How much water a piece of wood can hold is not determined by the longest piece of wood, but by the shortest piece.

Also known as the bucket principle or short board theory, the bucket short board management theory, the so-called "bucket theory" is also the "bucket law", its core content is: the amount of water a bucket holds does not depend on It depends on the tallest piece of wood on the barrel wall, but exactly on the shortest piece of wood on the barrel wall.

Based on this core content, there are two other inferences of the "bucket theory": First, the bucket can be filled with water only if all the wooden boards on the wall of the bucket are high enough. Secondly, as long as there is a piece in the bucket that is not high enough, the water in the bucket cannot be full.

Extended information

The "short board theory" or "barrel theory" is an organizational management theory proposed by American management scientists. That is, a wooden board in the barrel is very short. The amount of water it can hold is limited by this shortcoming. Like a barrel, an enterprise's organizational competitiveness is also restricted by some kind of shortcoming. Its effectiveness is proven by many empirical facts.

If many of the country’s basic systems are not established, it will be difficult to improve the market economy as a system. For example, if the social security system is not established and improved, residents will not have the freedom to move, and the market’s ability to allocate human resources will be seriously compromised. insufficient. For another example, if education is not given priority, building an innovative country will become an empty talk.

In human growth and development, there are indeed certain shortcomings, which must be treated and dealt with differently at different stages. There is a famous saying in the workplace today: "Be a person first, then do things."

A person's character and cultivation can often determine the height a person can achieve in life. Short-sightedness, narrow-mindedness, jealousy of talents, and excessive selfishness will sooner or later hinder a person's development and progress. To be a human being first is to make up for the shortcomings in personality cultivation. If you don't make up for your shortcomings, the higher your ability, the harder and more miserably you will fall.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Barrel Effect