The Loony Bin
(
loonies@bloodaxe.demon.co.uk
)
Thu, 6 Jun 1996 08:48:56 +0100
Hiya Folks...
Here's a story that rings true...
Wishes & Dreams...
- ANDREA
xx
************<andrea@bloodaxe.demon.co.uk>************
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*** THE LOONY BIN ***
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******************Internet Goddess*******************
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------- Forwarded foolishness follows -------
Once upon a time, an American company and a Japanese company decided to
have a competitive boat race on the Tennessee River. Both teams
practiced hard and long to reach peak performance. On the big day, the
Japanese won by a mile.
The American team was enraged by the loss; morale sagged. Top management
decided to find the reason for the crushing defeat. A "continuous-
measurable-improvement" team was set up to investigate the problem and
to recommend appropriate corrective action.
Their conclusion: The problem was that the Japanese team had eight
people rowing and one person steering, whereas the American team had one
person rowing and eight people steering.
The American corporate steering committee immediately hired a consulting
firm to do a study on the management structure. After months and
millions of dollars, the consulting firm concluded too many people were
steering and not enough rowing.
To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the team's management
structure was reorganized to include four steering managers, three area
steering managers, and one staff manager. A new performance system was
instituted to give the person rowing the boat incentive to work harder.
"We must give him empowerment and enrichment." The managers thought.
"That ought to do it."
The next year the Japanese won by two miles!
Humiliated, the American corporation laid off the rower for poor
performance, sold all of the paddles, canceled all capital investments
for new equipment, and halted development of a new canoe. Finally, they
gave a high-performance award to the consulting firm, and distributed
the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.