CHAPTER 71
THE AUTOMOBILE IDEOLOGY
I often ponder over automobiles running the highways of my city at high speed. Everyone is in haste and patience is lost. When Karl Benz created this famous invention, pageantry welcomed it. Its unique style and capacity rivaled the grand chariots of his time, a welcome development for the world at that time. This development seemed one exclusively for the rich and wealthy class of Europe until Michael ford succeeded in developing the mass production process introducing his Ford automobile and applying the same principles that Karl failed to notice in the building of his automobile. Ford opened the door for a new generation of automobiles that improved the cause of the transportation as he mass produced his Ford automobile and took the world by storm outplacing Karl who was still struggling with his perfectionist theories.
What is most striking about this invention is the unity with which every part works. Like a human system where each part does not seek its own but the good of the overall, the automobile consist of many parts, all of them working to the perfect functioning of the whole automobile. Karl Benz and his engineers had observed that if the automobile would function effectively, all parts must work together in unison. Any part that falters affects the overall functioning of the system. For an organization to be effective, every worker must work cohesively putting hands on deck to ensure the achievement of the goal.
The automobile has a heart, the engine. The engine is the center of combustion. It is the powerhouse of the automobile creating the propelling force for the automobile. Every organization has an “engine team.” The running of the whole team depends on these persons. Though singular as the engine may seem, it has various components. Each of the components plays its role to ensure the engine functions. The persons who function as the engine room of an organization may be working as one but they do not all play the same role. Each person has his or her independent role to play.
The automobile requires a chassis. This is the automobile skeleton, which defines its shape and beauty. The chassis are the buildings that house our business premises. We often have gallant enigmatic complexes housing our banks, hotels, industries etc. The building protects customers as well as workers from heat and rain just as the chassis does to the occupant and the engine. So much as the engine is fixed and chassis built, this does not make the car move. The automobile need a wheel mechanism. The wheel mechanism makes the car move when the engine throttles. An organization may have a great structure and wonderful staff but it needs to provide services that will keep it going and customers coming. The wheels are thus the rendered services.
A vehicle will keep moving directionless without the steering. The steering guides the wheels of the vehicle. There has to be a steering too for the company. The steering are the ideas and goals upon which the organization runs on. The organization should have a vision or goal that it aims to achieve and that guides its operations. Vehicles have the throttle. The throttle propels the engine. The throttle is the motivation that drives the team. Just as the throttle is often marched when the vehicle is accelerating, workers need motivation often. Motivation keeps the team directed towards the goal or vision.
The brake mechanism helps control the speed of the automobile, and brings it to rest point. The team would need to unwind after work. Create time for tea breaks and refreshment to strengthen the team for better effectiveness. The gear mechanism helps control the torque transferred to the wheels. There has to be a gear mechanism in an organization. The gear mechanism is the training offered from time to time to improve services and render better services to customers. This has to be continuous bringing staff up to speed with latest developments.
The automobile would be useless without fuel and oil. Fuel and oil are the allowance and salary paid to workers to ensure they put in their energy to see the success of the company.
Finally, the driver drives the automobile. He is the king, the customer. The customer is why the organization runs in the first place. Give reverence to him.
Treat your work organization as you would treat your automobile, with care.