ASTD Image of the Day: We've Come a Long Way! Employee Development, Circa 1953

An article on secretarial development appeared in the May-June 1953 issue of the Journal of Industrial Training and highlighted the need for secretarial development. The case study underscored not only the skills development of the secretaries but also the changes the executives needed to make to provide the right culture and working environment for the secretaries.

Sitting around that table in 1953, the secretaries discussed more than 43 possible scenarios that they encounter and the recommended solutions, such as:

Problem: What can you do when your boss leaves the office without telling you where he is going and numerous people keep calling for him?

Recommended solution: Inform the caller he is out and take the number of the caller. Do this for each call and then suggest to your boss that you could have transferred the calls if he had informed you where he was going.

In 2011, are management of employees part of your leadership development program? How are you building a culture of respect and engagement in your workplace?