Post by swi66 on Apr 7, 2007 12:47:28 GMT -5
Canoe Race
Need I say more!
A Japanese car company and an American car 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. The Americans, very
discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the
crushing defeat. 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 1 person
rowing. So American management hired a consulting company and paid them
a large amount of money for a second opinion.
They advised that too many people were steering the boat, while not
enough people were rowing.
To prevent another loss to the Japanese, 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. There was discussion of getting new
paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices
and bonuses.
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.
The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and
the next year's racing team was outsourced to India.
Need I say more!
A Japanese car company and an American car 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. The Americans, very
discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the
crushing defeat. 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 1 person
rowing. So American management hired a consulting company and paid them
a large amount of money for a second opinion.
They advised that too many people were steering the boat, while not
enough people were rowing.
To prevent another loss to the Japanese, 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. There was discussion of getting new
paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices
and bonuses.
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.
The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and
the next year's racing team was outsourced to India.