Category: Story

I recently came across an interesting sharing by the CEO of an Insurance company, called the 24/48 rule which is explained as the two compartments of any organization which every employee in the organization can be categorized into and refers to the ambient temperature in which the two parts operate.

The 24-part refers to the Head Office, Corporate office and all those who operate from various office locations of the organization.

The 48-part refers to those in the marketplace, the sales guys, field staff, the supply chain teams, the staff and workers in the factories and plants of the organization.

While the 24-part are cosy and snug in the cool environs of the office, the 48-part are the ones who slug it out in the marketplace or on production shop floors, sweating and struggling to make, move, position and sell the product ensuring last-mile connectivity to the customer. On whom does the success/failure of the business depend?

On the 24 part or the 48 part of the company? This is one perpetual conundrum in every organization.

While the marketing teams devise the sales strategies and build the brand image of your product, they form the 24- part of the organization, the sales teams on the other hand who form the 48-part are the ones who deliver the goods and ensure that the cash counters are ringing.

While the Research and Development/Production Design/Planning teams, etc. which form the 24-part, conceive and visualize the product, it is the guys on the shop floor who ensure that the final product is produced, meeting the exacting quality standards that have been specified.

As a Production Executive at Parke-Davis during the early part of my career, I faced a similar situation.

Benadryl Expectorant, which was our star product, had a stiff daily production target. On several occasions, the production team surpassed these targets achieving one milestone after another but except for a perfunctory pat on the back, there was no other recognition.

On the other hand, when the Marketing team achieved a significant milestone of a sales target of 100 crores for the product, there were massive celebrations capped off with a big bash at a 5-star hotel.

In every organization, the 24 parts are the blue-eyed boys of the organization while the 48-parts are quite often taken for granted.

Later on, when I moved into the 24-part of the business into exports and sourcing, I made it a point to always respect and appreciate the guys on the shop floor who ensured that we met our business targets.

Businesses need to realize and appreciate the value of the 48-parts. Businesses depend on them for their success and if you want a successful business you must ensure that people who operate at 24 are always keeping the 48 folks in mind.

We need to remind ourselves that businesses are not built in air-conditioned offices, boardrooms etc. they are built out there in the marketplace where customers part with their hard-earned cash for products & services.

Even in sports whether football or cricket, it is not the 24- ones manning the dugouts, dressing rooms, selection committees and managing boards that make the game popular.

The popularity of the game depends on what happens in the middle…the 48 parts… Do make sure you are paying heed to what is happening in the 48-part of your organization. Your policies must have their interests in mind. Not doing so would make all the difference between success and failure in an organization.

Let us not forget that 48 always triumphs over 24 whether in sports, business or in life.

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