redwinger00
09-19-2003, 07:32 AM
A Japanese company and an American company decided to have a raft
race on the Arkansas River. Both the teams practiced hard and long 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 eight people rowing and one
person steering, while the American team had eight persons 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 four steering supervisors,
three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent
steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that
would give the one 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 raft, sold the paddles, and
canceled all capital investments for new equipment. Then they
distributed the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.
Thank goodness this is just a story and this sort of thing doesn't
happen in real life.
race on the Arkansas River. Both the teams practiced hard and long 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 eight people rowing and one
person steering, while the American team had eight persons 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 four steering supervisors,
three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent
steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that
would give the one 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 raft, sold the paddles, and
canceled all capital investments for new equipment. Then they
distributed the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.
Thank goodness this is just a story and this sort of thing doesn't
happen in real life.