caudio51
BoM Nov '05; Mar '06
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. 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
an d the next year's racing team was outsourced to India.
And that is the way it is.
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
an d the next year's racing team was outsourced to India.
And that is the way it is.