The Americans and the Japanese decided to engage in a boat race. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance levels. On the big day they felt ready. The Japanese won by a mile!

The American team was discouraged by the loss. The 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 the corrective action.

The consultant’s finding: The Japanese team had 8 people rowing and 1 steering. The American team had 1 person rowing and 8 people steering. After one 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. (Sound familiar?)

The new structure: Four steering managers, three area steering supervisors, and a new performance review system for the person rowing the boat, to provide a work incentive. That year, the Japanese won by two miles!!!

Humiliated, the American corporation laid off the rower for poor performance and gave the managers a bonus for discovering the problem!!!