[SustainableTompkins] corporate humor

[Tony Del Plato]

A Japanese company ( Toyota ) and an American company
(General Motors) 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.

Feeling a deeper study was in order, American
management hired a consulting company and paid them a
large amount of money for a second opinion. They
advised, of course, that too many people were steering
the boat, while not enough people were rowing.


Not sure of how to utilize that information, but
wanting 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

The End


-- 
Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at
play. - Heraclitus