Funny analogy of the "old" GM

[bjt]

I just came across this again and, being that I've lived through this for the past 15 years of my working life, think it's one of those things that are rediculous / funny but true. Most have probably seen this or some version of it but it truely was the way of running GM for years. Thankfully, I think they are changing now.



A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (General Motors) decided to have a boat 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 that the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 8 people steering and 1 person rowing.

Feeling a deeper study was in order, American management hired a consulting company and paid them a huge fee for a second opinion. The advice, of course, was 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, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager.

They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person 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 rower. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses.

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment.

The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India.

Sadly, The End.

[Smylinacha]

Sounds like where I work! We put out a good product but people get burnt out really fast because of managment.

[Roaddog2]

Here they call it 6s

[retread]

32 years at GM. Now it's being run by our government, who can't make a profit with the post office! Glad my pension's at least partially protected.

john

[Longlegs]

Government Motors at its best. Form a commitee to kill a bug, just step on it.
They need to do things the way Henry Ford used to.
He had no use for paper shufflers.

[Smylinacha]

Government Motors at its best. Form a commitee to kill a bug, just step on it.
They need to do things the way Henry Ford used to.
He had no use for paper shufflers.

[Zerocool]

32 years at GM. Now it's being run by our government, who can't make a profit with the post office! Glad my pension's at least partially protected.

john

Not only make a profit, but a U.S. president who bashes the american auto industry, then proceeds to create a Cash For Clunkers program where half of the $2.6 Billion of taxpayer money doled out went to Toyota & Honda... this dude doesn't understand what being patriotic means

You think he would have at least said, you get $4500 IF you buy GM, Chrysler, Chevy, or Ford.

[Smylinacha]

Not only make a profit, but a U.S. president who bashes the american auto industry, then proceeds to create a Cash For Clunkers program where half of the $2.6 Billion of taxpayer money doled out went to Toyota & Honda... this dude doesn't understand what being patriotic means

You think he would have at least said, you get $4500 IF you buy GM, Chrysler, Chevy, or Ford.

Yep