Fred
09-13-2003, 03:45 AM
This would be funny if only it were not so close to reality.
A Japanese company and an American company decided to
have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams
practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance
before the race.
On the big day the Japanese won by a mile. Afterward,
the American team became very discouraged and morally
depressed. The American management decided the reason for
the crushing defeat had to be found. A management team
made up of senior management was formed to investigate
and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was
the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering,
while the American team had 8 people steering and one
person rowing.
So American management hired a consulting company and
paid them an incredible amount of money. They advised
that too many people were steering the boat, while not
enough people were rowing. To prevent losing to the
Japanese again next year, the rowing team's management
structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors,
3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant
superintendent steering manager. They also implemented
a new performance system that would give the 1 person
rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was
called the Rowing Team Quality First Program, with
meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. We must
give the rower the empowerment and enrichments through
this quality program.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles. Humiliated,
the American management laid off the rower for poor
performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the
paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new
equipment. Then they distributed the money saved as
bonuses to the senior executives.
A Japanese company and an American company decided to
have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams
practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance
before the race.
On the big day the Japanese won by a mile. Afterward,
the American team became very discouraged and morally
depressed. The American management decided the reason for
the crushing defeat had to be found. A management team
made up of senior management was formed to investigate
and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was
the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering,
while the American team had 8 people steering and one
person rowing.
So American management hired a consulting company and
paid them an incredible amount of money. They advised
that too many people were steering the boat, while not
enough people were rowing. To prevent losing to the
Japanese again next year, the rowing team's management
structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors,
3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant
superintendent steering manager. They also implemented
a new performance system that would give the 1 person
rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was
called the Rowing Team Quality First Program, with
meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. We must
give the rower the empowerment and enrichments through
this quality program.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles. Humiliated,
the American management laid off the rower for poor
performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the
paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new
equipment. Then they distributed the money saved as
bonuses to the senior executives.