Elbert Hubbard's 1900 essay, "A Message to Garcia," remains a surprisingly potent piece of advice, even over a century after its initial publication. The core of the essay is a simple anecdote about a Spanish-American War operation: President McKinley needs to send a message to General Calixto Garcia, who is somewhere in the Cuban jungle, and asks his aide, "Is there anyone who can go to Garcia?" The aide, after a moment's pause, simply replies, "Yes, there is a fellow by the name of Rowan who will go to Garcia." Rowan accepts the mission without question, finds Garcia, delivers the message, and completes the task without further instruction or complaint. Hubbard uses this seemingly straightforward story to critique a perceived widespread lack of initiative and responsibility, particularly in the workplace. He argues that the world desperately needs more "Rowans" – individuals who will take a task, understand its objective, and execute it without constant supervision or hand-holding.
Hubbard's central argument rests on the idea that success, both personal and professional, hinges on an individual's willingness and ability to take ownership. He contrasts the ideal "Rowan" with the hypothetical individual who would ask a barrage of questions, delay the mission, or fail to act at all. This unwillingness to simply do the task, Hubbard suggests, stems from a deeper problem: a passive acceptance of instruction rather than an active pursuit of completion. He laments the necessity for managers to constantly cajole, cajole, and then cajole again their subordinates, implying that such micromanagement is a symptom of employees who are not self-starters. For Hubbard, the ability to "go to Garcia" is not just about following orders; it's about understanding the underlying purpose and proactively finding the best path to achieve it. It's about a mental commitment to the goal, a quality he finds remarkably rare.
The essay's power lies in its directness and its appeal to a fundamental human desire for efficiency and accomplishment. Hubbard doesn't get bogged down in complex theories; he presents a clear problem and a clear, albeit idealized, solution. He frames the issue as a lack of "grit" or determination. In his view, many people possess the necessary intelligence and skills but lack the will to apply them independently. This, he suggests, is a failure of character as much as a failure of competence. He advocates for employers to seek out individuals who demonstrate this innate drive, and for individuals to cultivate it within themselves. The essay, therefore, serves as both a critique of the status quo and a call to action for self-improvement.
While "A Message to Garcia" is often cited in business and self-help contexts, its message transcends the corporate world. It speaks to the universal need for people to take responsibility for their lives and their contributions. Whether it's a student tackling a difficult assignment, a volunteer organizing an event, or a parent managing a household, the principle of taking initiative and seeing a task through to completion is invaluable. Hubbard's essay, though written in a different era, continues to resonate because it addresses a timeless human challenge: the gap between knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it with purpose and efficacy.