The Boat Race

[Guest Whizbang]

THE BOAT RACE

Westjet Airlines and Air Canada Airlines decided to have a canoe race

on the St. Lawrence River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach

their peak performance before the race. On the big day, Westjet won

by a mile.

Afterwards, the Air Canada team became very depressed and discouraged. The Air Canada management decided that a reason for the

crushing defeat had to be found.

A "Measurement Team" made up of senior management was formed. They would investigate and recommend appropriate action.

They concluded that Westjet had eight people rowing and one person steering, while Air Canada had one person rowing and eight

people steering. So Air Canada management hired a consulting company and paid them an incredible amount of money. They advised that too many people were steering the boat and not enough people were rowing.

To prevent losing to Westjet next year, the rowing team's management structure was completely reorganized. There would be four

steering supervisors, three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent steering manager. Air Canada also implemented a new performance system that would give the one rower a greater

incentive to work harder.

The "Rowing Team Quality First Program" had meetings, dinners and included free pens for the rower. "We will give the rower empowerment and enrichments through this quality program," management said.

Next year, Westjet won by two miles.

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

Then they gave a "High Performance" award to the steering management and distributed the money they saved as bonuses to the senior executives.