Dog Days of Christmas

Just a few pics and videos from Christmas in Hawaii

Sunny Morning

and Michigan...

Snowy Afternoon

Sleepy Night...

Classic Pic 1 year ago...

Student Loan Debt Exceeds One Trillion Dollars

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812904577295930047604846.html

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/24/151305380/student-loan-debt-exceeds-one-trillion-dollars


I have been worried about this growing debt for over 10 years. No one really seems to care or listen and most importantly understand what this is going to do to the common taxpayer.This is going to make the housing market debacle look like a joke.

Both of my children have been paying on student loans for years. The monthly amounts are staggering and exceed many house payments. Yet no one cares and no one SPEAKS!!.

We are two week away from the presidential election and the student debt topic barely gets 2 minutes of debate and no headlines. WHY?

That's easy, it's not a republican or democrat problem. No one can blame the other because it is so out of control no one knows what to do or what to expect. The solution - pass it on to the taxpayers.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2007/07/why-are-college-costs-to-high.html

Garnishing wages from students who do not have high paying jobs or even a job will not work. Going after parents who co-signed will not work.

The part that I am most worried about is the government is going to attack the results and after the fact problems instead of NOW putting in laws and measures to stop the bleeding and close the flood gates of over priced education at many of our colleges and schools (for profit and non-profit).

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-would-like-to-see-our-educational.html

Generally, non-profit schools include state universities and community colleges. They receive a significant portion of their funding from the government. Most private universities are also non-profit institutions. - WELL THAT EXPLAINS IT!!

I have wiritten on this before it is time for education to be state funded for K-16.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2012/07/k-12-should-be-k-16-is-assembly-line.html

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2012/06/state-of-michigan-continues-to-sub.html

If our graduates are not finding jobs then colleges must give money back for a lousy education (Non-Value Added). If I was starting a new university I would build a sound system where every graduate is guaranteed a job as long as they want one in their chosen field of study. If I can not do this then I don't offer that degree or program. Colleges do what they want. As with most in education they do not see parents and students as customers. The Education SYSTEM feels they are doing us a favor.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2005/08/education-state-colleges-your-dogma-is.html

Knowledge + Wisdom = Prediction

Data + Information + Application = Knowledge (D + I + A = K)

Knowledge + Listening + Observing = Wisdom (K + L+ O = W).

 Knowldege + Wisdom = Prediction (K + W = P)

Heads up education and business leaders (research does not equal knowledge). Example - I can go on the Internet and read (research) a number of books on how to remodel my bathroom. I can even conduct a conversation that sounds like I know what I'm doing, I can even spout off all the research about the modern bathroom that I gather from the Mr. Handyman shows on TV and radio. However, I can predict to you in confidence that I wouldn't know the first step (well maybe, beat down the walls) in "actually" doing the job myself. It is only through trial and error, listening and experience - "theory") that I gain the knowledge and wisdom to be able to do the job myself and then pass on my knowledge to others.

Do not confuse the fact the following are not knowledge:

• Dictionary
• Encyclopedia
• Newspapers/Books/Magazines
• Internet
• Television
• Radio
• Movies

The ability to "Predict" by far is the most important skill a leader or manager can posses. Knowing when to enhance the positive and prevent the negative is the only way to implement continual improvement within our lives and professions.

The true Pathfinders in history all had the ability to predict based on knowledge and wisdom.

21st Century Students Need "21st Century Leaders running 21st Century Schools"

I would like to see our educational system go to K through 16 based on the following diagram:

The new structure must be done selectively by identifying schools based on known performance (Method of Excellence) for producing college and career ready students.

Colleges would now be for Vocational (Partner with K-12) and Graduate Studies.

This would reduce the strangle hold colleges have over students and parents (their so-called customers) in terms of value added service and costs that are driving our college grads to be in debt that will eventually be the next huge debt crisis that alters our country economies of scale from top to bottom.

I'm willing to bet around early 1900s there was a bold forward thinking leader who challenged the status quo when he/she challenged the current system of education by saying our children must go beyond elementary school and go to high school. The out-cry by traditionailst self absord thinkers must have cried out in range stating "It will destroy the make-up of our society" if kids are in school for 12 years. Wake-up it is time to move forward again and we all must be part of the movement.

CDMP = Campbell Dream Mentor Program - http://www.dreammentorprogram.com/Default.aspx

We are losing the skill to interact with each other

There is a very serious disease spreading across the United States and it is the loss of open communication between people. No longer do people ask each other how things are going in a face to face situation. People no longer talk in the grocery line and know the cashier because now most go through the self-checkout.

Do you miss talking to people? Swiping cards through machines, talking to computers and phones rather than faces and shopping online has removed the personal touches of communication.

I have not gone in the gas station store in months because I just sweep the card at the pump. 90% of my communications using my cell phone are text messages.

I first saw this phenomenon start in the 1980s when Email became the favorite mode of communicating information. It amazed me how many people would not leave their offices or cubes and walk 20 feet to talk to their co-workers. It was safer and easier to push a button. Many hid (still going on today) under the disguise that it was more productive and faster to use Email than to talk on the phone or get up and go talk to a person.

I'm thinking this all is evolutionary. Pictures of Aliens for years that we assume are beings of greater intelligence use Telepathy.

I once read in the future we will no longer have a little (pinky) toe because there has been no use for it for a thousand years. I think the vocal cords will be next.

Common Core Standards - By What Method?

I have attended three conferences on the new educational Common Core Standards to be implemented in at the last count 44 states.

 The CCSS Mission Statement is:

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

As far as Mission Statement's go this is very good. Very concise and to the point as to "WHAT" we can expect from the standards. However, as usual the standards do not explain the "HOW" or what I refer to as "By What Method" will they be accomplished.

The presenter in both conferences made it very clear the method will be left up to the school/teacher to decide what is the best method. Just like in business world the education systems Do Not Know HOW to develop methods and processes from an end-to-end perspective.

What bothered me the most was the proclamation made by both presenters that most of the teachers were already complying to the new standards. HOW can that be? Most of them don't have any idea of what the new standards are and don't plan to conform to the standards when someone already tells them they are doing just fine.

I will tell you now that Teachers (who need to make this happen) will not be given the support or training to make this initiative happen. Why? Simple, because the leadership does not have a method or aim to make it happen. They have not done for past initiatives and they still don't know how to do it now.

The CCSS are what we need to move the educational learning's to a new level in the United States. I am encouraged that 44 states have signed on to conform to the standards. I am not pleased there are TWO assessment companies. The two comprehensive Consortia Companies are – Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC).

Proponents of having two assessment companies will say "It is good for competition." Again, we have missed the point that in order to compete you must first have cooperation. So we get 46 states to cooperate and in the same breadth we want competition to tear it apart.

This is not good and will defeat the purpose of standardization, alignment and overall process improvement - what a shame we continue to take the easy road and develop plans with no long lasting merit to the original thought process. CCSS is at its core trying to set consistent standards. What I like is the fact the standards do not attempt to change curriculum's which always meets resistance from teachers.

I fear politics between parties and well as state versus federal power struggles will derail this effort on the short-run.

The best way for continual improvement to take hold is through standardization. You must have standardization at the beginning and end of each process/system improvement efforts. The problem is I do not believe standardization is being done. For example; The CCS only covers English Language and Mathematics. The the Common Core State Standards do not cover science and social studies content standards, the Next Generation Science Standards are in the process of being developed. They are not directly related to the Common Core, but their content can be cross-connected to the mathematical and English Language Arts standards within the Common Core. So another governing group and perhaps another testing agency - RIDICULOUS!!

Think of the Educational System (as well as the Common Core Standard effort) as a manufacturing line to build a car. K-12 is the car and in order to build a Quality product at the end of the line that can be delivered ready to go to the dealership must have Quality designed in from the start with process and efficiency measures through-out the process to ensure the car will be delivered as ordered and expected from the customer perspective.

Likewise, The Common Core process must bring the teachers, administrators and other stakeholders together to ensure the student is College and Career Ready at the end of 12th grade. The Standards will help with the Standardization as long as the Process Owners (Leaders) drive the effort and make sure all involved have the methodologies, tools and techniques required to do their jobs correctly.

Methodology -http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11874839#editor/target=post;postID=2360867080598912945;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=16;src=postname

I wonder where AdvanceEd will fit in all this STUFF?  Their site says  "AdvancED is the premier accreditation organization in the world, our passion is school improvement and knowledge leadership in education."

http://www.advanc-ed.org/what-we-do

Perhaps I should say "By WHICH Method"

Olympic Boxing is a DISGRACE!

I have been involved  with the sport of boxing since 1960. I have watched Olympic Boxing every time except in 1972 when I was in the Army.

I have seen some bad and some very bad  (Seoul) judging but NEVER have I seen the on-going disgrace of what is happening in London during this past week. The Olympics should use the 10 point scoring system. Why are Olympic fighters still amateurs? We send the best basketball players why not send professionals boxers. Tennis are pros and just about all other sports are too. Go to five rounds and let the action begin! Make sure pro referees are there too!!

The Sport I love is being ruined at the hands of judges and referees who have no idea how to score a fight.

The Marquess of Queensberry ought to rise out of his grave and kick their asses back to wherever they come from and let the fighters fight and at least give them a chance.

Somebody better dig up the rules quick because I will no longer watch this debacle any longer. 

Smoking Chucka Lives

K- 12 (Should be K – 16) is an old style assembly line

The K- 12 (Should be K – 16) Education system is an assembly line designed like an old style manufacturing line. The workers (Teachers, Administrators, Students, Parents, Staff, and Support) working in the system don't know how and where they fit in the system and do not understand the interdependencies that accompany each process within the education/school system.

Each school must define their aim/purpose and produce students ready to work and live in the 21 Century.

I have stated before the education system in the United States is the last Bastion that has not accepted change and does not know how to “Transform” itself. Instead, it continues to follow the “worst” practices from failed business and management examples that have plagued and resulted in the Demise of the American Management System for decades.

The papers and news are filled with articles about people stating teachers need to be paid by performance. Now in order to do that they want to establish a rating and ranking system.  YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

Want more proof? Please read this article 10 Telling Teacher Experiments in the Merit Pay Debate by Online Universities.com at
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2012/07/10-telling-teacher-experiments-merit-pay-debate/

How do you reward a teacher in 5^th grade based on test results for a student without including the students K – 4^th grade teachers too? The student output results are cumulative and work in a building block methodology.  We no longer inspect (at least I hope not) quality in at the end of the assembly line.

Perhaps with the implementation of the Common Core Standards in 44 states to standardize and improve our educational system will be effective. My fear is we have yet to learn how to truly understand systems thinking in our educational process as of yet and we are doomed to fail again with implementing a good idea from lack of leadership and know-how.

Please read - http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2012/08/common-core-standards-by-what-method.html

Quality must be designed in the process from the beginning and monitored until the product is completed for the consumer. Each grade level within the education system must work in association (aligned) by using core standards and other methods to measure and monitor the student for mastery of core subjects as the student progresses through the system.
Management by Objectives, Rating and Ranking and all those other programs are “crutches” for leaders who do not know how to do their jobs or they are not capable of doing their job because they are in the wrong position.

Those programs were created for leaders who want to abdicate their authority and not do the tough part of their job and that is managing their people by providing them the proper tools and skills by which to perform their work.

The following example of the 6E's provides a simple method for making sure your people have been proved and end to end perspective of what a leader or manager needs to provide each worker within their system.

Think of Envisioning as the Long-Term Plan that identifies and develops the overall objectives and goals where you need to bring all stakeholders together to understand the End-to-End-System and to Design in Quality from the customers (Internal & External perspective).

Enlightening is more like the Short-Term Plan that narrows the vision down to the system process owners to develop their plans and strategies to meet the Long-Term Plans goals and objectives. It is critical to educate workers on where they fit in the system and the impacts they have on the overall End-to-End Systemic effort of the group.

For more about this process go to http://www.dreammentorprogram.com/DMProcess.aspx

State of Michigan Continues to Sub-Optimize Leadership and Education

While walking my dogs this morning I was thinking about system optimization and how the leaders of Detroit and Wayne County can't seem to understand that Detroit and Wayne County are a piece of the whole (State of Michigan).

Granted they may be the heart of our state's system but they are a cancer to the whole state with their lack of leadership and accountability to their taxpayers through endless non-planning and short-term thinking.

Our school system continues to sub-optimize by refusing to understand that K-12 is a system (needs to change to K-16) and throws money at individual efforts instead of the system.

Education systems must be aligned in both curriculum and core standards. We don't need to fail students but we do have to have measures that provide data that tells if students have mastered a subject area. Superintendents and Principals must lead this effort. After all they own the system.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html



A thought came to me:

" It's easier (cost effective) to prepare a student when they are young than to prevent a dropout (cost of failure) when they are older."

Like the dogs - go to  http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/kttenkaboodle3/page4.html

They do NOT know how!

How can worker do his/her job when they are not enabled with the appropriate tools to do the job correctly? I’m not just talking about your day to day worker; I’m talking about school teachers.

School administrators in many cases are as clueless (they do NOT know how) as most business execs when it comes to non-value added work. Or maybe they just don’t have the time or will not admit they don’t know how to do something or they are just incompetent. Perhaps they just want a job and go home because they want to make it to retirement without change and stress regardless how many students go grade to grade without being given a chance.

Schools like every other industry must find ways to cut cost and trim budgets. Instead of doing a complete feasibility and systemic process check of current work efforts of what is actually being done someone in authority makes decisions that look good on paper but have long lasting dangerous effects on the outcome results (our students). How about - taking away benefits, that is easy, everyone is doing it so lets be fashionable. Or, rather than have a systemic balance of new, and experienced teachers/workers, lets get rid of the experienced ones and pay the new ones base rate. Why? Because so many people are out of work and the surplus of teachers make it a sellers market (that means they can do what they want).

Here is an actual example: Copy Paper and Printer Toner are coveted like precious metals. Supply cabinets are run like Fort Knox and the basics like pencils, folders, erasers and staples must be guarded like the missiles at NORAD.

      
How about schools that have rooms of computers that go unused and yet other schools that are still using ditto sheets for learning. I would say that is non-value added (especially when the system is so slow it takes 45 seconds per click to go from page to page).

The best part is when the educational leaders of nothing (State Officials) send in those so-called financial/accounting experts who are told to improve the bottom line in a hurry. It's easy to take away the obvious but it takes talent and expertise with application of knowledge to remove non-value work from administrators or a staff department in the education setting.

Just look at your school board offices and see how many people work there are still pushing papers instead of automating and removing work that does not bring value to students, parents or teachers. I wonder why they don't. It's because they do NOT know how.

They hide behind non-value added work and make excuses how busy they are day in and day out and worse yet their administrative bosses believe them because they are afraid of confrontation and make excuses how bust they are handling problems. Most of the problems are a result of taking away the enablement, empowerment and tools of the teachers (workers) to do their jobs. No wonder you have problems within the process (classroom) and results (parents). They do NOT know how to empower and enable workers.

Educational Leaders have no idea what their staff do on a given day let alone a week or month, most don't even have tangible objectives except for the "scheduled" observations that do no more good than Management By Objectives (MBO) or Annual Goals that are written by the worker (boss request) and then turned in to their boss for approval. As your self a question. If your guidance counselor a Dear Abby or someone who is preparing your students for the next level of education and career goals (Career and College Readiness)? Why do they not meet with parents and students and train them on the high school to college process? Because they do NOT know how.

Many people outside of education want to establish pay plans for teachers based on accountability and test scores. OK, I can some what understand that from people who do not understand what the hell they are talking about but when government leaders (oh yeah they don't know either) jump on the band wagon it can get very scary. After all, they have shown they can run a system (HA)! They do know how!!

I would like to know who owns the educational system? Not only from the top down but in each school district? It is not the teachers. Administrators (Management) own the system - it is their responsibility to manage it and set the standards and parameters for improvement and to measure the process and quality indicators. Why don't they do this? Because they do NOT know how?

Perhaps following a methodology like my dream mentor process will help:

Double Click on Pic to Enlarge for Clarity

If you let them go, why do you bring them back?

I just don’t get it. For years many organizations have been letting people go and then returning them as contract employees. In the recent years educational (K-12) schools have been doing the same. In fact many people make more money this way than they did when working as a full time employee.

One of the main reasons this is done is financial and it helps the company or school to save on paying benefits and pensions. This makes sense when the employee is valuable and continues to add value with their pride of workmanship.

However, this post is about the employees that are forced in to early retirement or let go and then brought back in as temporary or part-time employees. This group of employees is less than desirable for many reasons like an inability to change, poor work ethic and an attitude that destroys moral and cohesiveness.

It’s also about leaders who remove people from a position of authority or leadership and move them in to a new role instead of letting them go to start fresh somewhere else. I have experienced more times that not the employee being reassigned for being a poor worker is left to wallow in resentment, bitterness and pity for all to see, hear and to deal with for a long time that ultimately gets worse as time goes by for all workers involved. New employees get trained by some of these people and end up just as bad as the person that was replaced.

Sometimes change is needed to clean up a polluted lake. The lake will stay polluted as long as those in charge refuse to believe it is polluted or won’t realize they are the ones polluting the lake with their decisions like the ones stated above.

So instead of creating a fresh clean lake and removing the waste upfront from the environment many organizations and educational institutions create a new lake and hope everyone will start keeping it clean.

The point is this, it’s a just a matter of time before the new clean lake becomes as polluted as the old because those in position of authority will not confront situations and make the tough decisions that are required for improvements to take place.

Our education system has started so many lakes but they have no filters or decision makers that will accept the current ways of leading and doing things will end in the same polluted manner over and over again.

United States Quality Movement has been trending downward ever since Dr. Deming died.

There is no voice in the United States today that carries the message of the Demise of the American Management System - especially has to how it relates to education.

Many whispers in many different camps but all in different directions for their own purposes.

While I attended a conference earlier this year a couple of speakers who presented told me at lunch they felt a letdown by attending the Deming Conference. They were expecting a much wider audience and were hoping to find someone who was carrying Dr. Deming's torch and fighting the good fight challenging conventional wisdom with a strong aim towards the improvement of the American economy.

I told them there needs to be a new leader that takes all the whispers of Dr. Deming teachings along with new teachings to create a strong wind blowing in the same direction for lasting change to take place.

Many workers are stuck on a  raft drifting, splashing, crashing and fighting the rapids on what I call the "River of NO Return."

They are at the mercy of the river with no paddles, rudder or leader that knows where they are headed. Ultimately - they will crash over the waterfall. Our education system is on the River of No Return and will crash as ranking, rating and setting up incentive pay for teachers continues to gain momentum.  It is almost impossible to to make overall effective system changes from being inside the company (on the raft). You need someone from the outside (Bank of the river) that can see the system offering solutions that you can not see because you are too deep within the organization. The person on the Bank of the river (outside) can see  downriver where you can not and offer direction and knowledge. It is still the people on the raft or inside the organization that must make the changes and that can only happen if they are enabled wit the proper tolls and knowledge to continually improve.

Oh well, I guess it would be OK if you were on the raft with Marilyn!!

President Obama Backs Teacher Merit Pay

President Barack Obama called for tying teachers' pay to students' performance and expanding innovative charter schools Tuesday, embracing ideas that have provoked hostility from members of teachers unions.

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/moving_america_news/7579

quailtyg says... I hope this is true because if our leader who is the boss of the country's education leader - Secretary Arne Duncan then the

"EDUCATION SYSTEM WILL FINALLY FAIL AND GO OUT OF BUSINESS INSTEAD OF WALLOWING IN A NON-SURVIVAL STATE OF STAGNATION LIKE IT HAS FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS!"

Wise up people - Merit System, Pay, Incentive , Ranking - whatever you want to call it will put you out of business!

Did ACT Dummy-Down The Test ?

I work with students from many different schools and the ACT Test Scores for the past two years seem to have risen per student by 2-3 points.

I am hoping students are preparing better and are now realizing the benefits of a good ACT and GPA when it comes to College Merit Awards.
http://dreammentorprogram.org/Links.aspx

If they have dummied-down the test; is the SAT far behind?

Will Colleges remove their merit awards or in defense of their funds just raise their standards thus making a separation between scoring categories to those who are 27 and above are winners and those below 27 are losers. Thus we continue to create competition in education instead of cooperation.

Perhaps that is in line with the class structure today when it comes to income levels - the middle class is slipping away. In fact, the middle has already slipped away in politics, race, religion ...

Balance/Stability in all things is critical

qualityg says...

"All things were meant to be in balance,

it has been man that has,

is and will continue to upset the equation."

AND,

"Stable Processes and Systems are critical to on-going improvement efforts and the ability to Predict, it has been man that has, is and will continue to upset the equation."

Customer Preference as opposed to Customer Loyalty

I was asked yesterday why there is no more customer loyalty. I responded that I would concentrate on customer preference and here is why:

Originally Posted - 3/19/08
I have found that using the term “customer preference” as opposed to "customer loyalty" and satisfaction seems to make the most sense for many companies. Following are some thoughts on the subject.

Often people use these terms interchangeably, thus causing more confusion. It is important to know the difference; Mark Twain said it best. “The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”

I have always felt that striving for customer satisfaction is like running in a race and being satisfied that I finished in the middle of the pack. Not a winner or a loser just an average or mediocre finish. If satisfying our customers means performing at the level of their expectations, then any company that does it will be perceived as no better or worse that its competition. Being on an equal basis with your competitors offers no competitive advantages.

This means that our employees at the front lines must look at every customer contact and transaction as the “moment of truth.” They must fight the battle for customer preference.

Is there such a thing as customer loyalty in your business? How would Ford answer this when they continually do battle with GMC and Toyota in trying to convince customers to buy and re-purchase with them every few years. How about the phone companies? I have friends who boast that they haven’t paid a long distance bill in years because they keep switching. So in essence, it’s the customer’s choice or preference to do business with us or one of our competitors.

Creating customer intimacy may be the key to customer preference. Simply put, you need to nurture your relationships with your customers by providing error free transactions, tangible products, unique sets of ideas and solutions as well as forming relationships that exchange ideas, respond to technological changes and by offering value added products and services that creates more selling opportunities.

Competitive pressures and on-going regulatory and global issues, along with greater expectations of service from your customers are three of the major reasons for implementing customer preference initiatives.

In order to maintain your current customer base and gain new customers your business plans should include, educate and encourage the appropriate departments to focus in the following three areas:
- Identify and Define “Core Customers”
- Define criteria important to Core Customers and measure the performance
- Institute a “Culture of Customer Preference”
IDENTIFY AND DEFINE CORE CUSTOMERS
It is critical to determine the focus of the organization. Do you feel it is more important to be in step with your current customer base or potential customers? The basis for focusing on core customers is to understand their wants and needs and then implement performance measures to meet and exceed these expectations.

How do you determine core customers? Using the Pareto Principle can help. Who are the 20% of customers that account for 80% of current revenue? And, Who are the 20% of potential customers who will account for 80% of future revenue? This also begs the question “are we a customer-driven or market-driven organization?” Market-driven strategies aim at capturing additional customers, while customer-driven focuses on customer preference and retention. It has been my experience that most companies concentrate on both strategies; however, they don’t always create separate plans of action, which is required.

Process checks need to be done on your current method of obtaining customer-driven feedback to determine if you really understand the needs of your customers, you also need to gather feedback from potential customers as well. Obtaining market-driven data is more difficult because it is also necessary to find out why the customer preference is not interested in our product/service as opposed to those of our competitors.

DEFINE CRITERIA IMPORTANT TO CORE CUSTOMERS AND MEASURE THE PERFORMANCE

Once the core customers have been identified and defined the next step is to determine what to measure and then gather customer feedback to drive process improvement activities (i.e. root cause analysis, corrective and preventive action plans, etc.). Determining what to measure is vital, usually senior managers or an outside vendor specifies what should be measured. This is not the preferred method, customers themselves as well as front-line customer contact employees are best able to identify the customers wants and needs. In addition to performance measures on customer requirements customer feedback should provide information for process and outcome measures. These types of measures will enable us to determine the gaps.

Most companies have many methods to gathering customer information like customer surveys, market studies, customer complaints and others. What you need to concentrate more on is the “moments of truth” information that can be provide by our front-line employees who have direct customer contact. All of these methods and information need to be analyzed in a systemic fashion so that all the information can be provided to the appropriate process owners so that opportunities of improvement can be prioritized and corrected.

INSTITUTE A “CULTURE OF CUSTOMER PREFERENCE”

It is vital to an organization’s on-going improvement efforts that customer and market feedback is communicated in such a way that the appropriate process owners and their respective front-line workers are aligned to respond and improve customer feedback in a timely manner. Continuous education and training is required to build a culture of customer preference.

One way to enable the front-line employees to create an environment of customer preference that prioritizes improvement opportunities is to follow these steps:

1. Identify, and select a customer affecting process or service for improvement based on customer feedback data
2. Using SIPOC + CCCCbelow
3. Map the service delivery process, include those steps that direct customer contact is made (i.e. moments of truth)
4. Define customer wants and needs, as well as the customer affecting failure points in the service delivery process
5. Conduct a Barriers and Aids Analysis (Force Field Analysis) to customer expectations, and
6. Set priorities for eliminating/preventing barriers to customer expectations.

After process improvement priorities have been established, process owners should collectively manage the resources required to complete the project.
Hope this helps you in establishing a customer preference organization –
qualityg

Note - To read related posts on customers or learn about SIPOC + CCCC click on the Customer Label below and they will all pop up in order.

I have heard enough about Teacher Evaluations, Competition, Ranking Teachers...

You know what? I have heard enough about Teacher Evaluations, Competition, Ranking Teachers, Merit Pay, Incentive Pay, Work Harder, More Competition, More Audits, More Assistant Principals, More Quality, More Competition, More Technology, Poor Technology, Let the kids figure it out and “Create a new position responsible for …”

Responsible for everything that a Manager or Leader already in the position should be doing!!!
Where are the people who are being paid to be leaders? They are ducking and sidestepping their responsibilities.

They are ignoring the situation because they don’t like confrontation. AND, most of all “They don’t know HOW to be efficient leaders or good managers who own their systems. Yes, they are responsible it comes with the position.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2012/02/non-value-work-in-our-schools.html
None of the above will improve education – NONE!

Numerical goals, rewards and all mentioned above mean nothing without the method or how to define the improvements required for education.
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2012/02/measuring-student-success-not.html

qualityg says ...

Being a good leader is like being a good parent. You can NOT be a buddy, friend, big sister, big brother, etc... - you are a leader you have responsibilities for what and who you lead. You have tough decisions to make and you must make them based on what is best for the individual and the group even if it looks easier to avoid the situation.

Look around at our education system, business morals/ethics and how people treat each other with no respect. In each of these examples somewhere along the way someone has avoided a situation to make a good decision.

How about this artice - people just don't get it. - http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2012/03/arne_duncan_newspapers_shouldn.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

Publish the superstars names - give us their salary numbers and above all publish their bonus amounts too. I definitely want to Rating and Ranking listed --> then I can replicate the best instead or worrying about who you say (who are you anyway) is the worst. - HA - NEVER HAPPEN - been asking for it for years in business.

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=11874839&postID=372705352371244691

Why I Still Like Girls Basketball - Season 6

 

SEASON SIX - Changes that result in improvement come from application of knowledge" -
 Dr. Walter A. Shewhart"

To read the five previous seasons click on the label to the left on the main page where where it says "Girls Basketball" or click

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/Girls%20Basketball

Updated 8/4/11

Compared to previous years I am starting my posting for the upcoming season about a month or two late. It's for lack of material that I have not written it is just I have been more active with work this summer and AAU basketball.

We have played in a number of tournaments this summer and the girls have done well. More importantly it has been fun for the players and coaches. There are two players on the AAU team who play on our school team. We have many of the top players in our area on the team and it is great to see how they all get along and play together on and off the court.

I even found time for some fun!

We went to our school team camp last month and played well in some massive heat and humidity. We could not escape the heat even in the dorm rooms at night. We have also had our best turnout in years for summer workouts and conditioning. Unfortunately, we still lack size but we have a lot of girls that are good athletes.

This year is going to be very interesting because we may have eight seniors on our squad and one junior. Our schedule will be as tough as ever with the two time state champion team in our league.

We got word the other day that our cross town rivals removed their head coach and staff for the upcoming season. Two of the players on the AAU team play on that team. It's always been a good rivalry and I will miss BB and his staff. His school did him no favors by letting him go now since there were some open coaching jobs at the beginning of the summer. I'm sure he will find another position soon.

Updated 11/13/11

Next - 4 Player Workouts

Four player workouts went well. We have some bright spots in our younger classes. Looks like we may have 8 seniors on team this year.

AAU

We had four girls play AAU this past this Fall season. It was great experience for two of our players and I look forward to their improvement to help the team this year. We did walk away with a championship that three of our players were on the winning team and one of our players was on the runner-up team. In addition this team was also runner-up in the state AAU final for their age group.

Season starts December 2nd.

UPDATED: 12/7/11

We lost our first game by 3 pts when our last shot went in and out of the rim. It was the opening game for both teams and both teams played well. Some mental breakdowns from both players and coaches caused some lapses that her our chances of winning the game.

Two games next week and we are stepping up our defense. My bird dogs will be ready!

UPDATED: 12/17/11

Two wins this week with a nice one last night against our cross town rivals. We played two good defensive games and the offense was good outscoring one team by 40 and the second team by 25.

The bird dogs played well as you can see two (head blocked) of them on the ground getting the ball - OH BERT!



All the girls got to play and that is a good thing.

One game next week against a very sound well coached team. It will be a good benchmark to see where we are at this early in the season.

UPDATED: 12/22/11

Lost our last game and we are now 2-2 for the season. As I mentioned above this was a very sound team and well coached that we had trouble matching up with for the whole game.

We are picking up the defensive intensity in practice and the girls will be playing the complete game with this pressure whether it be zone or M-T-M.

It's nice to see that it takes 3 players to guard one of us! - Next Game 12/28/11 - Merry Christmas!!

UPDATED: 12/22/11 - SWISH 3

Wow! I received an Email from Shooting Guru Tom Norland of the SWISH Shooting Series. Tom is now releasing his new Shooting Video Swish 3. If you are not aware of Tom and his training videos I urge you to go to his site and purchase them. Well worth the money and his technique works. I have been using it for years and have seen my best pupils (those that listen and practice) go from poor shooters to very sound good scoring players. I've had two players increase their 3 pt range by 20%.

Here is some more information from Tom's Email. A bonus for me was to be able to chat with Tom on the phone.

Dear Swish friend,

This is to announce that Swish 3, my Free Throw video, is now available
for “Pre-Order.”
List Price: $34.95
Discount through Jan. 2nd: $10.00
Apply that discount to any Swish order by using the coupon code of
HOLIDAY$10.

The result of over four years planning and effort, the 88-minute Swish 3
is arguably one of ... “The best Free Throw Videos ever produced!” I
make that statement having seen several F/T videos and looked at
numerous Internet sites and articles offering to teach Free Throws.
What’s being offered does not match up in any way. 
CALL US TO ORDER:
888/SWISH-22 http://swish22.com/

We are a tough team this year but we have a ways to go especially finding a key player who can spark the team with some good outside shooting.

UPDATED: 1/28/12

It's been a few weeks since I last posted and we are now 6 wins and 5 losses. We have lost 3 games with less than 5 seconds to go in each. I believe that is a defensive let down in execution and planning by not stopping the best shooters on the floor in each one.

We are now in the heart of our schedule and we have three games within one week.

UPDATED: 2/12/12

Our record is now 9-7. We are better than our record shows on some days and on others I wonder how we have won any game.

Yesterday was one of those day's where we just did not come to play. I guess it starts with the coaches not having the team ready and it end with the players looking out of shape, not playing tough and then not really caring if they win or lose (at least that is what is sounded like in the locker room after the coaches left).

Four games to go in the regular season and then we play the defending state champs in our first state tournament district game. Last week I felt we could give them a game.

UPDATED: 3/03/12

Since I posted last we went on a 4 game winning streak and played some good basketball. We lost in the first round of the state playoffs to the defending state champions and they look like a good bet to repeat.

We finished 13 wins and 8 losses. Five of the losses were to state rated teams.

I enjoyed the season very much and the team we had was fun to coach. We lose 8 seniors so next year should bring some very interesting aspects as to who and how many make the team. We return one girl who started some games but other than that we will be very young and untested. BUT WE WILL BE READY!

Next Up - Banquet

Cabrini Dream Mentor Process Presented at Deming International Seminar

Updated - 10/16/13

Deming Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/Deming.Institute

 



Click on Pics to Enlarge


Updated - 3/4/12

The following links provide the write-ups that were presented at the Deming International Seminar on February 27 and  28, 2012 at Fordham University - New York City Campus

Manuscript Paper -
https://www.dreammentorprogram.com/docs/DrDemmingCDMPProgram.pdf

Presentation Slides -

 https://www.dreammentorprogram.com/docs/DemingConfSlides022712.pdf

The process will be presented at the:

The 18th Annual International Deming Research Seminar

Four presenters will focus on education: Using Deming’s ideas as a skeleton on which to build an educational system, today’s Executive MBA viewed through Deming’s theory, a middle-school mentor program based in Deming’s thinking, and an after-school program whose success is based on helping students find intrinsic motivation.

Measuring Student Success - NOT!

We measure student success like we did quality auto success

 in the 1970s.

AT THE END OF THE LINE - WRONG!

Student success must be measured using standard core standards at the beginning until the end of a student's career not at the end or occasionally along the way in elementary, middle and high school.

Passing or moving students along when they can not master educational fundamentals is just wrong and the unknowing damage created along the way can not be measured. Ultimately it means the end of a ... (you fill in the blanks).

Dream Mentor Process Flows, Methods and Documents

For a complete listing of files and examples click here:

http://dreammentorprogram.com/DMProcess.aspx

2011 Most Popular Posts

Now that 2011 is past I would like to thank the 47,000 plus visitors to my Blog this past year (up 15,000+ from last year). I hope the information I have provided has been useful and thought provoking.


As I look over the stats the following are the most searched on topics within my site for 2011:

1) For the first time in four years a new number 1! - Cursive Writing should be taught in Art Class - It is amazing the number of hits and some of the comments I get on this subject. - Check it out at:
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2011/05/cursive-writing-should-be-taught-in-art.html

2) Employee Goals and Objectives -
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/11/quality-tooltechnique-2007-qg.html

3) Education - Never a dull subject and the topic of Mentoring is gaining popularity -
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/Dream%20Mentor

4) Quality Tools and Techniques (Especially Pareto Analysis) -
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/07/quality-tooltechnique-pareto-chart.html
5) Leadership -
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/Leadership

6) Employee Appraisals -
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2005/06/leadership-performance-appraisal.html

One should click on my Label for Dr. Deming to learn from the Master about Employee Goals and Objectives.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/Dr%20W.Edwards%20Deming

How sad that open communication and trust can not be tolerated in the workplace. People with numbers who have no sense of "Predictability" (Number One Skill of a Manager) and continue to Tamper with both human and corporate systems.

Below are some Links to some of my more popular posts:
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2008/10/evaluating-team-effectiveness.html

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2008/07/team-goals-and-objectives.html

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/02/quality-tooltechnique-systems-thinking.html

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/SIPOC%20Analysis

Thank You and Best Wishes for a New Year!

qualityg

Pics from my Office

I thought it would be interesting to post some pictures I took from my office that describe many of the topics and subject areas that are included in this blog. To Enlarge a Pic - Double Click