FedEx and UPS recently competed head to head in a rowing race on the Missouri River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race. On the big day the FedEx team won by a mile.
         Afterward, the UPS team became very discouraged and depressed. UPS management decided the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. A Management Team made up of senior executives was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was the FedEx team had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the UPS team had 8 people steering and one person rowing.
        So UPS management hired a consulting company and paid them vast amounts of money. After six months of hard work, they advised that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing. So the UPS Team acted: To prevent losing to the FedEx team again, the rowing team’s management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering managers, 2 area steering division managers and 1 operations manager.
        The UPS Team also implemented a new performance system that would give the one person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the Demonstrated Rowing Performance Program, with meetings, write-ups and free pens for the rower. Even up front parking and a coffee cup were promised for a winner.
        At the next race, FedEx won by two miles. Humiliated, UPS management fired the rower for poor performance, halted development of a new boat, sold the oars and canceled all capital investments for new equipment.
        The money saved was distributed to the senior executives as bonuses for a job well done.