A Modern Adaptation of a Message to Garcia: Why Initiative Still Matters in the Workplace

by Robert Solano

“A Message to Garcia” is an essay written by Elbert Hubbard in 1899. The essay tells the story of a young soldier, Andrew S. Rowan, who was tasked with delivering a message to General Calixto García, the leader of the Cuban rebels fighting against Spain during the Spanish-American War.

The essay emphasizes the importance of initiative, resourcefulness, and perseverance in accomplishing a difficult task. Hubbard praises Rowan for his willingness to undertake the mission without hesitation, despite the challenges and dangers involved.

The essay became immensely popular and was widely circulated in American business and military circles, as it was seen as a call to action and a reminder of the virtues of determination and self-reliance. I personally learned of the message sometime during my leadership and military training at West Point. The phrase “Message to Garcia” has since become a catchphrase for carrying out a difficult task with a minimum of guidance or assistance.

In another post, I share the original “Message to Garcia,” which you can read here, but in this post, I thought it would be fun to try to write a modern adaptation of “A Message to Garcia,” using modern examples and language. I hope you enjoy this modern adaptation of “A Message to Garcia.”

A Message to Garcia, For Today’s Generation

During the protests in Ferguson a few years back, there was this one literary agent who stood out and accomplished a task that seemed impossible. When the Black Lives Matter movement was gaining momentum, a publishing director wanted his company to get a book deal with the leader of the Black Lives Matter movement ASAP, but nobody knew who the heck that was. Word on the street was that some guy named Garcia was the one in charge, but no one knew where to find him.

That’s when someone said, “There’s an agent named Rowan who can find Garcia for you. Trust me.”

So the director gave the job to Rowan, who didn’t waste any time asking questions like, “Where is he at?” She packed her bags, charged her phone and laptop, hopped in her car, and drove straight to Ferguson. It took her two days to get there, and once she arrived, she disappeared into the chaos of protests, riots, and all that crazy stuff.

The rest of the details are up to your imagination, but let’s just say that Rowan was a total badass who got the job done. She found the BLM leaders and delivered them the message that her publishing house wanted to sign a book deal. It turns out that there was more than one Black Lives Matter leader, and they weren’t named Garcia, but that didn’t stop her. She ended up getting three BLM leaders on contract for book deals. 

Now, here’s the thing: Garcia represented the leaders of one event at one point in history, but there are other Garcias out there. And there are people who want to talk to them.

Any leader who wants to do something big knows how frustrating it can be when other people don’t step up to the plate. Too many folks these days expect to coast by on their degrees, connections, and privilege. But every now and then, a Rowan comes along and shows us how it’s done.

If you’re an employer, you can put this to the test. Ask one of your employees to write an article about something in the news that relates to your business. Will they say “sure” and get to work? Or will they bombard you with questions like, “Which news source should I use? How do you want me to write it? Will I get paid overtime for this?”

You want people on your team who are willing to act quickly, stay focused, and get the job done. In other words, people who can “deliver the message to Garcia.”

I bet you ten bucks that even after you explain how to find the information and why you need it, your employee will still ask for help and then come back with even more questions tomorrow. Statistically speaking, I’m probably right. But don’t waste your time explaining everything in detail. Just smile and say “never mind” before looking up the info yourself. This lack of initiative and dependence on others is why pure socialism won’t work. If people won’t take action for themselves, what will they do if success comes without effort? Without capitalism, businesses would need to hire a slave driver to motivate their workers.

When posting a job for an administrative assistant, 90% of applicants can’t spell or punctuate properly, and they don’t think it matters. Would someone like that be able to deliver a message to Garcia?

A law firm executive once told me about a paralegal who is great at legal work, but unreliable when running errands. She might stop at Chick-fil-A and Target along the way, take selfies, and make mistakes when completing the task. Can someone like her be trusted to deliver a message to Garcia?

Recently, there has been a lot of sympathetic talk about the “Great Resignation” and “labor shortage.” Employers often blame the economy for their low retention rates, reduced productivity, and schedule delays. Little attention is paid to the employer who struggles to get lazy and incompetent employees to do good work and ages prematurely as a result.

Employers are always working to improve their business by weeding out ineffective employees and hiring capable ones. There is a constant weeding-out process. This process happens in good times, but it becomes even more important during tough economic times. The unfit and incompetent are either coached and given one more opportunity or let go. Employers who fail at this will go out of business and those that succeed at it will thrive even during tough economic times. Only the best, those who can accomplish any task, should be kept. Employers must keep, promote, and reward their best workers, those who can carry out important tasks without hesitation, those who can carry a message to Garcia.

Let me tell you about a guy I know, a really skilled engineer with years of experience and skilled with computers, but he’s pretty useless to anyone else. He treats his job like it’s a competition, constantly questioning every decision made by his bosses and trying to win over everyone around him. If he gets even one negative comment in his annual evaluation, he throws a tantrum. He can’t take orders and won’t give them either. If you asked him to do something outside his job description, he’d probably just refuse.

His boss told him that he should start looking for a new job. Tomorrow he’s going to email his LinkedIn contacts, but he won’t get many replies. No one who knows him wants to risk their reputation by hiring him. His personal brand is all about being unhappy, and he just can’t be reasoned with. The only thing that motivates him is the fear of losing his 401k.

These types of employees are like zombies, they look normal on the outside, but something inside them is broken. We should pity them, just like we would pity someone who’s physically disabled. But we should also shed a tear for the entrepreneurs and employees who are working hard to keep their businesses going. They stay past 5 pm without complaining and sacrifice their time and energy to motivate uninterested coworkers. Without them, we’d all be hungry and homeless.

Maybe I’m exaggerating, but sometimes it feels like the whole world is lazy and clueless. That’s why I want to show some sympathy for the people who succeed against all odds. The ones who can lead others and take responsibility without complaining or asking unnecessary questions. These people are rare and precious, and any employer who finds them should hold onto them tight. They’re needed in every city, every office, every shop, and every factory. They are the ones who can deliver a message to Garcia.

This article is a fictional adaptation of the 1899 classic ” A Message to Garcia” by Elbert Hubbard. You can read the original message here.