Today I was in two meetings about how great we did this year, one for the plant where I am physically located and one for the branch of the company I belong to… kind of equivalent to “my” plant. For the actual physical plant, we learned that we really turned our financial numbers around. For my organization, I have to confess what most caught my attention was an allusion to the project my evil twin did, a simpler project than mine but one closer to the director’s heart. That was pretty much what was mentioned as far as great work coming from our group.

But since these year-end reports about our situation were all glowing, one could ask if I shouldn’t reconsider yesterday’s evaluation that we are headed for a train wreck. I asked myself that. There is an argument to be made that our vice president this year listens to what we say about our situation, appreciates the significance of it, and will give us a chance to sort out our problems before ranting about how he is going to wrap chains around the factory doors himself.

Could be. Wouldn’t carry much weight even if it were true. But the financial numbers do some heavy talking. Will those financial numbers out-talk the delivery numbers?

I think not. I think the financial numbers can only serve to buy us some time. Someone is bound to make the argument that if we would only deliver on time the company would be making even more money and that will turn ears. It doesn’t matter if you earned me $100 today if I think I can get $200 tommorrow by cutting off your ears and selling them. Say goodbye to your ears.