Re: Management Styles

"Merritt Mullen" <mmullen8014@mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:mmullen8014-7176E1.18282108022006@netnews.asp.att.net...[color=blue]
> Someone sent me this. May not be new to this group, but there is probably
> a LITTLE bit of truth in it:
>
>
> Toyota, a Japanese company and GM, 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.
>
> 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 eight people rowing and one person
> steering, while the American team had eight people steering and one person
> rowing. So American management hired a consulting company and paid them an
> incredible amount of money.
>
> After six months of hard work, they advised that too many people were
> steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing. So the American
> Team acted: To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the rowing
> team's management structure was totally reorganized to four steering
> supervisors, three 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. Even new paddles and medical benefit incentives were
> promised for a winner. "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
> 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 in appreciation
> for a job well done.
>
> --
>
> Merritt[/color]

Snipped and stolen

Charles of Schaumburg