ENOUGH - It's Not Funny Anymore! Canada 51st State

 

OK, enough is enough. When I was growing up, we used to kid with our Canadian friends that we could take over Canada in a weekend if we wanted to spend the time, but we would rather go to the movies.

I can be in Canada in 30 minutes from where I live. Canada is a great neighbor, but I don't want them in my family. We don't need another California (Goodbye Republican Party).

I'm getting very tired of the uncertainty and foolishness coming out of Washington. If you're going to do something (Tariff, Taxes, buying Land) then do it and move on. We have gone from the Biden years of saying nothing and doing nothing and not make anything better. Now we are saying too much and doing too much too fast without any systemic means or end-to-end plan that has been explained. Uncertainty causes "Unstructured Chaos." 

Sucess is not JUST measured in dollars and profits. Senior citizens on fixed incomes losing their savings in 401k's are not putting money in the stock market to buy stocks at a lower price. What they lose in monthly deductions from their principle will not come back. 

There needs to be a balance so that all get something out of a deal. ENOUGH!

Secretary McMahon - Please use "Systems Thinking" when transforming the Education System.

Secretary McMahon highlighted three goals for restructuring the Department of Education:

·         Ensure parents are the "primary decision makers" in their kids' education.

·         Focus public education on math. reading, science, and history, and not "divisive DEI programs and gender ideology.”

·         Establish postsecondary education as a path to well-paying careers that meet the demands of the workforce.

I have written on this subject over the years and yet nothing has improved even with more and more dollars being thrown at the problem. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=school+of+choice

It seems like everyone is using the term "systemic" to define failures in a variety of areas affecting the education system in our country. Before "Transforming" a system, it is vital to understand what "Systems Thinking" is before using it to help them sound important or knowledgeable. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=systems+thinking

Before moving the Federal Education to the States and implementing School of Choice please develop a strategic plan to engage in changing the education system. Systemic change requires to have all the parts of the system working together toward a common goal. I have shown the interdependencies required in the above graph (Developed 15 years ago).

Another way to explain is to understand the matrix below: Click on Pic to ENLARGE

Dream - In a business setting you can replace Dream with "Vision"

WIIFM - What's In It For Me

Elon Musk and DOGE are using "Systems Thinking" to find waste.

Dr. Shewhart and Dr. Deming were right, and Elon Musk and his DOGE team are proving it with their systematic efforts to audit and review governmental process for inefficient and ineffective processes for waste.

In an effort to slash government spending, President Trump has asked the world’s richest (and I would say the most innovative) man, Tesla, Twitter, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). https://dogegov.com/

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

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

I would also urge you to read and study the teachings of Dr. Russell Ackoff when it comes to systems thinking. https://thesystemsthinker.com/a-lifetime-of-systems-thinking/

https://systemsthinkingalliance.org/russell-ackoff/

True and lasting change often comes from outside the system and Elon Musk not being from Washington is the perfect person with his intelligence and resources to eliminate waste within the processes of our governmental departments. He understands that you need to examine the process/system from end-o-end and implement measures throughout the process/system to identify areas of concerns and problems and stop them upfront in the process/system. Once identified you can improve or eliminate the waste or problem. 

However, it is vital "HOW" you cut and eliminate waste from a system. To concentrate only on each individual department and not to understand how it fits into the overall organization can lead to disaster when trying to improve the system. You must take in to account the people within the system and not destroy the overall fabric of what you are trying to improve.

For example, Dr. Ackoff said "

• When you get rid of something that you don't want, you don't necessarily get what you do want. So, finding deficiencies and getting rid of them is not a way of improving the performance of a system. An improvement program must be directed at what you want, not at what you don't want.

Both Dr. Drucker (Management Expert) and Dr. Ackoff both commented on Efficiency vs Effectiveness and to focus on doing the right thing for an organization. According to Peter Drucker, an organization's survival is based on the efficiency and effectiveness of the management. Dr. Ackoff said "

• Quality ought to be directed at effectiveness. The difference between efficiency and effectiveness is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Efficiency (Knowledge) is described as the capacity to do a task with the least amount of wasted time, money, and effort, as well as performance competency. Effectiveness (Wisdom) is defined as the degree to which something is successful in delivering the desired result.

Over my years of applying their (Shewhart, Deming, Ackoff and Drucker) statements to my everyday work and management style I developed and followed the following:

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

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

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

For more info on 
Sytems Thinking click here: https://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=systems+thinking

Students need their teachers full-time in their classrooms

1/23/2025 - I have written about this problem numerous times. Two of my teacher friends and one friend who is a substitute teacher told me since the return from two weeks off for the Holidays they have yet to spend a full week in the classroom. My substitute friend has work over 10 days filling in for teachers who are again testing for reading skills, attending IEP meetings and a teacher conference.

Students need their teachers full-time in their classrooms as much as possible. Subjects like Math and Reading need continuity learning so the material can be learned and retained. Most importantly, the teacher understands his/her students the best and can supply situational learning instead of a substitute who monitor's a study/work lesson. Continuity learning is most critical for elementary and Middle School students.

2024 - I have been concerned about Elementary and Grade school testing for many years. The Pandemic only compounded my fears, and we have lost so many students that cannot read, write or do math at grade level.

In order to compensate these facts schools are now doing one one-on-one testing by a teacher to each student to see where they are slotted in the learning curve.

While this sounds right it is causing a much deeper problem upstream in the process. I have three friends in three different local school districts where this is taking place. It has been going on for weeks.

In order for the teacher to do one-on-one testing a large number of subs are required to be in the classroom while the teacher is out testing. The Subs have been working every day since school started in September. So, who is teaching the fundamentals to the children while the teacher is out of the room? Most Subs are classroom monitors at best and don't have the backgrounds for teaching. The State of Michigan requires any substitute teacher candidate to complete 60 credit hours in any subject area from a four-year college or university.

This reminds me of when corporations do Quality Testing and Control after the product is made or well downstream in the process to do any good. Teachers MUST be in the classroom. Find an outside tutor(s) or retired teacher(s) to do the testing. School children need continual learning to grasp concepts from a qualified teacher and to bond as a unit with their teachers.

Some might say this is too expensive to hire tutors or retired teachers. Do you have any idea how much a Sub makes per day (In Michigan - $170 - $250 depending on District.)? Pay the tutors and retired teachers the same as a sub and get the teacher back in classroom full time.

While the current method seems plausible it is really putting children farther behind. Two SUBS have been asked to be a full-time sub for the school year. While both have degrees, they are not certified to be a teacher. One teacher told me she has to do the testing because subs are not certified to do the testing. Well, they are not certified to teach either!

I would be willing to bet many parents are not aware this is even happening. 

A "Message" for new Members in Congress

I created this Quote back in the early 1980s. One cannot be a Leader without both expressions working together not apart. Political Leaders especially must lead in this manner for the benefit of all. 

2024 was a major disappointment for National Political Leaders. My hope is there are some new leaders elected to Congress https://thehill.com/new-members-guide-2025/ that will serve their country and constituents and follow their conscience and not their political party. 

I did some traveling over the holidays and as I waited and snaked through the long lines of security, I had a thought that I would rather be inconvenienced than to have a dangerous situation occur on the plane. Then I thought about the southern border and how many "ILLEGAL" people are entering the country. How can we allow the borders to be so unsecured and the tons of Fentanyl entering our country and killing so many young people. 

So, Be Humble, Be Confident. Otherwise, you're