Smacktard
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2003
- Posts
- 967
Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Southwest airlines decided to have a competitive boat race on the Chattahoochee River. Both teams practiced for months before the event, each thinking they were going to win the big race. Finally, the race was upon them.
The Southwest team won by a mile.
Afterwards, the Atlantic Southeast Airlines team became discouraged by the loss and their morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. So, a Continuous Measurable Improvement Team of "Executives" was set up to investigate the problem and to recommend appropriate corrective action.
Their conclusion: The problem was that the Southwest team had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, whereas the ASA team had 1 person rowing and 8 people steering. The ASA Corporate Steering Committee immediately hired a consulting firm to do a study on the management structure.
After some time and millions of dollars, the consulting firm concluded that "too many people were steering and not enough rowing." To prevent losing to the Southwest again next year, the management structure was changed to "4 Steering Managers, 3 Area Steering Managers, and 1 Staff Steering Manager" a new theme was created for rowing called 'Operation StrokeWork' and a new performance system for the person rowing the boat to give more incentive to work harder and become a Star Team Player. "We must give him empowerment and enrichment." That ought to do it.
The next year the Southwest team won by two miles.
ASA laid off the rower for poor performance, sold all of the paddles, cancelled all capital investments for new equipment, halted development of a new canoe, awarded high performance awards to the consulting firm, and distributed the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.
The Southwest team won by a mile.
Afterwards, the Atlantic Southeast Airlines team became discouraged by the loss and their morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. So, a Continuous Measurable Improvement Team of "Executives" was set up to investigate the problem and to recommend appropriate corrective action.
Their conclusion: The problem was that the Southwest team had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, whereas the ASA team had 1 person rowing and 8 people steering. The ASA Corporate Steering Committee immediately hired a consulting firm to do a study on the management structure.
After some time and millions of dollars, the consulting firm concluded that "too many people were steering and not enough rowing." To prevent losing to the Southwest again next year, the management structure was changed to "4 Steering Managers, 3 Area Steering Managers, and 1 Staff Steering Manager" a new theme was created for rowing called 'Operation StrokeWork' and a new performance system for the person rowing the boat to give more incentive to work harder and become a Star Team Player. "We must give him empowerment and enrichment." That ought to do it.
The next year the Southwest team won by two miles.
ASA laid off the rower for poor performance, sold all of the paddles, cancelled all capital investments for new equipment, halted development of a new canoe, awarded high performance awards to the consulting firm, and distributed the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.
