A Tight Ship
A Japanese company and an American company decided to have
a canoe race on the Missouri 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 8
people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team
had 8 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 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.
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