Form

Improve Your Management Technique - Case Study 28

by Chuck Witt

“So, what improvements did you bring during your tenure, General?”

“I introduced a new form.”

“That’s great! And what went into the new form, sir?”

“Everything.”

“Everything?”

“Every damn thing. I made my people put everything they knew in that form.”

“And what did you do with the form?”

“I already told you. I made ‘em fill it out.”

“But what did you do with the information?”

“Nothin’.”

“You had them fill out the form with everything they knew and you didn’t do anything with the information?”

“Not only everything they knew, but everything they did – they couldn’t scratch their ass without it went in the form.”

“But why?”

“Because then there wasn’t one person in the whole lousy outfit knew any more than I did.”

“You truly are a visionary, sir.”

“Truly, I am.”

Interview with General E. Paul Ockst

(Extract from “Management Improver Magazine”, February 2013)