Superperformance World Movement
A Modern Parable
A Japanese company ( Toyota) and an American company (Ford
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 7 people steering
and 2 people 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, 2 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant
superintendent steering manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give
the 2 people 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 rowers. There was
discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment,
extra vacation days for practices and bonuses. The pension
program was trimmed to 'equal the competition' and some of the
resultant savings were channeled into morale-boosting programs
and teamwork posters.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles.
Humiliated, the American management laid off one rower, halted
development of a new canoe, sold all the paddles, and canceled
all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was
distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses.
The next year, try as he might, the lone designated rower was
unable to even finish the race (having no paddles,) so he was
laid off for unacceptable performance, all canoe equipment was
sold and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to
India.
Sadly, the End.
Here's something else to think about: Ford has spent the last
thirty years moving all its factories out of the US, claiming
they can't make money paying American wages.
TOYOTA has spent the last thirty years building more than a
dozen plants inside the US. The last quarter's results:
TOYOTA makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9
billion in losses.
Ford folks are still scratching their heads, and collecting
bonuses... and asking for a 'bail-out'...
IF THIS WEREN'T SO TRUE IT MIGHT BE FUNNY
RCC
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 7 people steering
and 2 people 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, 2 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant
superintendent steering manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give
the 2 people 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 rowers. There was
discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment,
extra vacation days for practices and bonuses. The pension
program was trimmed to 'equal the competition' and some of the
resultant savings were channeled into morale-boosting programs
and teamwork posters.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles.
Humiliated, the American management laid off one rower, halted
development of a new canoe, sold all the paddles, and canceled
all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was
distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses.
The next year, try as he might, the lone designated rower was
unable to even finish the race (having no paddles,) so he was
laid off for unacceptable performance, all canoe equipment was
sold and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to
India.
Sadly, the End.
Here's something else to think about: Ford has spent the last
thirty years moving all its factories out of the US, claiming
they can't make money paying American wages.
TOYOTA has spent the last thirty years building more than a
dozen plants inside the US. The last quarter's results:
TOYOTA makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9
billion in losses.
Ford folks are still scratching their heads, and collecting
bonuses... and asking for a 'bail-out'...
IF THIS WEREN'T SO TRUE IT MIGHT BE FUNNY
RCC
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