08/22/02

The Americans and the Japanese decided to engage in a boat
race.  Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their
peak performance levels.  On the big day they felt ready.
The Japanese won by a mile!

The American team was discouraged by the loss.  The morale
sagged.  Corporate management decided that the reason for
the crushing defeat had to be found, so a consulting firm
was hired to investigate the problem and recommend the
corrective action.

The consultant's finding:  The Japanese team had 8 people
rowing and 1 steering.  The American team had 1 person
rowing and 8 people steering.  After one year of study and
millions spent analyzing the problem, the consultant firm
concluded that too many people were steering and not enough
were rowing on the American team.  So as race day neared
again the following year, the American team's management
structure was completely reorganized. (Sound familiar?)

The new structure: Four steering managers, three area
steering supervisors, and a new performance review system
for the person rowing the boat, to provide a work incentive.
That year, the Japanese won by two miles!!!

Humiliated, the American corporation laid off the rower for
poor performance and gave the managers a bonus for
discovering the problem!!!