In the Footsteps of Dilbert

In 1997 a management consultant held a seminar for executives of Logitech International, the world’s largest producer of computer mice. He led the attentive group through a session of brainstorming and sharing in order to improve their mission statement, which was simply “to provide Logitech with profitable growth and related new business areas.” The improved statement that they produced with him was “to scout profitable growth opportunities in relationships, both internally and externally, in emerging mission-inclusive markets, and explore new paradigms and then filter and communicate and evangelize the findings.” The consultant drew a final diagram to wind things up — a Dilbert cartoon. Then he took off his wig and moustache and announced “Gentlemen, you’ve been had.” It was the popular cartoonist Scott Adams, who has made a career out of lampooning the corporate workplace. Faddish seminars are commonplace today and illustrate the gullibility of supposedly “hard-headed” businessmen.