20 Let Us Form a Committee



Let Us Form a Committee

Over the years I have been a member of a great many committees, and in all honesty, I am not so sure I was ever part of one the achieved a great amount.

To highlight its annual picnic one year, a company rented two racing boats and challenged a rival company to a boat race. The rival company accepted. On the day of the picnic, everyone entered into the spirit of the event. Women wore colourful summer dresses and big, floppy hats. Men wore straw hats and white pants. Bands played and banners waved. All were enjoying themselves and participating.

At last, the race began. To the consternation of the host company, the rival team immediately moved to the front and was never caught. It won by eleven lengths. 

The management of the host company was embarrassed by its showing and promptly appointed a committee to place responsibility for the failure and make recommendations to improve the host team's chances in a rematch the following year. The committee appointed several task forces to study various aspects of the race. They met for three months and issued a preliminary report. 

In essence, the report said that the rival crew had been unfair. "They had eight people rowing and one coxswain steering and shouting out the beat," the report said. "We had one-person rowing and eight coxswains."  The chairman of the board thanked the committee and sent it away to study the matter further and make recommendations for the rematch. Four months later the committee came back with a recommendation. 

"Our rower has to row faster," it said.  If we are to achieve any success each and every person has to play their part, but they also have to know what that part might be.





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