Alexander Hamilton - "America's First Systems Thinker"

In order to understand what I propose it is first best to define "Systems Thinking."

I believe Dr. Russel Ackoff provided the best definitions and explanations for "Systems Thinking."

·         System - a system is a whole which is defined by its function in a larger system of which it's a part

•   Every system is contained in a larger system
•    Its role or function in that system is what defines it
•    For a system to perform its function it has essential parts
•                        Essential parts are necessary for the system to perform its function but not sufficient
•                        Implies that an essential property of a system is that it can not be divided into independent parts.
•                       Its properties derive out of the interaction of its parts and not the actions of its parts taken separately.
•      If you apply analysis to a system you take it apart and it loses all its essential properties, and so do its parts.
•      A system is never the sum of its parts. It is the product of the interactions of its parts.

http://environment-ecology.com/general-systems-theory/380-systems-thinking-with-dr-russell-ackoff.html

In my opinion Alexander Hamilton saw the United States as a whole (Central Government, National Currency, National Bank, Three Branches of Govt.) and not the individual parts (States, State Currency, Excessive States Rights (AH believed they should have many rights). If it were left up to many of our Founding Father's wishes we would have separate countries and the United States would be more like Europe. 

His ideas on combing the national debt united the country for the benefit of the whole and not the individual few (States). 

It is often said that changes that results in lasting improvement come from the outside. People too close to a situation can not let go of their biases (Like many of the founding fathers from Virginia and Massachusetts). 

Hamilton was not born in the United States and thus owned no allegiance to any particular state. (island of Nevis). He saw the country as a whole and united it would always be superior to the sum of it's parts.

Today our government is about the parts and individual biases of the democratic and republican parties. What a shame and embarrassment you people are to the common people.


INDIVISIBLE! - No greater word in our pledge of allegiance.

Heed These Words...

Democrats and Republicans and all else in between. Heed these words...

 

Dr. Deming taught that profound knowledge generally comes from outside the system and is only useful if it is accepted and received with an enthusiasm to learn and improve. A system cannot understand itself without help from outside the system, because previous experiences will stifle objectivity, preventing vital analysis of the organization (i.e, Government). Serious self-examination is difficult without impartial analysis from outside the organization.

Perhaps Newt Gingrich can explain to the Washington Bureaucrats...

https://www.fedsmith.com/2016/12/19/new-administration-real-improvement-this-time/

Updated - 6/1/17

I'm reading a new book (Highly Recommend) about the teachings of Dr. Deming by Edward Martin Baker, one of Dr. Deming's most valued associates, Mr.  Baker shares his deep understanding of Dr. Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. https://www.amazon.com/Symphony-Profound-Knowledge-Edward-Martin/dp/1532002394

Secretary DeVos Calls for ‘Transformation’ of America’s ‘Closed and Antiquated Education System’

On January 23rd 2017 I posted the following:

Secretary DeVos - "What Gets Planned, and Measured, Gets Done" - Time for Transformation

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2017/01/what-gets-planned-and-measured-gets-done.html

Today May 23rd I read the following:

Secretary DeVos: America Must Transform Education to Serve the Needs of Individual Students

https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/prepared-remarks-us-secretary-education-betsy-devos-american-federation-childrens-national-policy-summit

I read the Secretary's speech with great interest. In my opinion she makes some great points and observations about our current education system. The key word is "System." In my January post I bolded and highlighted "Please make sure you support yourself with team leaders who understand systems thinking."

In order for the transformation to have a chance one must understand that within any system there are inputs and outputs. Secretary DeVos states that:

"If we really want to help students, then we need to focus everything about education on individual students – funding, supporting and investing in them. Not in buildings; not in systems."

"Education should reward outcomes, not inputs."

Please understand the "STUDENT" is the input and the output as he/she travels through the education system. 

Perhaps the following diagram will help - it is needed to be understood in order for a transformation to take place.

CLICK on Pic to ENLARGE Model

NOTE: I can't help but believe based on my many years of trying to be a "change agent (transformational in in some areas)" in both business and education is to make sure that all those involved are not to feel bad about what was previously done. So - Secretary DeVos please go forward with fresh ideas, new theories and probable solutions that are not based on what people/workers will perceive as their fault for the current situation. Criticism and blame will result in a battle at every step of the transformation and it will fail. Perhaps others in the current administration should also heed this advice.

- Earth Day - 4/22/17

I always liked this poem by Walt Whitman -
 Appropriate for Earth Day

Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and with the mothers or families, re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem.... ~ Walt Whitman ~ (from the Preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855)

  Enjoy

Earth Day Video and plant a tree! qg

4/22/17

Here are some cool songs related to Earth Day -http://ultimateclassicrock.com/earth-day-songs/

4/22/12

Six years ago I planted a Washington Hawthorn Sampling I ordered from the Arbor Day Foundation. It looked something (smaller) like this when I pulled it out of a regular size mailing envelop:

Last year I took a picture and I'm proud to show it has grown wonderfully!!

Happy Birthday Dano!

Numbers do lie, they do dance and they do often mislead. Yes they DO!

Let me provide some wisdom provided by Dr. W. Edwards Deming on this subject – “Dr. Deming spoke of 3 ways to improve (Does not imply "good") the figures: distort the data, distort the system and improve the system. Improving the system is the most difficult.” 

Following is a prime example of distorting the data: High Schools

Here is a statement from a local high school (Many do this to attract parents to their school):

"In the past five years, our graduates earned over $20 million in scholarships."

OK – I know for a fact this school averages around 100 students that graduate per year. I’m not a math wizard and I’m not making these numbers dance but this statement would mean 20 million divided by 500 = $40,000 per student.

What this really means is the old Pareto Principle at work - The Pareto Principle is very simple, yet very important. It is named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who, in 1906, found that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population.

What was most important about Pareto’s finding was that this 80/20 distribution occurs extremely frequently. For example, in general, 20% of your customers represent 80% of your sales.

In the scholarship numbers used by many high schools this really means your top ten students are getting offers from multiple schools to attend and get scholarship dollars. Let’s say I apply to 5 colleges and they each offer me a full ride equaling $60,000. The school will now put in $300,000 in the pot. I can only go to one school the actual scholarship dollars are $60,000. So if you really want to know the numbers ask the counselor to be specific and show you the scholarship winner and the schools they are to attend. I guarantee you it will be a much smaller number.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=pareto

Following is a prime example of distorting the system: Wells Fargo

The phony accounts earned the bank unwarranted fees and allowed Wells Fargo employees to boost their sales figures and make more money.

"Wells Fargo employees secretly opened unauthorized accounts to hit sales targets and receive bonuses," Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said in a statement.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/31/investing/wells-fargo-investigations-fake-account-scandal/

Whom do you blame? Management owns the system and sets the policies. Employees follow these rules in order to save their jobs or to make more money. It all comes down to the dangers of Management By Objectives (MBO), Quotas and Rating and Raking. I have posted about this numerous times since 2005. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=Ratings

There are so many examples day in and day out. The most popular today is “FAKE NEWS.” Everyone is distorting the facts to gain viewer and readership and this is very dangerous. Social Media only compounds the problem.

Dr. Deming wrote about these dangers/diseases many years ago and people continue to abuse them:
https://deming.org/management-system/deadlydiseases

Dr. Deming did not just tell about the diseases he provided a prescription for preventing (not fixing) them. We would all do well to take a good dose of learning and applying these concepts.
https://deming.org/management-system

Oh - by the way - I DO realize numbers don't actually lie it's the people manipulating them for their own gain or protection.