Re: [FSJsocialclub] God help America!

["Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

  A Japanese auto company and GM decided to have a canoe race .
  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 8 people rowing and 1 person 
steering,
  while the American team had 8 people 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 organized 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 15 hour per day meetings,
  dinners and free pens with the company logo 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 Improvement
  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.


  The money saved was distributed to the senior management.