Good Old American Management.
 
 The Americans and the Japanese decided to engage in a competitive
 boat race.  Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak
 performance.  On the big day they felt ready.
 
 The Japanese won by a mile.
 
 Afterward, 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 eight people rowing
 and one person steering; the American team had one person rowing and
 eight people steering.
 
 After a year of study and millions spent analyzing the problem, the
 consultant firm concluded that too many people were steering and not
 enough were rowing on the American team.  So as 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.
 
 The next year, the Japanese won by TWO miles!!!
 
 Humiliated, the American corporation laid off the rower for poor
 performance and gave the mangers a bonus for discovering the problem.
 
 From: Chris

Wil Stark, wstark04 (at) pobox _dot_com

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