Ordway Tead 1935

Ordway Tead was a Lecturer in Personnel Administration at Columbia University and wrote many books, starting with Instincts in Industry in 1918. The book in question here is Tead's work called The Art of Leadership, published in 1935. This book covers what would have been controversial subjects in their time, such as 'Problems of Women Leaders' and what is still a taboo subject today: 'Sexual Frustrations and Maladjustments'. The latter being some paragraphs on this sensitive subject in the context of the-then modern work environment of pre-War 1930s USA.

A few quotes to consider:

On Sexual Frustrations in the 1930s Workplace:

"A departmental store manager, whose wife had for years been confined in bed as a chronic invalid, was known to be generally soft and silly with all the young women employees with whom he could make an excuse for establishing any direct contact. He called them all by their first names or more inclusively as 'dearie'; although there was no evidence that his advances went beyond that point, the women resented his attitude and only submitted to his familiarities because it seemed the politic thing to do."

This was captured by Tead under the heading of Sexual Frustrations and Maladjustments and goes on to talk about how leaders and managers should deal with these sensitive matters. Quite outrageous for pre-War 1930s USA! 

Women on Women Leaders in the 1930s:

"Women leaders, again, are said to be 'too fussy and particular and prying'. They tend to over-individualize their supervision. This tendency to interfere during the execution of assigned work is a common failing. It is probably also the rock upon which the harmony of house-servants and their mistresses most often founders."

Not hard to see why the sexual revolution followed 30 years later!