A Japanese company and an American company decided to have a canoe
 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. Afterward, the American
 team became very discouraged and morally depressed. The American
 management decided the reason for the crushing defeat had to be
 found. A management team made up of senior management was formed
 to investigate and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion
 was the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while
 the American team had 8 people steering and one person rowing.
 
 So American management hired a consulting company and paid them an
 incredible amount of money. They advised that too many people were
 steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing. To prevent
 losing to the Japanese again next year, 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. We must give the rower the empowerment and enrichments
 through this quality program.
 
 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. Then they distributed
 the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.