The Navy, Army, and the Air Force decided to have a canoe race on the
Potomac River. Each team practiced hard and long to reach their peak
performance before the race.
On the big day, the Navy won by a mile. Afterwards, the Air Force team
became very discouraged and depressed.
The officers of the Air Force team decided that the reason for the
crushing defeat had to be found.
A "Metrics Team," made up of senior officers was formed to investigate
and recommend appropriate action. They concluded that the primary
difference between the two teams was that the Navy had 4 seamen and 4
Marines rowing, and 1 officer steering, while the Air Force had 1 airman rowing
with the steering managed by 8 officers and NCOs.
So the senior officers of the Air Force team hired a consulting
company and paid them incredible amounts of money. The consultants
delivered a three volume report, and advised that too many people were
steering the boat and not enough people were rowing.
To prevent losing to the Navy again the next year, the Air Force Chief
of Staff made historic and sweeping changes: the rowing team's
organizational structure was totally realigned to 4 steering officers, 3
area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering NCO.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1
airman rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called
the "Air Force Rowing Team Quality Program," with meetings, dinners, and
a three-day pass for the rower. "We must give the rower empowerment and
enrichment through this quality program."
The next year the Navy won by 2 miles.
Humiliated, the Air Force leadership gave a letter of reprimand to the
rower for poor performance, initiated a $4 billion program for
development of a new joint-service canoe, blamed the loss on a design
defect in the paddles,and issued career continuation bonuses and leather rowing
jackets to the beleaguered steering officers in the hopes they would stay
for next year's race.
The Army team, meanwhile, having only recently obtained funding for a
boat, is trying to figure out why the oars keep making divots in the
grass when they're rowing
Potomac River. Each team practiced hard and long to reach their peak
performance before the race.
On the big day, the Navy won by a mile. Afterwards, the Air Force team
became very discouraged and depressed.
The officers of the Air Force team decided that the reason for the
crushing defeat had to be found.
A "Metrics Team," made up of senior officers was formed to investigate
and recommend appropriate action. They concluded that the primary
difference between the two teams was that the Navy had 4 seamen and 4
Marines rowing, and 1 officer steering, while the Air Force had 1 airman rowing
with the steering managed by 8 officers and NCOs.
So the senior officers of the Air Force team hired a consulting
company and paid them incredible amounts of money. The consultants
delivered a three volume report, and advised that too many people were
steering the boat and not enough people were rowing.
To prevent losing to the Navy again the next year, the Air Force Chief
of Staff made historic and sweeping changes: the rowing team's
organizational structure was totally realigned to 4 steering officers, 3
area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering NCO.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1
airman rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called
the "Air Force Rowing Team Quality Program," with meetings, dinners, and
a three-day pass for the rower. "We must give the rower empowerment and
enrichment through this quality program."
The next year the Navy won by 2 miles.
Humiliated, the Air Force leadership gave a letter of reprimand to the
rower for poor performance, initiated a $4 billion program for
development of a new joint-service canoe, blamed the loss on a design
defect in the paddles,and issued career continuation bonuses and leather rowing
jackets to the beleaguered steering officers in the hopes they would stay
for next year's race.
The Army team, meanwhile, having only recently obtained funding for a
boat, is trying to figure out why the oars keep making divots in the
grass when they're rowing
