The Bean Counter
© Copyright Frank D. Kanu 2000-2008
The bean counter lives for details, to the point that details are split further into more details. Every single detail then gets painstakingly analyzed, often to find ways to change them. When those details are changed, they lead to more details, which leads to more analysis—and still more details and analysis. They can be relentless in their drive to change details (a never-ending cycle).
Engineers at a company that manufactures refrigerators found a way to produce the doors faster, thus saving a few minutes per door. In a large operation, of course, those few minutes add up to big gains. They proudly presented their discovery to top management, but the financial director became quite upset with the report. As he saw it, these savings in one area led to a slowdown in another. It was a stoppage of less than a second, but the financial director saw it as a waste of time and money. Thus, instead of thanking the engineers for their cost-saving idea, he instead found fault with a relatively insignificant issue.
Bean counters are hardly ever able to create a short, quick analysis of a situation. When they rise to the level of management, their need for more and more details becomes increasingly problematic, not to mention demoralizing to employees who are told their performance is never good enough.
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The bean counter lives for details, to the point that details are split further into more details. Every single detail then gets painstakingly analyzed, often to find ways to change them. When those details are changed, they lead to more details, which leads to more analysis—and still more details and analysis. They can be relentless in their drive to change details (a never-ending cycle).
Engineers at a company that manufactures refrigerators found a way to produce the doors faster, thus saving a few minutes per door. In a large operation, of course, those few minutes add up to big gains. They proudly presented their discovery to top management, but the financial director became quite upset with the report. As he saw it, these savings in one area led to a slowdown in another. It was a stoppage of less than a second, but the financial director saw it as a waste of time and money. Thus, instead of thanking the engineers for their cost-saving idea, he instead found fault with a relatively insignificant issue.
Bean counters are hardly ever able to create a short, quick analysis of a situation. When they rise to the level of management, their need for more and more details becomes increasingly problematic, not to mention demoralizing to employees who are told their performance is never good enough.
Are you detail driven?
Or someone in the team?
Can it be changed?
Should it be changed?
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bean counter bean counters discovery doors few minutes financial director insignificant issue management money refrigerators slowdown stoppage time time and money top management waste of timeTechnorati (All Links are external): bean counter bean counters discovery doors few minutes financial director insignificant issue management money refrigerators slowdown stoppage time time and money top management waste of time step 1 - define!
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21:43 on Saturday, March 8th, 2008
08:35 on Sunday, March 9th, 2008
08:47 on Sunday, March 9th, 2008
it would be helpful if you can describe more detailed what you don’t understand or do not agree with.
Thank you.