IP: The Canoe Race [ a bit more humor djf]

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

From: Ken Laws <LAWS () ai sri com
From: llaws () awesome coronacorp com (Lily Laws)
From: yampol@awesome (Todd Yampol)


THE CANOE RACE


A Japanese company and an American company decided to have a boat race
on the Missouri River.  Both teams practiced hard and long to reach
their peak performance before the race. On the big day of the race the
Japanese won by a mile.


Afterwards, the American team became very discouraged and morally
depressed.  The American management decided that the reason for the
crushing defeat had to be found. A "Measurement Team" , made up of
senior management was formed. They would investigate and recommend
appropriate action.  Their conclusion was that the Japanese team had 8
people rowing and 1 person steering, while the Americans had 1 person
rowing and 8 people steering.  So American management hired a
consulting company and paid them incredible amounts of money.  They
advised that too many people are steering the boat and not enough
people are rowing.


To prevent losing to the Japanese again the next year, the rowing
teams management sturcture was totally reorganized to 4 steering
supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant
superintendent steering manager.  They also implemented a new
performance sytem 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 empowerment and enrichments through this
Quality First Program."


The next year the Japanese won by 2 miles.  Humiliated, the American
management laid off the rower for poor performance, halted development
of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and cancelled all captial
investments for new equipment.  Then they gave a High Performance
Award to the steering managers and distributed the money saved as
bonuses to the senior executives.