The amount of panic shown by upper management was incredible. After all, the entire issue revolved around a small square-head set screw. Who knew that a three-quarter inch piece of metal could cause so much turmoil for our bosses?
Naturally, what was at stake was nothing trivial to those powers-that-be. This mac 90 screw would decide the fate of their $5,000 bonus – a bonus that wouldn't affect their employees who were doing the actual work.
Yet, somehow, somewhere, someone had already depleted inventory for this normally unimportant artifact. Now, fingers pointed, accusations flew, temper tantrums ensued, and more importantly, production came to a halt. No orders would be going to the customer on that last day of the month. Replacement parts would be in the next day; but that all-important bonus depended on what went out the door in February.
Then, at the 11th hour, a miracle occurred. It happened long after the executives had gone home that afternoon to their golf games and martinis.
After spending a grueling 14-hour day in a scramble to fill all of the months orders, a couple of employees dismantled several warranty returns, and sifted through many more drawers in the maintenance area. They managed to find enough screws to complete that critical shipment for their overseers’ bonuses.
So, in the end, upper management received their windfall. As for those dedicated workers, well, they have yet to receive a “thank you”.
No comments:
Post a Comment