Re: Misconceptions about Deming

[Myron Tribus <mtribus@home.com>]

T.Q. Nelson, commented on Charlie Miller's discussion of 
misconceptions about Deming by pointing out how few people understand 
they are part of a larger system.  Here is an example I used about 50 
years ago that is still valid.  The occasion was when I was part of a 
program at UCLA called "Liberal Education for Labor Leaders".  The 
students were all people who negotiated on behalf of their labor 
unions.  My colleagues in the Liberal Arts thought that it would be 
good for them if they were exposed to College Level material.  I do 
not recall why I, a Professor of Engineering, was invited to speak to 
them.  I opened my presentation by telling them this little story.
"I have a friend who has a new invention.  He is very annoyed when 
driving at night when the oncoming cars do not dim their headlights. 
His invention consists on a detector which measures the brightness of 
the oncoming lights and then adjusts his car to be even brighter. 
What do you think would happen if everyone one such a device in his 
car?"
There ensued a lively argument about how this would produce chaos on 
the highway and that such an invention should be outlawed.
After they had agreed to this principle I then asked them, "How do 
you regard labor contracts which have a built in escalation tied to 
the cost of living."
They became so angry that I was never invited back.
When we wonder why people do not see themselves as sub-systems in a 
larger system and, therefore, we need to remember that they are more 
interested in improving their own situation than they are the 
situation of the whole.  Even as you and I.

Myron Tribus,  350 Britto Terrace,  Fremont, CA 94539
Ph:510 651 3641  Fax: 510 656 9875   e-mail: mtribus@home.com
If you put good people in a bad system, the system will win every time.