Knowing Where - Successful Engineer Story

Introduction

There once was an engineer who possessed an exceptional talent for fixing mechanical issues. After dedicating over 30 years of loyal service to his company, he retired with a sense of fulfillment. Many years later, the company found itself in a predicament when one of their multi-million dollar machines experienced a seemingly insurmountable problem. Despite their exhaustive efforts and attempts to rectify the issue, the machine remained inoperable.

In their desperation, the company reached out to the retired engineer, recalling the numerous times he had successfully resolved their issues in the past. Without hesitation, he agreed to help. On the day of his visit, he took his time studying the intricate machine's components. After a thorough examination, he identified a specific part that he believed to be the source of the problem. He marked a small "X" in chalk on this particular component and confidently proclaimed, "This is where your problem lies."

Following his recommendation, the company promptly replaced the marked part, and to their delight, the machine sprang back to life, functioning perfectly once again. However, when the company received the invoice from the engineer, they were taken aback by the hefty fee of $ 50,000 for his services. In shock, they demanded an itemized account of his charges.

The engineer's response was succinct: he charged $ 1 for the chalk mark and $ 49,999.99 for “knowing where to put it.” His calculation highlighted the true value of his expertise and experience—knowing precisely where the issue lay was far more important than the act of marking the location itself.

Keyword

• Engineer
• Mechanical
• Retirement
• Multi-million dollar machine
• Problem-solving
• Expertise
• Chalk mark
• Knowledge
• Invoice

FAQ

Q: What was the engineer's special talent?
A: The engineer had an exceptional gift for fixing all things mechanical.

Q: Why did the company contact the retired engineer?
A: The company faced a seemingly impossible problem with one of their machines and had tried everything else without success.

Q: What did the engineer do to identify the problem?
A: He spent a day studying the machine and marked a small "X" in chalk on the component he determined to be the issue.

Q: How much did the engineer charge for his service?
A: The engineer charged $ 50,000, with $ 1 for the chalk mark and nearly $ 50,000 for his expertise in knowing where the problem was.

Q: What was the company's reaction to the engineer's bill?
A: The company was shocked by the bill and demanded an itemized account of the charges.