Driving Results

9Alignment: Lesson #5

“It's not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?”

– Henry David Thoreau

EIGHT‐MAN CREW RACING is exquisite to watch. There is such harmony and synchronization among the team. Each of the eight nearly 12‐foot‐long oars seemingly enter and leave the water at the same moment, as if the result of a fine‐timed Swiss watch. This is no accident. It is essential if the team wants to win. Tiny differences in timing or oar pressure can disrupt the optimal flow of the boat, causing it to yaw or wobble, which in turn results in drag, and drag in turn reduces speed. Even small fluctuations among the oars, or uneven pressure of the oars as they are pulled through the water, can mean the difference between winning and losing, qualifying for the Olympics or watching others compete from the sidelines. If a team works harder and better, not as individuals but as a team, if they have outstanding alignment, the team has a fighting chance to win. Without it, they will pack their bags and go home.

Certainly, in the tire business as in many other businesses, alignment is critical for success. Each tire factory makes hundreds if not thousands of different tires. Many tire types are produced in many different sizes. Depending on the degree of size variation within a given tire, the actual construction of it might change to handle different vehicle weights or performance objectives. A tire factory also produces similar but different tires ...