American and Japanese big business decided to engage
in a competitive crew race. Both teams practiced hard
and long to reach their peak performance. On the big
day, both teams felt ready. The Japanese won by a mile.
The American team was discouraged by the loss.
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 corrective action.
The consultant's finding: The Japanese team had
8 people rowing and one person steering. The
American team had one person rowing and 8 people
steering.
After a year of study, and millions spent on analyzing
the problem, the consulting firm concluded that too
many people were steering and not enough were
rowing on the American team.
As the race day neared again the following year, the
American team's management structure was
completely reorganized.
The new structure:
Four steering managers, three area steering
managers, and a new performance review system
for the person rowing the boat to provide work
incentive.
At the race, the Japanese won by two miles.
Humiliated again, the American corporation laid off
the rower for poor performance, and gave the
managers a bonus for discovering the problem.
************************************************************
"Union Plumber"
A plumber was called to woman's apartment in New York
to repair a leaking pipe. When he arrived he was
pleased to discover that the woman was quite beautiful.
During the course of the afternoon the two became
extremely "friendly."
About 5:30 p.m. the phone rang, disturbing the bedroom
shenanigans. "That was my husband," she said, putting
down the phone. "He's on his way home, but is going
back to the office around 8. Come back then and we can
take up where we left off."
The union plumber looked at the woman in disbelief.
"What? On my own time??"