Daw Rob
1st Feb 2009, 07:33
Many years ago, there was a CEO, who was so excessively fond of his new Organisation, that he spent all his money on travel.
He did not trouble himself in the least about his staff; nor did he care to go either to the workplace or the Government, except for the opportunities then afforded him for displaying his new Organisation.
He had a different tongue for each hour of the day; and as of any other Manager or CEO, one is accustomed to say, "he is sitting in meetings," it was always said of him, "The CEO is sitting in his office."
Time passed merrily in the large town which was his capital; strangers arrived every day at the Head Office. One day, two rogues, calling themselves consultants, made their appearance. They gave out that they knew how to restructure the Business of the most beautiful profits and elaborate structure, the Organisation manufactured from which should have the wonderful property of remaining invisible to everyone who was unfit for the office he held, or who was extraordinarily simple in character.
"These must, indeed, be splendid Organisation!" thought the CEO. "Had I such a Business Plan, I might at once find out what men in my realms are unfit for their office, and also be able to distinguish the wise from the foolish!
This Business must be restructured for me immediately." And he caused large sums of money to be given to both the consultants in order that they might begin their work directly.
So the two pretended consultants set up two workshops, and affected to work very busily, though in reality they did nothing at all. They asked for the most experienced staff and the purest Managers; put both into their own pockets; and then continued their pretended work at the empty office until late at night.
"I should like to know how the consultants are getting on with my business," said the CEO to himself, after some little time had elapsed; he was, however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or one unfit for his office, would be unable to see the document. To be sure, he thought he had nothing to risk in his own person; but yet, he would prefer sending somebody else, to bring him intelligence about the consultants, and their work, before he troubled himself in the affair. All the people throughout the organisation had heard of the wonderful property the business was to possess; and all were anxious to learn how wise, or how ignorant, their GM’s might prove to be.
"I will send my faithful old Manager to the Consultants," said the CEO at last, after some deliberation, "he will be best able to see how the business looks; for he is a man of sense, and no one can be more suitable for his office than he is."
So the faithful old GM’s went into the hall, where the Contractors were working with all their might, at their empty Offices. "What can be the meaning of this?" thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide. "I cannot discover the least bit of structure on the business." However, he did not express his thoughts aloud.
The impostors requested him very courteously to be so good as to come nearer their Business Plan; and then asked him whether the design pleased him, and whether the details were not very efficient; at the same time pointing to the empty pages. The poor old minister looked and looked, he could not discover anything on the business plan, for a very good reason, viz: there was nothing there. "What!" thought he again. "Is it possible that I am a simpleton? I have never thought so myself; and no one must know it now if I am so. Can it be that I am unfit for my office? No, that must not be said either. I will never confess that I could not see the plan."
"Well, General Manager!" said one of the Contractors, still pretending to work. "You do not say whether the strcture pleases you."
"Oh, it is excellent!" replied the old GM, looking at the Business Plan through his spectacles. "This structure, and the efficiencies, yes, I will tell the CEO without delay, how very beautiful I think them."
"We shall be much obliged to you," said the impostors, and then they named the different business units and described the responsibilities of the pretended structure. The old GM listened attentively to their words, in order that he might repeat them to the CEO; and then the Consultants asked for more money and time, saying that it was necessary to complete what they had begun. However, they put all that was given them into their bank accounts; and continued to work with as much apparent diligence as before at their empty business plans.
The CEO now sent another Manager of his office to see how the men were getting on, and to ascertain whether the plan would soon be ready. It was just the same with this gentleman as with the GM; he surveyed the plans on all sides, but could see nothing at all but the empty pages.
"Does not the business plan appear as detailed to you, as it did to my General Manager?" asked the Consultants of the CEO's second Manager; at the same time making the same gestures as before, and talking of the design and structure which were not there.
"I certainly am not stupid!" thought the manager. "It must be, that I am not fit for my good, profitable office! That is very odd; however, no one shall know anything about it." And accordingly he praised the Plan he could not see, and declared that he was delighted with both detail and structure. "Indeed, please your Chief Executive," said he to his leader when he returned, "the Plan which the consultants are preparing is extraordinarily magnificent."
The whole organisation was talking of the splendid business plan which the CEO had ordered to be written at great expense.
And now the CEO himself wished to see the costly business plan, while it was still with the Consultants. Accompanied by a select number of Managers of the AWB, among whom were the two Managers who had already admired the plan, he went to the crafty consultants, who, as soon as they were aware of the CEO's approach, went on working more diligently than ever; although they still did not add a single word through the document.
"Is not the work absolutely magnificent?" said the two Managers of Canberra, already mentioned. "If your Chief Executive will only be pleased to look at it! What a splendid design! What glorious details!" and at the same time they pointed to the empty pages; for they imagined that everyone else could see this exquisite piece of a document.
"How is this?" said the CEO to himself. "I can see nothing! This is indeed a terrible affair! Am I a simpleton, or am I unfit to be a CEO? That would be the worst thing that could happen--Oh! The Business Plan is magnificent," said he, aloud. "It has my complete approbation." And he smiled most graciously, and looked closely at the empty pages for on no account would he say that he could not see what two of the Managers of his Office had praised so much. All his retinue now strained their eyes, hoping to discover something on the looms, but they could see no more than the others; nevertheless, they all exclaimed, "Oh, how brilliant!" and advised his Chief Executive to have some new Organisational Restructure made from this splendid document, for the new Minister. "Magnificent! Brilliant! Excellent!" resounded on all sides; and everyone was uncommonly gay.
The CEO shared in the general satisfaction; and presented the consultants with the riband of an order of Australia, to be worn in their button-holes, and the title of "Airspace Consultants."
The rogues sat up the whole of the night before the day on which the presentation was to take place, and had sixteen lights burning, so that everyone might see how anxious they were to finish the CEO's new Business Plan. They pretended to roll the paper off the printers; cut the air with their scissors; and type with computers without any keyboards in them. "See!" cried they, at last. "The CEO's new Organisation is ready!"
And now the CEO, with all the grandees of his Head Office, came to the Consultants; and the rogues raised their arms, as if in the act of holding something up, saying, "Here are your Managers tasks! Here is the schedule! Here is the Business Plan! The whole Document is as light as a cobweb; one might fancy one has nothing at all, when holding it; that, however, is the great virtue of this delicate document."
"Yes indeed!" said all the Managers, although not one of them could see anything of this exquisite document.
"If your Chief Executive will be graciously pleased to change your Organisation, we will present the new business plan, in front of the Board."
The CEO was accordingly proud, and the rogues pretended to array him in his new business plan; the CEO turning round, from side to side, before the Board.
"How splendid his Chief Executive looks in his new Organisation, and how well it works!" everyone cried out. "What a design! What structure! These are indeed magnificent plans!"
"The canopy which is to be borne over your Chief Executive, in the Media presentation, is waiting," announced the chief media spokesman of the networks.
"I am quite ready," answered the CEO. "Does my new Organisation Work well?" asked he, turning himself round again before the Board, in order that he might appear to be examining his great business plan.
The Managers of Canberra, who were to carry the CEO’s document looked about on the paper, as if they were lifting up the pages of the plan; and pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means betray anything like simplicity, or unfitness for their office.
So now the CEO walked under his high canopy in the midst of the Government, through the streets of Canberra; and all the people standing by, and those at the windows, cried out, "Oh! How brilliant are our CEO's new Organisation! What a magnificent plan there is for the business; and how efficient the structure!" in short, no one would allow that he could not see these much-admired Organisation Business Plan; because, in doing so, he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office. Certainly, none of the CEO's various plans, had ever made so great an impression, as these invisible ones.
"But the CEO has no plan at all!" said a Controller.
"Listen to the voice of innocence!" exclaimed his Line Manager; and what the controller had said was whispered from one to another.
"But he has no plan at all!" at last cried out all the staff. The CEO was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he thought the procession must go on now!
And the Managers of Canberra took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up a business plan, although, in reality, there was no Plan at All.
:D:D:D:D:D
He did not trouble himself in the least about his staff; nor did he care to go either to the workplace or the Government, except for the opportunities then afforded him for displaying his new Organisation.
He had a different tongue for each hour of the day; and as of any other Manager or CEO, one is accustomed to say, "he is sitting in meetings," it was always said of him, "The CEO is sitting in his office."
Time passed merrily in the large town which was his capital; strangers arrived every day at the Head Office. One day, two rogues, calling themselves consultants, made their appearance. They gave out that they knew how to restructure the Business of the most beautiful profits and elaborate structure, the Organisation manufactured from which should have the wonderful property of remaining invisible to everyone who was unfit for the office he held, or who was extraordinarily simple in character.
"These must, indeed, be splendid Organisation!" thought the CEO. "Had I such a Business Plan, I might at once find out what men in my realms are unfit for their office, and also be able to distinguish the wise from the foolish!
This Business must be restructured for me immediately." And he caused large sums of money to be given to both the consultants in order that they might begin their work directly.
So the two pretended consultants set up two workshops, and affected to work very busily, though in reality they did nothing at all. They asked for the most experienced staff and the purest Managers; put both into their own pockets; and then continued their pretended work at the empty office until late at night.
"I should like to know how the consultants are getting on with my business," said the CEO to himself, after some little time had elapsed; he was, however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or one unfit for his office, would be unable to see the document. To be sure, he thought he had nothing to risk in his own person; but yet, he would prefer sending somebody else, to bring him intelligence about the consultants, and their work, before he troubled himself in the affair. All the people throughout the organisation had heard of the wonderful property the business was to possess; and all were anxious to learn how wise, or how ignorant, their GM’s might prove to be.
"I will send my faithful old Manager to the Consultants," said the CEO at last, after some deliberation, "he will be best able to see how the business looks; for he is a man of sense, and no one can be more suitable for his office than he is."
So the faithful old GM’s went into the hall, where the Contractors were working with all their might, at their empty Offices. "What can be the meaning of this?" thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide. "I cannot discover the least bit of structure on the business." However, he did not express his thoughts aloud.
The impostors requested him very courteously to be so good as to come nearer their Business Plan; and then asked him whether the design pleased him, and whether the details were not very efficient; at the same time pointing to the empty pages. The poor old minister looked and looked, he could not discover anything on the business plan, for a very good reason, viz: there was nothing there. "What!" thought he again. "Is it possible that I am a simpleton? I have never thought so myself; and no one must know it now if I am so. Can it be that I am unfit for my office? No, that must not be said either. I will never confess that I could not see the plan."
"Well, General Manager!" said one of the Contractors, still pretending to work. "You do not say whether the strcture pleases you."
"Oh, it is excellent!" replied the old GM, looking at the Business Plan through his spectacles. "This structure, and the efficiencies, yes, I will tell the CEO without delay, how very beautiful I think them."
"We shall be much obliged to you," said the impostors, and then they named the different business units and described the responsibilities of the pretended structure. The old GM listened attentively to their words, in order that he might repeat them to the CEO; and then the Consultants asked for more money and time, saying that it was necessary to complete what they had begun. However, they put all that was given them into their bank accounts; and continued to work with as much apparent diligence as before at their empty business plans.
The CEO now sent another Manager of his office to see how the men were getting on, and to ascertain whether the plan would soon be ready. It was just the same with this gentleman as with the GM; he surveyed the plans on all sides, but could see nothing at all but the empty pages.
"Does not the business plan appear as detailed to you, as it did to my General Manager?" asked the Consultants of the CEO's second Manager; at the same time making the same gestures as before, and talking of the design and structure which were not there.
"I certainly am not stupid!" thought the manager. "It must be, that I am not fit for my good, profitable office! That is very odd; however, no one shall know anything about it." And accordingly he praised the Plan he could not see, and declared that he was delighted with both detail and structure. "Indeed, please your Chief Executive," said he to his leader when he returned, "the Plan which the consultants are preparing is extraordinarily magnificent."
The whole organisation was talking of the splendid business plan which the CEO had ordered to be written at great expense.
And now the CEO himself wished to see the costly business plan, while it was still with the Consultants. Accompanied by a select number of Managers of the AWB, among whom were the two Managers who had already admired the plan, he went to the crafty consultants, who, as soon as they were aware of the CEO's approach, went on working more diligently than ever; although they still did not add a single word through the document.
"Is not the work absolutely magnificent?" said the two Managers of Canberra, already mentioned. "If your Chief Executive will only be pleased to look at it! What a splendid design! What glorious details!" and at the same time they pointed to the empty pages; for they imagined that everyone else could see this exquisite piece of a document.
"How is this?" said the CEO to himself. "I can see nothing! This is indeed a terrible affair! Am I a simpleton, or am I unfit to be a CEO? That would be the worst thing that could happen--Oh! The Business Plan is magnificent," said he, aloud. "It has my complete approbation." And he smiled most graciously, and looked closely at the empty pages for on no account would he say that he could not see what two of the Managers of his Office had praised so much. All his retinue now strained their eyes, hoping to discover something on the looms, but they could see no more than the others; nevertheless, they all exclaimed, "Oh, how brilliant!" and advised his Chief Executive to have some new Organisational Restructure made from this splendid document, for the new Minister. "Magnificent! Brilliant! Excellent!" resounded on all sides; and everyone was uncommonly gay.
The CEO shared in the general satisfaction; and presented the consultants with the riband of an order of Australia, to be worn in their button-holes, and the title of "Airspace Consultants."
The rogues sat up the whole of the night before the day on which the presentation was to take place, and had sixteen lights burning, so that everyone might see how anxious they were to finish the CEO's new Business Plan. They pretended to roll the paper off the printers; cut the air with their scissors; and type with computers without any keyboards in them. "See!" cried they, at last. "The CEO's new Organisation is ready!"
And now the CEO, with all the grandees of his Head Office, came to the Consultants; and the rogues raised their arms, as if in the act of holding something up, saying, "Here are your Managers tasks! Here is the schedule! Here is the Business Plan! The whole Document is as light as a cobweb; one might fancy one has nothing at all, when holding it; that, however, is the great virtue of this delicate document."
"Yes indeed!" said all the Managers, although not one of them could see anything of this exquisite document.
"If your Chief Executive will be graciously pleased to change your Organisation, we will present the new business plan, in front of the Board."
The CEO was accordingly proud, and the rogues pretended to array him in his new business plan; the CEO turning round, from side to side, before the Board.
"How splendid his Chief Executive looks in his new Organisation, and how well it works!" everyone cried out. "What a design! What structure! These are indeed magnificent plans!"
"The canopy which is to be borne over your Chief Executive, in the Media presentation, is waiting," announced the chief media spokesman of the networks.
"I am quite ready," answered the CEO. "Does my new Organisation Work well?" asked he, turning himself round again before the Board, in order that he might appear to be examining his great business plan.
The Managers of Canberra, who were to carry the CEO’s document looked about on the paper, as if they were lifting up the pages of the plan; and pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means betray anything like simplicity, or unfitness for their office.
So now the CEO walked under his high canopy in the midst of the Government, through the streets of Canberra; and all the people standing by, and those at the windows, cried out, "Oh! How brilliant are our CEO's new Organisation! What a magnificent plan there is for the business; and how efficient the structure!" in short, no one would allow that he could not see these much-admired Organisation Business Plan; because, in doing so, he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office. Certainly, none of the CEO's various plans, had ever made so great an impression, as these invisible ones.
"But the CEO has no plan at all!" said a Controller.
"Listen to the voice of innocence!" exclaimed his Line Manager; and what the controller had said was whispered from one to another.
"But he has no plan at all!" at last cried out all the staff. The CEO was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he thought the procession must go on now!
And the Managers of Canberra took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up a business plan, although, in reality, there was no Plan at All.
:D:D:D:D:D