Love this story about 'knowing where to tinker'. Especially as related to systems thinking and how we should be engaging our cities. Thought of this story while talking with a pastor of a new church in Washington, D.C. called the District Church. Praying that God gives this pastor, and all of us engaged in building the Kingdom of God in our cities, wisdom, patience, and persistence, as "God works in us to will and to act according to His good purposes." (Phil 2:13)
"There is a wonderful story of Henry Ford and Charlie Steinmetz. Steinmetz had one of the greatest minds in the field of electricity the world had known when Henry Ford was building his automobile empire. Steinmetz built the great generators for Henry Ford in his first plant in Dearborn, Michigan. One day those generators broke down and the plant came to a halt. They brought in ordinary mechanics and helpers who couldn't get the generators going again. They were losing money. Then Ford called Steinmetz. The genius came, seemed to just putter around for a few hours, and then threw the switch that put the great Ford plant back into operation. A few days later Henry Ford received a bill from Steinmetz for $10,000. Although Ford was a rich man, he returned the bill with a note, "Charlie, isn't this bill a little high for a few hours of tinkering around on those motors?"
Steinmetz returned the bill to Ford. This time it read: "for tinkering around on the motors: $10.00 - for knowing where to tinker: $9,990, total: $10,000". Henry Ford paid the bill."
No comments:
Post a Comment