Government Shutdown - Over for Now! - Updated 11/12/2025

Another Government Shutdown - Three simple solutions:

Government shutdowns have become a recurring feature of US politics, the product of partisan stand-offs over spending that force federal agencies to halt a wide range of services.

So, what is the solution to avoid these high school antics and sissified back and forth threats. First of all, no one can leave congress for their home state the month before a balanced budget is do for approval. Second, negotiations must be on going (No leaving the capital) until a resolution can be found before the shutdown date. 

Thirdly, and most importantly ONLY congress people should NOT be paid (With a daily $500 fine) during a shutdown. All other workers should continue to be paid. And NO retroactive pay after resolution for a balanced budget. 

WHY ...?

Congress owns the system, everyone else in government is a willing worker and should not be punished for the ineptness of the those who own the system! 

Update October 4th, 2025

This is exactly what I am talking about. All week all you here from congressional spokespeople are how they are for the American worker. 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/no-end-in-sight-for-shutdown-as-congress-leaves-for-weekend

While many government workers are not getting paid (Airport Traffic Controllers) many Senators and Congressional People (Still getting paid) are flying home for the weekend.

This is unacceptable and a slap in the face of those workers who are furloughed and not getting paid.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5534068-congress-pay-during-shutdown/

Here is the problem, most people will forget about this during the mid-term 2026 elections. I WON'T!

Updated 11/12/2025

Government Shutdown - Over for Now! Next Up January

What a waste! We are rapidly becoming the DIVIDED States of America. 

I am so sick of watching and "muting" the Democratic and Republican congressional leaders during the past 40+ days. Especially the leaders from New York and California. 

You so-called political leaders continue to underestimate the common-sense voters from both parties. It comes down to basic blocking and tackling (i.e., most people want the basic needs in life). Trick plays will win once in a while but it's always short lived with long term negative consequences.

Next Up January

So, will the government shutdown in January? All I can say is there is NO Christmas break for Congress until all the appropriation bills https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R42388 are passed by the end of the year. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/13/shutdown-appropriations-january-30-00649414?nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nname=playbook&nrid=15ab8408-6180-472c-84fc-262ab61b7a87

“What do you think is the most important process in any organization?

I have a Label on the side of this Blog called "The Demise of American Management." There are over 50+ posts about this topic. Over the past five years another demise has taken hold and it's called "identity or equity hiring." Normally processes like this take years to have effects on the systems they impact. In today's environment they are having immediate consequences to the overall quality of the workplace in two areas - education and government. 

This past week three college presidents from Harvard, Penn and MIT displayed ignorant and irresponsible behavior while being questioned by congress. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/billionaire-bill-ackman-says-harvard-122930576.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Who hired these people? What Hiring/Venting process (DEI) was used?

I have always been in favor of the best person for the job and providing opportunities for those people in the past who were denied a chance because of societies flaws. With this comes a responsibility to mentor and sufficiently train people so they are equipped with the tools and the know-how to succeed. To circumvent this responsibility causes chaos, poor quality and long-term negative effects for the organization/institution and more importantly the person who was left to fend for themselves in a hostile environment. 

Updated December 11,2023 - https://news.yahoo.com/mit-harvard-face-mounting-pressure-165810032.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Updated January 2nd, 2024 - https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/harvard-president-claudine-gay-resigns-amid-plagiarism-claims-106051588

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/09/penn-president-resigns-00130961

This reminded me of a post I wrote in 2007 called " The Hiring Process is the most important process."

Years ago, I was asked by a business friend,

“What do you think is the most important process in a company?

Years ago (1980's), I gave the standard quality response “the most important process that any company has is the process (es) that adds value to the customer.” About fifteen years ago I changed my answer and still believe the “hiring” process is the most important process in the company. Many people have debated me on that answer and there is truth to their arguments. So, if it’s not the most important I say it is the most important “undervalued” process in a company.

We all know most American Management spout employees are the most important assets to a company. Then why are they considered an expense that needs to be reduced to make up for debt or loss of revenue (because it’s easy)? Human Resources don’t carry much weight when it comes to being considered a critical department within an organization. However, when you stop looking through narrow eyes and open yourself to systems thinking (end-to-end), the HR department is at the beginning and the end of an employee's process. HR hires and HR conducts your exit review and papers.

Now, think in terms of process control and understand that most problems occur early on in a process, and they intern cause multiple downstream problems and bottlenecks. Quality Experts and Process Improvement Teams will attack and try to correct all the “symptoms” downstream (often blaming a person and not the system). The process originated by placing employees in jobs they are not qualified for or can no longer do the job as technology increases and more skills are required (just a few examples). Maybe the HR representatives are not qualified or have the tools to do their jobs.

Management owns the hiring system. It is not a worker’s fault if placed in a job where failure is guaranteed. It is not the worker’s fault if a company slashes training and education that is required as new technology is implemented. It is Management’s job to replace the worker if they are not performing and place them in a job where they can take pride of their work (do we really think people want to fail).

I suppose that is why I have always bought Berkshire Stock. 

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/why-charlie-munger-warren-buffett-204416063.html

The Demise of American Free Speech and Thought

 

The Army taught me many good and some not so good things when I served many years ago. I believe the most important concept I learned was the concept of Diversity. I was “forced” to live side-by-side with many different ethnicities during my time in the service and I came to realize (No-Choice) there were so many different ideas, customs and backgrounds that make up what an individual is and what they become in life.

Some were more fortunate than others but, in the end, common sense, fairness and the respect of one’s fellow man was the foundation by which to judge others and accept that interdependencies among individuals is what is most needed. This involves debating, understanding another’s point of view and trying to live in their shoes before rushing to judge others or at least respect them for their point of view even if it is different than my own.

Years later while attending college and later when teaching college in Michigan I was again faced with many students with different backgrounds and beliefs. One of the most interesting was Labor vs. Management. It became very apparent when teaching a Labor Relations Class. I was fortunate in my career to serve both sides of the fence as a Union worker and later as a management employee.

The class was always lively, but I demanded respect for debating and to respect each person’s point of view. Nothing could be learned if no one would at least listen to each other’s side of the story. Besides, if you walked out or became unruly you received a failing grade. I did not expect to have many change their point of view, but I believed college was a place to openly express one’s free speech.

This is no longer true with so many divisions facing our country today and the cancelling of each other when one does not agree with the another’s point of view. This was sadly portrayed at the University of Michigan this week when a number of future medical professionals (White Coats) walked out of a ceremony because they did not agree with the Keynote Speakers point of view. Hey, I don’t like the name “White Coats” I demand they change the name because it’s racist in nature (Ridiculous).

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/university-of-michigan-medical-students-walk-out-of-white-coat-ceremony-because-of-anti-abortion-speaker

This is troubling to me because are these people not going to treat or provide care if someone does not agree with their point of view. We are living in a dangerous time when the rights of free speech are under attack without anyone or institution having the guts to protect one’s right to their opinion.

We are witnessing the Demise of American Free Speech and Thought. I would have given those who walked out a failing grade.

The Demise of the American Customer (Patient) - Company (Doctor) Relationship

I received the below write-up (The Death of Healthcare) from a friend of mine in Florida concerning healthcare. The unfortunate problem here is that it is in every industry today. You' can't blame the pandemic, it was bad before but now it is worse.

For example, I have spent weeks trying to get Home Depot to return calls (voice mails) and speak to a "person" to fix an installment project ($11,000). I have had to call the original salesperson and installer to get information that should come from the office of customer relations/installations that is in charge of ordering, monitoring and setting up follow-up appointments. Instead, I have to take the lead and do all the calls. When I do speak to the people who I do eventually make contact with they are apologetic and nice, but they are not in control of making changes. 

I must say they have responded accordingly after my many inquiries and broken promises to call me back but still it should not happen in the first place. One of the original installers went the extra mile and personally looked into the situation and called me back with details and dates for the parts and installation. She promised to call when the parts arrive and will personally drive out and fix the unit. I sent an Email to her boss praising her efforts and customer retention skills.

What is amazing to me is that corporate managers/leaders do not see the crisis of customer relations ruining so many relationships. How many times to you get excited when you can find a plumber, electrician or contractor that actually does their job and treat you like a person and keeps you informed and communicates in a friendly timely manner. These types of workers can name their price, and everyone wants their name. It is no different for every business today regardless of industry. You want to destroy the competition then go back to quality customer/supplier relationships.

The Death of Healthcare

BY:  DIANE LOTT, RN, BSN, BROKER

My subject this week is not going to be as a Broker concerning real estate but as a former registered nurse working in hospitals, and as a nursing educator for 35 years. Although I have not been in the trenches for some time, I am a consumer of healthcare along with every other American. I can’t exactly put my finger on when healthcare turned from a compassionate “calling” to ease suffering into a big callous business that treats the people it's supposed to serve with utter disdain and indifference.  This didn’t just begin. This has been a slow, insidious process that is multifaceted.  It appears to have started when physicians sold their practices to managed care businesses, private hospitals sold out to conglomerates who treat their employees horribly which in turn created an apathetic staff and insurance companies began refusing care based on billing the wrong “codes”.

First, the advent of “electronic medical records” took the caregiver’s attention to a computer keyboard and screen instead of the patient. This was supposed to be beneficial to the patient by keeping records online for information sharing from doctor to doctor or hospital to hospital.  The problem that occurred is that not all hospitals, doctors or caregivers use the same computer software system.  Information sharing is limited to the computer program that a particular hospital system uses. So, a patient can be seen in 2 different hospitals and neither hospital can access the others information. This puts the patient back to square one with providing a historical synopsis of care and results to their caregivers.

Secondly, the more frequent use of “virtual” visits with our health professionals reduces the more personal aspects of a person’s care to the same plane as “Facetiming” your mechanic.  It has become extremely impersonal and the whole time that your doctor is talking to you, all you see is the side of his/her face as they type.  The patient is supposed to take their own weight, blood pressure and pulse and report what they got to the nurse that calls 5 minutes before the doctor.

Thirdly, if you happen to win the lotto and get into an actual office while you have a problem that isn’t just a “maintenance visit”, the chances that you will see your doctor are slim to none. Most likely, the person you see is a Nurse Practitioner (NP) or a “paraprofessional”, namely a Physician’s/Medical Assistant. Now, I don’t have anything against either one of them.  My husband happens to be a Nurse Practitioner, but I don’t want to see someone on the “second team”. I would like to be taken care of by someone that has attended medical school, residency, and possibly performed an internship, namely a doctor.  Good luck with that one, though.

Now on to the next item on why there is a “decline of healthcare”.  The patient has been removed so far from their own health professional by numerous layers.

They must call a “call center” now instead of their personal doctor’s office. Chances are that this will take numerous attempts before they get a human on the line and they were successful in maneuvering the phone system after hearing the prompts; press “1” for this, or press “2” for that. Hopefully there are family members willing and able to help the older patient with the basics of even making an appointment in the first place. If a mistake or change must be made, then the process has got to be undertaken all over again. Gone are the days that you could call your doctor and hear an old familiar voice that recognized who you are and would accommodate you without much ado.

Lastly, the care received in hospitals these days is bordering on being criminal. From apathetic staff, nurses, and “hospitalists” (don’t even get me started on this) who don’t know who you are, your history, medications, family, or anything else about you. It’s sad to hear that people in our very own communities would rather die at home than go to the local hospital to be “shelved” in a hallway, or room like a can of peas; receive no daily hygiene care (offered a bath, linen, or water); place their call light on for hours without it being answered and request that family members bring them Tylenol on their next visit. My own family members have received other patients’ medications but didn’t take them because they had enough sense to ask questions, refuse treatments or tests that they knew were only to “pad” the bill. There is a “Patient Bill of Rights” …. ask for it upon admission and make sure that you have a surrogate. Informed consent means that they need to explain the procedure in full detail; the good, bad and ugly.  Don’t just go with the suggestion it is needed, ASK QUESTIONS!!!

Diane Lott, RN, BSN

Paradise Found Realty, Broker

Here is another article that also brings attention to the Demise of American Management.

     https://www.yahoo.com/news/doctor-made-cry-summed-everything-120051998.html

A Tale of Two Customer Processes

 Over the past week I have experienced two types of customer processes that each in its own right was as equally bad as the other was good.

The first process was Dell Computers. I had a problem with a Screen Pop-Up that began showing up on all my screens when I attempted to get Map directions for my upcoming Cataract Surgery at an outpatient surgery center (The second Process).

My computer concern was that was I was hijacked from a website and that information was being taken from my PC or passed back to a third party through the internet.

Being a retired Quality and Process Improvement person for over 45 years I am always critical and very praiseful when I see good and bad processes.

What follows is the Email that I sent to a Dell Technician’s Supervisor after spending over seven hours on the phone with four different reps. Names are changes to initials…

I would like to commend G.G. for excellent customer Service. I spent over SEVEN hours on the phone with FOUR different Dell Reps before my problem hopefully is now resolved. 

The first rep J.W. took information (Suspicious Pop-Up on Google Chrome) from me and I sent him a screen shot of my problem while on hold. After a half hour of waiting for him to get back to me the phone was disconnected. I sent him an Email and he responded the problem was on his end and he would get back to me. I waited over an hour and sent 2 emails asking for response/status - Nothing happened, and he did not respond.

I called back and got N.M. who spent 3-4 hours on the phone trying to fix the problem. N.M. took remote access and uninstalled and reloaded Chrome which we thought fixed the problem. She then said I had updates that needed to be done (Windows and Dell). While she ran these updates a number of problems (Waiting hours to finish) and restarts began to happen. She had me restart using F2 Key and other problems started. a BIT LOCK Recovery screen showed up and then I had no idea what to do and the laptop kept shutting down. Our phone connection was disconnected, and I waited for a call back which never came.

I again called back and talked to a gentleman (Never did get his name). I was very frustrated and asked him to contact N.M. that I needed help. He said he chatted with her, and she was now on another call with a customer (UNBELIEVABLELY Frustrated now). He said she could call me back later but did not know when. He started to help and after 15 minutes later we are disconnected. NO CALL BACK AGAIN (Even though he had my number).

I called again and got G.G. She assured me (like the others) she would help me. We spent several hours going through the problems and trying to get a 46-digit BIT Lock Recovery Code from Microsoft using my cell phone. Once this was done, she was able to see the Pop-up (It returned). She determined it was a google map “extension” and removed it promptly. She then went through the PC with me (Remote Access). We waited a long time for the PC to recover and make sure the Bit Lock Recovery was fixed (I hope). My PC is now doing another update as I write, and she said this would take a long time (I hope all goes well). 

I wanted you to know I am a Senior Citizen, and the Dell Reps were patient (Especially G.G. and N.M. before she dropped me).

I am a retired Quality and Customer Service National Director from a major communications company and former adjunct instructor of business for Central Michigan University. 

 I wanted to take the time to commend GG for a job well done. Somewhere in your process there were numerous breakdowns which has caused me grief and an uncomfortable feeling that my PC is still compromised. 

It has been 4 days since I sent the Email, and I was expecting a response from the Dell supervisor – Nothing as of yet.

Dr. Deming and other quality and process gurus would be disappointed.

Update February 14th,

I received an Email from a Dell Supervisor today expressing his apologies for himself his people and his company for the way my call was handled over two weeks ago. In addition, he said my case would be used to enhance their training process. I responded promptly thanking him for his response.

Second Process -

One of the aging issues one gets is failing eyesight due to Cataracts. My Optometrist sent me to the Ophthalmic Specialists of Michigan (OSM). I was amazed the efficiency and effectiveness of their operation. From the moment I entered the door I was greeted by two receptionists with very outgoing and bubbly attitudes for welcoming patients. After taking my information I was seated in the waiting room and within 10 minutes I was called back to the first of three eye specialist technicians that each had a process (Check current glasses and prescription, Eye Drops, Measurements, Eye Tests) for me to follow before seeing the Eye Surgeon.

The Doctor was kind and brief and explained I needed new lens in both of my eyes and that I would see great again. After he left, I saw another technician and then a scheduler who went over all of the procedures and medical information. She also set up all of my visits for surgery and post-checks.

Today, I had my first surgery at a different location and again the process was smooth, timely and very professional. As soon as I entered the surgery room, I was met by two nurses who set me up for surgery and explained the process. Next a Medical Doctor came over to check my health and vitals. Then the Nurse Anesthetist set me up and the next thing I knew I was in recovery and put in a wheelchair and my wife pulled the car around and I was on my way home.

I have a follow-up appointment tomorrow and back in 2 weeks for my other new lens. OMS has already followed-up with me today to make sure I was all right.

Time and Motion experts - Frank B. and Lillian M. Gilbreth would be proud!

When I first pulled in to the two different locations parking lots, they were extremely busy, and it looked like it was going to be a mess. Instead, they operate like and Beehive and Ant Hill with structured and the good type of chaos that every company should strive for if they want excellent customer service and most importantly returning customers’ that tell other people of their experiences (Both good and Bad).

Dr. Shewhart and Dr. Deming were right about True Change.

Dr. Shewhart and Dr. Deming were right and President Trump is proving it with North Korea and others.

In the 1930s   - Dr. Shewhart said “Changes that result in improvement come from application of knowledge.”

It can be said that application of knowledge could be President Trump's 40 years of making deals.

In the 1950s - Dr. Deming said “Change comes from outside the system.”

True and Lasting change often comes from outside the system like President Trump not being from Washington and when he refers to draining the swamp! It will be interesting to watch the media and listen to the Washington Swampers make negative of the meeting with North Korea. Why? Because they want the status quo and are stagnate in their thinking to try new approaches.

Enough Already ! C'Mon - Dr. Seuss!! Update 10/11/17 - NFL Protest

Each day now brings me to say Enough Already - C'Mon ...

10/1 /17
Enough Already ! C'Mon - Dr. Seuss!!

I can hardly watch any national cable news station or major networks anymore even when I am trying to learn more about the devastating storms, terror or sports. Every topic/segment is being politicized, radicalized, and just plain poor biased opinionated reporting by all political sides. It's really disgusting, divisive and just wrong.

The only sports shows I like are with Neil Everett and Stan Verrett from Late Night ESPN Sports Center. I also enjoy Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

The anchors on the major cable news networks ( Especially CNN Morning News) use their voices and facial expressions when someone does not agree with their loaded questions and sarcastic tones.

Because so much of this trash reporting is on TV and Internet News people hide behind their keyboards and social media and say things that really show their colors. Perhaps this is good in a sense but people are swayed in to thinking it is true just because someone says it is true or false.

Last week I heard about the librarian who turned the books (Dr. Seuss)  the first lady sent out across the country in to a racially and politically motivated  stance that is just plain wrong.

While reading the Sunday Detroit Free Press this morning columnist Mitch Albom wrote a column that really tells the librarian how she should have handled the situation. I loved the part about the librarian herself participated in a Dr, Seuss birthday activity just a few years ago.

Here is the column -

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2017/09/30/librarian-melania-trump-dr-seuss-mitch-albom/719506001/

Heck each year while I worked in education I would read Dr. Seuss books to our kindergartners.

Updated 10/11/17

Enough Already - C'Mon - NFL Players Protest!!

This has totally got out of hand. In my humble opinion this is not a First Amendment Issue. It is a Work Place Issue. In order for the 1st amendment to apply there must be a government party on one side and a private person/group on the other side.The last time I looked the NFL Teams are owned by individuals or corporations. Being owners they establish the rules for their workplace (Has anyone looked at their manuals/policy for players regarding the National Anthem). If the owners don't have the sense (Guts) to establish consistent rules/policies then they are adding to the "Demise of the American Workplace." Poor leadership is at the root cause of this problem.


In addition, it is NOT the place of government to dictate what the rules should be for the NFL. This only adds layers of confusion about the First Amendment Rights.

I have worked for a number of private and public companies to know if I protested during my work hours (Especially on company property) for something that was not approved by my boss(es) I would would probably have been fired. If it were after hours or the weekend I might be safe to protest as long as I did not break the law. However, I still must remember I represent my company at all times and I again risk the peril of being fired or reprimanded. It is a personal choice.

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

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.

3 (SSS) that equal a Solid Student System

Sense + Stability + Structure = Solid Student System

Dr. Deming insisted that 85 to 97 percent of problems in an organization are the responsibility of management I have found this true time and time again in my 36 year career in Process Improvement in Business and Education.

Dr. Deming was ardent about not “blaming” workers for poor quality when so much of it was “a fault of the system.”

Just last week a private school had a week long activity known as ‘Spirit Week.” During this week each day provided a day of dress-up from a school spirit day to decade type dressing to crazy hat day to dressing up like twins or triplets (Dr. Deming would hate this day since many students felt excluded if not asked to dress like someone else.).

Loosely stated rules were applied (Written and Email) to each day and were reminded each day during announcements ( Ever wonder how many students and teachers are really listening at the end of the day – try going to a kindergarten or first grade class and see what it takes to get them ready to go home).

On one of the days a number of girls did not follow the rules and broke some dress code rules. They were initially punished by saying they could not participate in the next day’s activity. This met with outrage, crying and complaining since parents bought clothes and accessories for each of the days. It was later changed to a lunch detention.

Administrators/Teachers (Leaders/Managers) set up the system/rules without strict rules/guidelines variation is expected. Instead of admitting the roll-out of the weeks activities had flaws the students were punished for adult inadequacies.

So again I say - Sense + Stability + Structure = Solid Student System

What is really troubling is the amount of school system/classroom rules that do not have the best interest of the student. Especially if something goes wrong. It is easy to blame those who have no voice in policy or decision making. Like Dr. Deming said another example of “The Demise of the American Management System.” However, In this case it is the Demise of American Educational System.

Where has the Middle Class gone?

This seems to be a question of great concern over the past five years. Actually it has been going away for much longer. I believe there is a direct correlation between the college degree and the disappearance of the middle class. It must also be stated the Middle Class is synonymous with majority. The Middle Class are where most people are identified on a social economical scale.

In the years following World War II the majority of workers could get good paying jobs after high school by learning a trade or taught by an employer. Starting in the late 1960's and in to the 1970's a 4-year college degree started to become necessary to gain good employment. Then in the latter part of the 1970's having a degree with 2-4 years’ work experience became the norm to gain worthwhile middle class employment for many careers that at one time required just a high school diploma. 

Colleges and Universities at the same time became more business oriented (I don’t care what they say they are not “Non-Profit”) and found the more students the more money and in order to entice more students competition between Universities became the norm and along with this it would require more dollars to advertise and build structures to house and provide pleasures for leisure instead of learning.

So how did the universities keep the money flowing in order to stay in business? It’s simple, they started to declare (In the 1980's) that 4-year degrees now require a graduate degree and then a few years later it is a graduate degree with 4 years of work experience in order to gain good employment. With that being said it is very hard to get a 4 year degree in 4 years because of the scheduling hurdles and obstacles (i.e., Price/Cost) that colleges put in place to graduate.

So what are the new norms?  Some degrees like physical therapy now want doctoral degrees. Others following suit include the nursing and educational fields.

Along the way the cost of obtaining a degree has outpaced the monetary level of the middle class and the only way to keep pace is to take loans to pay a for a future that may or may not be there by the time one graduates (Especially in Technology). Student debt will make the housing bubble look like walk in the park. We have mortgaged away a generation of students from life in the Middle Class ( Think Bernie Sanders).

What is very troubling now our K-12 education systems are now competing for students through school of choice marketing ploys that does nothing more than water down our educational system through competition and cost. 

So what is the solution? First we must realize in order to compete we must cooperate. Education is not a sporting or business competition. Education is the lifeblood of a society’s on-going improvement that must be for all citizens at a reasonable and obtainable price. By this I mean costs should be standardized and degrees should be normalized to make sense. Businesses want colleges to keep students longer and charge students instead of providing in-house training like they did in the 1960's-1980's. By shifting this burden and guilt (Companies say colleges are not doing their job in preparing students for work) to colleges has saved the business environment millions of dollars and provided money to universities. The losers are the vast majority of people whom were known as the Middle Class.

Now that the Middle Class is dwindling we will start to see universities and colleges default and only the elite will survive. Maybe that is the solution. We need to come full circle and colleges should only be for the elite and the majority of people should be able to have a good life through hands on training and apprentices like it was when there was a viable middle class that made our country strong. 

Want proof? Look at India and China – Both have huge middle classes that have been mostly trained and employed by American companies that have trained (Not the Universities) them for the vast majority of jobs that make up their middle class.  We have simply priced our own country out of the completion for the almighty dollar. My state of Michigan is a prime example:

While I am not endorsing a candidate here I will say Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have both hit at the heart of the American People about the trade agreements and what they have done to the middle class.

We should not forget about the one Trade Agreement that has been the worse and that is NAFTA! Do you remember who signed this in to effect?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/14/politics/hillary-clinton-trade/index.html

Leadership, Knowledge, Management & People

This is an on-going post that started in April of 2005.

NEWEST UPDATE - (See Leadership # 9) - (05/21/17)

Within this post you will find a number of comments and statements that have been developed and adopted over the years (myself and others) on leadership, quality, management, education, government, etc... and there current state of affairs. I will add some new thoughts every so often, if you would like more information or as to why they have been stated, please let me know.

I have been involved with Quality programs, processes, efforts since 1979 when I first read an article about Irving Bluestone (UAW Leader) and the Quality Of Work Life effort at the Tarrytown Plant.

It was also at that time I was earning my graduate degree and was studying management with some international students from Japan, they were there to learn Hotel Management. I learned a lot more about management from them than I did from the instructor. In 1980, he was instrumental in starting "The Michigan Quality of Work Life Council."

The first book I read on the subject was in 1980, "The Quality Circle Guide to Participation Management," by Donald L. Dewar. The first outside training - Philip Crosby - Quality is Free.

I have not stopped since and hold a certification in just about every Quality program (i.e., TQM, SPC, ISO 9000, ASQ, ASP, Baldrige Examiner, Reengineering, QSA, etc) from QWL Team Leader & Consultant (1980) to Six Sigma (2005).

I have instructed and taught over 8000 employees since 1979 and consulted with company officers and was an advisor to over 100 quality type teams (they change names over the years depending on the rollout - currently Six Sigma & Lean Manufacturing and of course now Lean for Service and don't forget Lean Six Sigma). Pretty "Lame" if you ask me.

Quality is my hobby, some say my passion, you will be surprised that I have a much different viewpoint than most.

I do NOT have a definition for Quality, only a comment " Q is the difference between What Is, and What Should Be. No more, no less, just stick with your customers (internal and external) and treat your suppliers as equals.

Just remember - Management owns the system, and think what I call "trickle down quality," - look up front, always start up front in both fact finding and development + bring all associated groups together that start from beginning to the end. (That include you sales types too)? And yes, everything starts and stops with the customer! qg says ...

"QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IS NOT A FAD, IT SHOULD BE PART OF EVERYDAY INTEGRATED WORK, NOT EXTERNAL OR SOMETHING THAT IS ADDED ON TO ONE'S JOB DESCRIPTION."

"Designing a Quality Program can never start to soon,  but it can start too late."

qualityg and others say...
Please! Please! Do not listen to Quality Consultants/Experts (Charlatans) who pontificate the so called difference between Six Sigma and TQM and all the other quality initiatives (ISO 9000, MBNQA, Reengineering, Lean, etc). Six Sigma will only add value if we use it as a means to get us closer to our customers and our bottom line. I will not support any improvement methodology that doesn’t take customer expectations and desires into account up front!

Click Picture to enlarge

Dilbert by Scott Adams

LEADERSHIP
1) Being a good leader is getting people to follow you to a place/situation where they would not otherwise go on their own. It's also about making strategic decisions that will affect the whole system in the long run even though it brings no short-term recognition or praise. In fact, the benefits or improvements may not become known until after you have left the position or the organization.
2) Great leaders are those who are remembered for sharing visions, and the implementing those visions into reality that shape the future.
3) The first priority of a new leader is putting together his/her own top team. It must be cohesive. It must have an aim! You must hold them accountable and more importantly you must be accountable to them. If they or you are not, then you must be a leader that makes changes that may require removal.
4) "Hierarchy does not equal Intelligence (qualityg)." If you are a leader or manager repeat that statement every day to remain humble. Hey, if you don't, your people don't have "real" respect for you, Attila.
5) Groups/Teams become great only when everyone in them, leaders and members alike are free to do their absolute best... The best thing a leader can do for a group/team is to allow them to discover their own greatness.
6) Work is still a process, it always has been, but the process has changed. No one person can see the entire process all at once anymore. This means that all VPs and Department Heads need to break down their barriers, instead of "lets not and say we did," this goes for you educators (Administrators, Deans, etc) too!
7) Dr. Deming used to say http://www.deming.org/that "American Management style must go through a 'Transformation." The best example of poor leadership that I can think of that has lasted more than five years is AT&T. What a disaster from Divestiture to Dorman and the SBC takeover. Before 1984 AT&T was the envy of the world for leadership and management styles, over 1 million employees making a good living, contributing to their communities, service excellence was abound and standardization of policies and procedures was remarkable, and the difference from the CEO to the Union Worker in pay was reasonable and understood. This year Mr. Dorman, and his execs will all make over 5 million apiece (not including bonuses for the takeover, this is not a merger - ask PAC Bell).

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/050311/at_t_merger_payments_7.html Oh, by the way AT&T will have about 35,000 employees by year end. I would rather pay another $5 dollars a month and see 70,000 people working (estimated working in 2000) and supporting the economy rather than a discount of 2$ in my monthly Bill. Don't even mention the stock!
8) Quote from Pope John Paul II - "Central to the church's teaching is the conviction that people are more important than things; that work is 'for man' and not man 'for work'; that the person is both the subject and the purpose of all work and cannot be reduced to a mere instrument of production; that the person is to be valued for what he or she is rather than for what he or she owns."

The Catholic Church is one big organization, doubt if you would see such a profound statement from a CEO or President of a major organization in the USA. Well maybe you might, but would you believe it as they continue to downsize and merge for the good of the customer.

9) Envision + Enlightment + Enablement + Execution (added in 2006) + Empowerment + Evaluate + Encouragement = Employee Excellence. I call it the 7es.

7Es for Employee Excellence - Double Click to Enlarge
(qg -2017)

Updated 9/14/

I have added another E to my Model. It is called "Execute" and it comes after Enable. There must be proper Execution in order for the performance to be Excellent regardless of how much Empowerment is granted. Many Managers Encourage and Reward Efforts regardless if there good or bad because they don't know. . I have added another E to my model and it is called "Evaluate" (qg 2017) and it comes after Execute.

10) Leadership - Get visible (I don't mean just Store Managers) to your customers and your employees. One day a week should be working (just a willing worker) in one of your stores and one day a week should be "observing and listening" to what goes on in your competitors stores

Three days a week you should have your customer service lines open in your office and "listen and learn" to orders being taken (this is not for punishment, but for learning, if anyone is to be scolded it should be leadership, you own the system).

If you have too many meetings/conflicts, start to change your schedule, forget the bean counter meetings, those are result activities, get up front where the action is and become part of your company from the inside, from a "systems thinker perspective." Finally an example:

Ford CEO makes surprise plant visit Wayne Stamping worker impressed

June 11, 2005

BY SARAH A. WEBSTERFREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Ford Motor Co. CEO Bill Ford surprised workers at the Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant, which makes the small Focus car, by dropping by Friday without a security entourage and gaining some regular-guy credibility.

The move seemed to be an immediate morale booster, said Tim Phillips of Dearborn Heights, a 36-year Ford employee. "I was so pumped it was not even funny," he said. "He is such a cool guy. He was all by himself."

Ford apparently spent time talking directly with workers on the line and asking how the plant is running -- an event that a Ford spokesman described as an occasional routine for the CEO and great-grandson of the company's founder, who is practically royalty in the Motor City.

"We feel really good we've got him for a boss," Phillips said. By contrast, Phillips recalled a visit to the plant by former Ford CEO Jacques Nasser, in which he arrived with a group of security guards so large that "it was like the president was visiting."

Leaders - Post your Blog with information based on your visits, be honest, be fair, be customer focused. Don't tell me you have people on your staff to do these things, I have seen what happens to an office when a Leader "visits" and talks about "good" things and answer tough questions from your employees. Please don't make it a personal accomplishment (gee, see how I love my troops, and don't come with prepared speaches).

qg says... this is great, sad it was a small column and that it's a rarity.

Headlines should says "CEO has Quarterly Meeting with VPs, tells them to get their butts at the front lines too! CEO talks about employees and customers, tells financial exec to be quite."
11) The day your employees stop bringing you complaints, excuses and problems is the day they have stopped believing in your abilities. They have either lost trust that you can help them or determined that you just don’t care. In either scenario, you are not a leader-- Cisco!
12) Senior Execs need to become “champions” or “owners” of entire processes, rather than bosses of functions.
13) “There is no substitute for teamwork and good leaders of teams to bring (this means be part of, not to delegate) consistency of effort, along with knowledge.”

14) Don’t talk to me about being a customer-focused company or leader unless you can prove to me that you spend more time on working with customers (and customer interfacing employees) than you do with financial matters (and comptrollers/budgeters).

15) Now I know why training always get cut when times get tough, its because training is an asset that benefits and strengthens the company for the future. Today’s leaders lead by “numbers” not by cents (sense).

16) How many more times are we going to see the same lame excuses. Cmon already!

Top 10 Leadership Pitfalls Revealed: Survey April, 2005 by Quality Digest

Past and habits (35%)

Economic climate or budget (29%)

Company culture (23%)

Way they work together (20%)

Senior management team (18%)

Customers (14%)

CEO/president lack of confidence (13%)

Technology (11%)

Middle management (9%)

Reputation, human resource management or employees (7%)

Respondents indicated that the most important things to ensure successful strategy execution include creating a clear strategy, adding a specific plan, communicating what the plan is, rewarding employees for following the plan and continuing employee communication. However, even when companies do the alignment process well, their past and culture can derail execution, as the alignment of people and strategy isn’t enough for long-term success.

qg says... Quality Digest, What is the strategy for long term success?

17) I gotta an idea, how about letting the customers pass out bonuses to senior executives? Now that would prove they truly are a customer focused company.

18) Read an article today about "another" ceo spouting out that He was going to hold "all" of his employees accountable for getting the company turned around and become profitable.

qg says... what an ignorant statement.

19) When Mergers/Acquisitions fail, they often do because the Financial and Legal wizards who arrange them don’t pay enough attention to the cultural aspects of the organizations and to the impact on employees.

qg says... Watch the SBC aquisition of AT&T. SBC does not want the "people," they want the NETWORK! So in there eyes they see success, in my eyes I see vulchers.

JEFFREY BROWN: Professor Katz, I want to ask you about ATT because probably for most people here the big story is the demise of ATT. Why in the end was it unable to survive?

JAMES KATZ: I think a large element is the fact that it wasn't able to get back into local service. Although it once was America's largest private employer back before the divestiture of 1984, it (NOT IT, LEADERSHIP OWNS THE SYSTEM) has made a series of business blunders that have cost billions. It got out of the wireless mobile phone business, got back in, got back out, and has essentially just had a heritage of great mistakes.

20) Now that I have gone through countless reorganizations, downsizing, mergers, acquisitions and all the other stuff that resembles change I have come to the conclusion that Change doesn’t come easy. In fact it’s very uncomfortable (like writing with your opposite hand), it often comes with pain and anguish and it takes guts and courage and a whole lot of coordinated activities and action for it to be successful.

21) "Where others fail, I succeed, Where others succeed, I surpass." - qg

22) "When others are afraid I am not. What other fear, I do not. Why others are scared, I care not. And, when Death comes to your door, Timid I'm not." - qg

23) "If you are afraid to die, you are afraid to live." - qg

24) "I am probably not who you think I am and I am who you think I am not." - qg

25) Now I know why training always get cut when times get tough, its because training is an asset that benefits and strengthens the company for the future. Today’s leaders lead by “numbers” not by cents (sense).

26) I was asked today what one word I would use to describe Leadership? Answer - "OTHERS"

27) One should remain humble until those they are dealing with cross the line of rudeness, ignorance and lack of knowledge in the subject matter they claim to have mastered.

Humility provides an aura of self-confidence that gives others the opportunity to express themselves without fear or "humiliation" from those who claim to have all the answers and make decisions based on hierarchy because they can.

One cannot and should not consider himself a servant-leader without this quality. If one sees humility as something less than adequate, it is the same person who bullies and drives fear into their environment because of title and position. How sad.

Being a humble leader allows others to take control of their lives. Leaders who cannot be humble are those that wish to control everything and everybody within their reach.

28) Do any corporate leaders today worry about the businesses they set up over seas in China, Russia, India, etc.? Does the word "Eminent Domain (a right of a government to take private property for public use by virtue of the superior dominion of the sovereign power over all lands within its jurisdiction)" mean anything? Just wondering.

29) "Be Agressive, Be Smart, Stay Agressive."- qg

30) "The quality of the leader determines the quality of the followers." - qg

31) "A CEO who is not humble does not deserve to tap into his employees knowledge or the fruits of their labors." - qg

32) "Talk less and more will listen" - qg
33) "Better to Pick your Nose than Pick a Poor Leader." - qg
34) "A Good Leader is one whose WORD and WORK are the same." - qg35) The Role of the
35) Leader in Managing Change:
- Have a clear understanding of what is changing

- Know who will be impacted

- Anticipate how staff members will be affected

- Know what staff members have to gain and lose

- Assess where individuals are in their transition process

- Facilitate the transition of staff members

- Lead and Manage your own personal transition

- Communicate changes and resulting benefits to staff, customers, and other key stakeholders

- Lead and Manage the work activity coverage during the transition

- Keep the pressure on to keep people moving forward

Ten Characteristics of an Effective Change Leader:

- Gains support from and confidence of others

- Listens and collaborates effectively

- Takes accountability and Risk

- Provides constructive feedback to others up & down the chain of command

- Builds relationships with customers, peers and team members

- Inspires and motivates

- Communicates openly, early and often - build commitment face to face

- Provides clear direction - clarifies roles and responsibilities

- Replicates the model way for your team - shows others by example - credibility & trust

- Creates opportunities for small wins - recognizes - plans for fun to help boost morale

36) See additional Leadership Characteristics at http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/12/quality-leadership-characteristics.html

37) "See It, Do It" - qg

38) "A great leader is one that never asks the question "What's in it for Me?" But asks, "What's in it for all those people who are around me that I am responsible for. It is my job to provide them an environment to succeed by removing obstacles and enabling them with the tools and knowledge to succeed" - qg

39) "It's your dream, what are you going to do to make it a reality?" - qg
Do you think our leaders today in industry, education and politics ask this question before they make decisions? Based on the amount of work going to other countries and the health of our education system and the silliness of decisions made in local, state and federal governments I would say no, how do they sleep at night? Easy, it's all about.

40) "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." - qg

41) "If you do not seek, serve and gather input from your people that are to do the work and manage the change you have done nothing other than was and has been done time and time again and that is create fear, mistrust and non-value-added change." - qg

KNOWLEDGE

1) An instructor assigned each student (20+) to develop a topic with research to do a term paper along with a 15-minute presentation. Before the presentations started the class had guest speaker's for the first 4 sessions. No tests were required. Here is the dilemma, all the students did was listen to each other's presentation.

After the presentations scheduled for that day the instructor released the class (very popular w/most students). It was supposed to be a 3 hr (12 week) class once a week. The books were used 0nce for a case study in groups ($90.00).

One time there was no class because the instructor was supposed to go to a instructor training class, it was cancelled, but there was no class since no one was scheduled to present. I wanted the instructor to share his knowledge.

"Students can provide data and information to one another, but what knowledge can they transfer, that takes years of application and experience."

2) The University announced a 5% tuition hike next semester to keep up the small class sizes and quality of teaching. I sent a note asking if I was to receive a rebate (5%) for the classes and time missed.

3) Another class was much more the traditional type of class - quizzes, tests and a group presentation. Very much instructor led w/some group interaction. So how do the students get a good grade? By regurgitating the information from the previous week(s).

I have always felt this type of system flawed and not a good predictor of future knowledge or behavior, in fact it does more harm than good, especially when a child is beginning their formal education. The teacher was committed and did his best, it is the system that is flawed not the instructor.

4) When I was teaching I was required to give a grade, I chose to provide a variety of grading instruments (written tests, oral exam, term paper & extra credit) to at least try to give the student a chance to learn and experience the joy of learning.

5) One summer semester I had a small group (10 students), they were exceptional, did all the required work and scored well on the tests. All received an "A." The full time academias went crazy suggesting I change my curve! I refused, submitted my data and information (much more than they require with their M/C and T/F tests). Take your curves and stick them in a hole if you know what I mean!

6) Why is our education system so competitive? I can understand sports and games, but learning should be a joy shared by all so that our whole (system) society benefits. Stop looking at the middle grades and later grades for the answers. I call it trickle down root causes that start from kindergarten (start labeling here, and self-esteem goes south) and it progresses through school years until one deems himself/herself incapable or a failure.

7) Every time I see the folded cardboard science fair boards I shutter (you too). My kids are well passed that age now but the scars of putting together those 6- week projects remain. I remember the first one where the instructions came home expressing that the student be allowed to create the exhibit, not knowing what truly happens I decided to let my son do what he wanted with some direction and help from me and his mother. How proud he was when completed and we took to school and set it up. How disappointed he was when we left because he saw projects that would make a scientist blush. I told him not to worry, his teachers would grade accordingly. Yes, you know the answer; the entire super duper parent infested exhibits received blue ribbons and went on to the districts, his sat there with no ribbon. You see the teachers were more concerned with their image and that of the schools, not the student.

8) Data + Information + Application = Knowledge + Listening + Observing = Wisdom (D+I+A=K + LO = W). Heads up education and business leaders (research does not equal knowledge). Example - I can go on the internet and read 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.

9) At work; Empowerment without parameters leads to Chaos

At school; Rules without meaning or limits leads to an Uprising

10) Read a story last week that indicated that high school test scores for reading, writing arithmetic have not improved since the introduction of the computer in the classrooms. However, learning more about a computer has vastly improved.

11) Education, particularly college academias with letters after their name anger me with their self-indulgence, insecurity and arrogance. Just because they know a subject(s) well does not make them smarter, well “maybe” in their subject area, however, it does not give them the right to intimidate (grades), or lead by absolute power to a captive audience (classroom). Beware of the righteous!

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

"Knowledge necessary for improvement comes from the outside" - Dr. W. Edwards Deming

"There is no substitute for knowledge" - Dr. W. Edwards Deming

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

" Persons in Distress Do Not Care How Much You Know, Until They Know How Much You Care!" - Dr. James Madry

"Knowledge is the great equalizer" - qg

"Data + Information + Application = Knowledge + Listening + Observing = Wisdom (D+I+A=K+LO=W) "- qg

qualityg's opening statement to each new class "I don't want to know what you think, I want to know what you know and by what method did you use for your conclusion." "Too many people tell what they think and then claim to be an authority - Horse Poop" - qg

I was complimented last week about how much a teacher has learned from me since we met. I learned long ago that I learn 10 times as much from my family, friends, students and the the people I work than I could ever possibly teach them in a lifetime - qg

13) "Defects and non-conformances are not free. Someone makes them and gets paid for making them. Even more alarming are the workers who get paid for correcting the non-conformances." - qg

14) Competent employees in every position and level, from top leadership to the front-line worker, know all that there is to know about their work (remember I said competent) except how to improve it. Assistance toward improvement many times can only come from outside knowledge. A person does not have to be an expert in the process in question to supply solutions and to work on it.

15) Challenge Conventional Wisdom with Profound Knowledge to seek Creativity and Innovation. - qg

16) I was asked by an ex-subordinate what I think the "Quality Manager" position will look like 10 years and 20 years from now?

• 10 years - Quality Manager must be an applicationist (i.e., prediction, prevention and provide solutions for future growth and innovation, leave problem solving to the workers) that understands and applies "Profound Knowledge (Deming)"
• 20 years - there better be no separate Quality Manager title, if QM is not part of what a manager does in their day-to-day work then Quality has failed and will continue to fail.

17) What draws us together is the need for information about how to transform our organization so as to gather the thoughts and talents of everyone around a common aim. Our strength comes not only from the diversity of our backgrounds, but our diversity in thinking based on application of knowledge.

18) Spirits of those that came before me, please grant me the wisdom to the know the difference between what is right and what is wrong.
19) You want quality leadersdhip in 2006 and you want to make a huge leap in your quality efoorts? Name your Sales VP as your new Chief Quality Officer & Sales VP. Perhaps then someone in Sales and Marketing will realize the missed design opportunities up front in the process and that yes indeed the Sales and Marketing Departments are part of the system and responsible for customer satisfaction more than any other department.

20) I'm still worried about the misuse of data and information from the Internet. Google = Truth, Yahoo = Fact and if it comes from AOL it must be true.

21) Each generation may grow wiser but they will also be more powerless.

22) "Information and data is about gathering and knowing facts; Knowledge and Wisdom is knowing what to do and not what to do with the facts you have applied." - qg

23) "As long as you think it is someone else's fault you will NEVER be able to stand on your own." - qg

24) "There is a thin line between being a genius and an idiot, AND there is a thin line between a giver of life and a taker of life." - qg

25) “Education and Work are the Matter of Life Long Learning.” - qg

26) "Some people are so smart they're stupid." and "Some people are so stupid they're smart." Conclusion - "They are one in the same person." - qg

27) "A Dream + A Plan = A Happening" - qg

28) "When I have stopped seeking Profound Knowledge then I have stopped living." - Greg Campbell (aka - qg)

29) "Many say knowledge is power, but I say no. Knowledge is the great equalizer, power is what is given to you by strength or position. Many people in Government, Education and Business have no knowledge what so ever on what is right or wrong." - Greg Campbell (aka- qg)

30) "Learning should be FUN and/or it should be INTERESTING and most of all it is a Life Long Endeavor." - Greg Campbell

31) " The Internet is Information, so is the dictionary and so are encyclopedias. They are not knowledge. Stop confusing the concepts and understand theory and appliocation are required." qg

32) "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."

Management, Measures, Methods and Misc

1) Work is still a process, it always has been, but the process has changed. No one person can see the entire process all at once anymore.

2) The next evolution of Quality Management is INFORMATION. The Internet runs on information, and the customer supplies much of the needed information. Scheduling, production, cycle times, supplier partnerships, and shipping and receiving and service contracts all apply.

3) Information Internet Overload – It’s like taking a drink from a fire hose. I need “Distilled” and bottled (specific) information.

4) If there is no such thing as too much information, why am I buying books for “Dummies” and “Idiots.”

5) Today we live in a world of instant knowledge and communication (.Com, Net, Org, etc.) as the result of the Internet (it’s a tool not the foundation). This type of information and data is temporary at best. Real knowledge comes from theory and then testing and applying its validity ( D+I+A=K).

6) If I were you (and I was), I would stop using the word “Staff,” as in Support Staff, HR Staff, Quality Staff, and IT Staff. The word Staff is non-value added activityin today’sorganizations. Let’s call them Quality Services, IT Services and Human Resources Services. These are Service Groups, and they provide value-added work to the external customer by way of the internal customer. But first, each group should classify their work into three categories to determine if their work is truly value-added.

- Real-Value-Added (RVA) – RVA activities are activities that, when viewed by the end customers, are required to provide the output that the customer is expecting.

- Business-Value-Added (BVA) – BVA activities are activities that are required to run the business but have no value from the customer’s perception.

- Non-Value-Added (NVA) – NVA activities are activities are activities that add no value to the output and are not required to keep the business operating. For example: storage, checks and balances, inventory, inspection, rework, etc. Another way to look at it is to ask yourself the following three questions, If any of them are a no, you are not providing value-added work.

a) Does the customer care about it,

b) does whatever you’re doing physically change the thing the customer cares about, and

c) was the right thing done right the first time?

Most organization’s staff functions’ (NVA and BVA) are activities done in the “Back Room Office” that accounts for over 70 percent of all the staffs’ resources. It should be the objective of each departmental group to eliminate NVA and to minimize BVA activities.

7) Symptom – An indication something is wrong

Root Cause – Something that produces the departure from a normal function or expected result.

Quit managing the symptom & the result, manage the cause

8) Performance Excellence – Don’t improve internal processes for the sake of achieving Quality (Six Sigma), It’s more important to improve/fix things that are most important to the customer.

9) Which is better QA or QC – You decide…

Quality Assurance – The “prevention of Quality problems through planned and systematic activities (including up to date standards and documentation). The activities include:
- establishment of a sound process management system
- assess and; measure the system to ensuresystem output ensures customer satisfaction
- on-going audits of the system
- on-going management review of the system

Quality Control – The activities and techniques implemented to achieve and maintain the Quality of a product, process, or service. It’s main function involves follow-up and monitoring activities, but also establishes a means for finding and eliminating root causes at the point of operation/production so that customer expectations are continually met.

10) Get rid of the idea that the Quality Department is responsible for Quality. (Is the Comptroller responsible for profits)!

11) Develop the understanding of prevention rather than detection in all areas of the organization.

12) What’s the difference between corrective action, preventive action and continuous improvement?

- Preventive Action – action taken to prevent occurrence of a non-conformity.
- Corrective Action – action taken to prevent recurrence of a non-conformity.

- Continuous Improvement – refers to the small, incremental steps that anyone in the company takes on a regular basis to make improvement where there is no non-conformity but where activities can be improved.

13) The difficulty of additional work (new) continues to complicare today’s work processes (e.g., provisioning). To deal with this we must:

- Discover what is truly “new, and does it improve the customer experience?"

- Define how this affects the system (e.g., sales, engineering, operations, billing, etc.).

- Implement what needs to be done w/in the System to ensure that the “newness” correctly identifies and complies with by all processess and departments within the system.

14) Now that Six Sigma has proven to be the next phase of the continuing Quality Evolution, why do quality professionals still believe it should start and stop in their department? How can I preach and educate the importance of “Systems Thinking” and “Sub-Optimization” when the Quality Department wants to push their spin and budget on how Six Sigma should be rolled out across the organization.

15) Dear Mr. Jack Welch (Six Sigma pontificator), I was replacing a light bulb (GE) in my lamp last night; it didn’t work, should I expect the next one million light bulbs (Six Sigma) to work? Mr. JW has retired, what about the new leader or that other guy at Allied Signal (what does your company do?).

click on pic to enlarge 16) Where I used to work, many folks throw Six Sigma terms around, and they are even going so far to determine a percentage of 99.996 as Six Sigma. However, I never hear based on what (e.g., opportunities). I guess when your local server went down last week for a few hours customers can now expect one million hours or 100 years of non-interrupted service!

17) From a few years ago --> Ford and Firestone, what a shame, they now are both advocating Six Sigma as the way to correct their quality woes. Geez, I thought that’s what Ford Quality 1 and QS 9000 and TQM and Reengineering and Lean Mfg and… was all about! Guess they must have forgot what Dr. Deming taught them about variation, when management wants lots of output over proper procedures, the result is a wide range of variation and the Cost of Quality is now unknowable. Please do not put your VPs of Quality on TV and in the newspaper telling us how the problems will be fixed. TRY PREVENTION!

18) Performance Excellence - For goodness sake! Please don't improve internal processes for the sake of achieving Six Sigma, it's more important to improve/fix processes that are most important to the customer. Reducing Variation is the key.

19) Six Sigma has qualities, but like other quality efforts it is not the complete answer. Even Zero Defects was not the total solution. Most companies don’t fail because of a bad product or service; they fail because they are no longer creative or innovative. I could make the best CD player in the world, but who is going to buy it if they want an IPOD. On-going survival requires that a company continuously innovate.

A pre-requisite for innovation is to allow your employees to be creative and allow them to make mistakes (trial & error). Creativity can’t be obtained by solely concentrating on the numbers, cast in stone due dates and the bottom line results. Six Sigma is fine but don’t let it be your only effort, because it will detract from employees becoming creative. Simply to use six sigma to guarantee success or that it will help save the company (jobs) is ridiculous. You better have something else up your sleeve and your pant leg like foresight, customer focus and predictability to name a few.

20) With the emphasis on shareholder value and short-term goals, the Quality Department needs to keep employees connected to their companies and design ways to motivate and excite them about the work they do and how important they are to the organization.

21) It’s the Quality group’s responsibility to develop ways of bringing employees and their companies back together for their own mutual good and for the good of their customers.

22) A good Manager will provide each of his'her employee's the opportunity to excel at their job. If not the present one, then provide them with another opportunity where skills match needs. Hiring another person without a process for determining the correct skills is like playing roulette

23) All of you process/quality people who sit by and watch leaders use reports, flowcharts, figures, bar graphs, etc to show where a process needs improvement are missing the point. You missed the boat, leaders, managers, front-line workers need trend/control charts to track action, not figures, reports, etc.. that show what has already happened.

24) I can still remember how frustarted I used to get when I worked in the Voucher Department and received forms that were wrong or partially done (sender expected someone down the process to correct). It was hard to do a good job when the sender wanted their money on time and my supervisor wanted 100% accuracy within our unit. The supervisor could not comprehend that we were part of a system, not the system itself and that the forms should come to us correctly.

The only way I got my point across was to hold a VP's voucher form in my desk after I corrected three errors for a week (somehow it took me that long before I could figure out the problems). The VP being told by his secretary that I was holding up the voucher decided to call me direct and tell me he better have his check by tomorrow. I tried to tell him if the voucher (input) would have come to me error free he would have his check by now, he told me (and my supervisor) to do my job (he assumed I was inspecting and building quality into the service at the end of the process). He received his check one week later ( I took two days off and locked my desk). I never had a problem with that VP and his secretary again (I think he went to another company as VP of Quality).

25) There is no process, no process flowchart, no capapbility and no meaningful customer specifications/requirements if the system is not stable and in control.

26) Variation is a lot like life, it provides you many choices, but also like life & quality should it not come down to just two choices; good/bad or right/wrong? - qg

PEOPLE (workers, customers, suppliers, etc...) 1) “There is no substitute for teamwork and good leaders of teams to bring (this means be part of, not to delegate) consistency of effort, along with knowledge.”

2) “ Work Groups/Teams become great only when everyone in them, leaders and members alike is free to do his/her absolute best... The best thing a leader can do for a group/team is to allow them to discover their own importance to the organization.”

3) “Every group/team that has 10-12 people needs a Dennis Rodman type to create out of the box thinking and creativeness. However, they also need a Phil Jackson to provide the out of bounds lines by which to run without disrupting the whole team. Be distrustful of the 10 person Accounting/Finance Department in which fewer than half of the males have no body piercing or tattoos, and any female who has neither "Think Technicolor”

4) I’m tired of financial bean counters/MBA pontificators who want to drain organizations of innovation, creativity and passion. Condense it all to the bottom line, in the box, or better yet, “paint by the numbers and don’t go outside the lines.” Boundaries cause employees to stop working, and worse yet, worry about what each other is doing as opposed to concentrating on what matters most to the customer!

5) The first main concern of a new leader is putting together his/her own top team. It must be cohesive. It must have an aim! Then they (not delegate) must communicate and apply this effort to the workers.

6) Teamwork is critical in today’s environment. In today’s decreasing workforce many of us function daily at the very limit of our experience and too frequently find ourselves overwhelmed with the difficulty that succumbs and threatens us. Working as a member of an efficient and effective team provides the benefit of having other’s knowledge and experience immediately available to support and assist, especially in the more increasing daily crisis and chaos of ones job.

7) In order to motivate people to do a good job, you first have to give them a good job to do!

8) “Everyone doing their best is not the answer. It is first necessary that employees know what business they are in (vision) and what to do (mission).” Then they can all do it together for the good of the customer and the organization.

9) Six Sigma has qualities, but like other efforts it is not the complete answer. EvenZero Defects is not the total solution. Most companies don’t fail because of a bad product or service; they fail because they are no longer creative or innovative. I could make the best CD player in the world, but who is going to buy it if they want an IPOD.

On-going survival requires that a company continuously innovate. A pre-requisite for innovation is to allow your employees to be creative and allow them to make mistakes (trial & error).

Creativity can’t be obtained by solely concentrating on the numbers, cast in stone due dates and the bottom line results. Six Sigma is fine but don’t let it be your only effort, because it will detract from employees becoming creative.

Simply to use six sigma to guarantee success or that it will help save the company (jobs) is ridiculous. You better have something else up your sleeve and your pant leg like foresight, customer focus and predictability to name a few.

10) Cost of Quality or Quality of Cost? Is it more beneficial to measure how much money that has been lost because of poor quality after the fact (e.g., rework, defects, etc.), or to insure that dollars spent up front or invested are worth the value from a customer and company perspective?

11) When you can measure what you are speaking about and express it in numbers, facts, theory or application, then you know something about it, but when you cannot measure it, envision it, or provide meaningful information about it, or if you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge or so called expertise is of an insufficient and unacceptable type.

12) Question - Should a methods group or documentation specialist write work procedures or should the workers doing the work document their own procedures?

Answer - My experience has shown that methods groups or document specialists can assist (i.e., creating templates, advising, gathering supporting documentation, creating control procedures, etc), but the actual writing of the work instructions should be done by the folks who do the work. Following the 6 Cs rule will help. The procedures/instructions must be:

- clear

- complete

- concise

- consistent

- correct, and controlled

13) While on hold today (for the up-teenth time), doesn’t matter for what, I was wondering what automation has done to improve customer service. Oh yes, I now know how long I can stay on the line or how many are in front of me, gee whiz, thanks a lot! I think there is a problem here in many executive thinking tanks, when the cost of service goes down (e.g., automation/less people), quality of service does not go up. Most of the companies that had great service prior to automation (IBM, Fed Ex, Southwest), still have great service today. In retrospect, many of the companies that had shit service prior to automation (you fill in the blank), still have shit service today!

14) When you can measure what you are speaking about and express it in numbers, facts, theory or application, then you know something about it, but when you cannot measure it, envision it, or provide meaningful information about it, or if you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge or so called expertise is of an insufficient and unacceptable type.

15) The question should not be “Is it wrong, or if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but rather, is it best, and can it get better?”

16) I know, let’s blame Mikey (Quality), Management owns the systems, continually blaming the quality group for piss poor results, is like blaming the optometrist for not wearing your glasses and wondering why you can’t see.

17) Stop complaing about poor performance of employees, and start worrying about the poor performance of management.

18) Customers ----> please require statistical evidence of quality from incoming materials from your suppliers. Quality Control (inspection) only by you is too late, costly and unrelaible.

19) Start asking questions about quality and reliability, don't just go by lowest-price buying. Stay clear of suppliers where price of service/product has no meaning without a way to measure quality.

20) “Customers don’t buy products, they buy results.” That is, people don’t buy drills, they buy holes. They don’t buy cars; they buy transportation (or status). They don’t buy light bulbs, they buy light.

21) Instead of managing your processes for the convenience of yourselves, you should instead be managing your processes for your customers and for your own livelihood.

8 links in this procession are: 1. Find and hire quality people.

2. Know your customers’ identity. Make sure you know yours.

3. Focus on constancy of purpose. Do all your employees know?

4. Make your entire system both internal & external “ETDBW (easy to do business with).”

5. Train and support the people in your business. “Seek Profound Knowledge.”

6. Envision, Enlighten, Enable, Empower and Encourage your Employees.

7. Recognize that loyalty no longer exists; get it back before it is too late.

8. Set the tone and lead the way, you are the Environmental & Behavioral model.

22) There is an interesting opposition taking place right now in the workplace. Unemployment is the lowest it has been in 4 years (except Michigan) and is expected to remain low for the projected future. However, employee loyalty is corroding rapidly and employers continue to treat employees as if they are yesterday’s stock price.

23) KEIRETSU - A Japanese term for the close coordination by which a group or company works together for the good of the whole. The following example further explains this concept:

A few years ago while teaching a quality class I broke the class into their natural work teams (8-10 people) to evaluate some case studies. I asked them to agree as a team on how they would determine the problem, identify the causes, make solutions and standardize the process. After about twenty minutes it was quite apparent that there was allot of dissension between the team members as to how the problems should be addressed. In order to get them to work in harmony I had the folks stop and observe an exercise. I grabbed a number of pencils and passed out a single pencil to each team member in one of the groups. I also put 10 pencils together and taped them together in a bundle. I asked each person individually to break their pencil. With little difficulty each member snapped it in half. I then passed around the bundle to each member and asked them to break them in half. All tried and failed to break them all in one try.

The moral of the example was that united or bound together it is very difficult for your competitors/enemies to match the combined efforts of many, separately, your competitors/enemies will attack your weaknesses and you will be at their mercy.

The old saying that ”two heads are better than one” still holds true. Don’t get locked into believing one way or opinion is superior to a group working together towards a common goal, it’s a very rare occasion when a single team member is greater than the whole.

24) "Might as well stop paying union dues and kissing up to your boss. The "Customer" is the only person and "Consumers" are the only group that can continually provide you with a job." - qg

25) "The purpose of competition is to not get ahead of the other guy, but to get ahead of ourselves. " - qg

26) "All living things were meant to be in balance, it has been man that has, is and will continue to upset the equation." - qg

27) " Getting a new customer is just like in atheltics you win one game at a time. Even with a big promotion you must treat each customer that walk's through your door with humbleness and respect.