adds a certain weight to their decisions. Councils are serviceable as affording some means of judging how things are likely to be generally received. It is seldom that any one person, however capable he may be of framing, or of executing a good measure, can come to a satisfactory conclusion as to the various appearances which that measure will present, or can be made to present, to others. In some instances he may be so little under the influence of the common prejudices around him, as not to understand their force, and therefore not to perceive how a new thing will be received. Now, if he has the opportunity of consulting several persons together, he will not only have the advantage of their common sense and joint information, but he will also have a chance of hearing what will be the common nonsense of ordinary men upon the subject, and of providing as far as possible against it. On the other hand, these bodies are much tempted by the division of responsibility to sloth; and therefore to dealing with things superficially and inaccurately. Another evil is the want of that continuity of purpose in their proceedings which is to be found in those of an individual. As it tends directly to diminish many of the advantages before mentioned, it is, in general, a wrong thing for a member of a council or commission to let the outer world know that his private opinion is adverse to any of the decisions of his colleagues; or indeed to indicate the part, whatever it may have been, that he has taken in the transaction of the general body. The proper number of persons to constitute such bodies must vary according to the purpose for which they are called together. Such a number as would afford any temptation for oratorial display should in general be avoided. Another limit, which it may be prudent to adopt, is to have only so many members as to make it possible in most cases for each to take part in the proceedings. By having a greater number, you will not insure more scrutiny into the business. It will still be COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS. 49 done by a few: but with a feeling of less responsibility than if they were left to themselves, and with the interruptions and inconvenience arising from the number of persons present. Besides, the greater the number, the more likelihood there is of parties being formed in the council. Whether the members are many or few, there should be formalities, strictly maintained. This is essential in the conduct of business. Otherwise there will be such a state of things as that described by Pepys in his account of a meeting of the Privy Council; which, like most of his descriptions, one feels to be true to the life. "Went to a Committee of the Council to discourse concerning pressing of men; but Lord! how they meet; never sit down : one comes, now another goes, then comes another; one complaining that nothing is done, another swearing that he hath been there these two hours and nobody come. At last my Lord Annesley says, 'I think we must be forced to get the King to come to every Committee; for I do not see that we do anything at any time but when he is here.' The great art of making use of councils, commissions, and such like bodies, is to know what kind of matter to put before them, and in what state to present it. "There be three parts of business, the preparation; the debate, or examination; and the perfection; whereof, if you look for dispatch, let the middle only be the work of many, and the first and last the work of few. There is likely to be a great waste of time and labour when a thing is brought in all its first vagueness to be *Bacon's Essay on Dispatch. |