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Not met your targets … Start crawling

Video emerged on websites this week of Chinese workers being forced to crawl along the street. Their crime? According to a newspaper report … not meeting their annual targets.

Perhaps the managers should take notice of W. Edward Demings warning:

‘People with targets and jobs dependent upon meeting them will probably meet the targets – even if they have to destroy the enterprise to do it.

It has been known for a long time now that targets distort performance in ways that leaders are often unaware of. It is much better to focus upon changing the system where there is greater potential for improvement.

Howard Clark

Howard Clark has 20 years experience of services effectiveness, operations management and consulting in the public, private and HEI sectors. He has spent 12 years consulting as an external and internal consultant including 5 years with Vanguard Consulting.

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