A group of managers were given the assignment to measure the height of a flagpole. 

So they went out to the flagpole with ladder and tape measures. They fell off the ladder, dropped the tape measures, and generally bungled the whole affair.

An engineer came along and saw what they were trying to do. 

He walked over and pulled the flagpole out of the ground.  He laid it flat, measured it from end to end and gave the measurement to one of the managers and walked away.

After the engineer had gone, one manager turned to another and laughed.

"Isn't that just like an engineer!  We're looking for the height and he gives us the length!"