Am I on The Right Track?

[James Robert Crow <jr1crow@mindspring.com>]

Hello Group:

I believe what Deming was about was systems first and foremost.  I believe
he says in TNE that one of the jobs of management is to develop and
understanding of systems and to begin to look at the organization as a
system.  There is variation in any system, therefore an understanding of
variation and the difference between common and special cause variation are
a part of understanding the system and what is happening in the system.

As you develop an understanding of the organization as a system and the
interdependence of the various components you will realize that your job is
optimization of the system.  This means that all of the components of the
system must work together for their common good.  What are the things you
are doing now, in good faith, that are suboptimizing the system and making
it difficult for you to focus the system on the aim?

I would contend that getting rid of the things Johns' student spoke about,
appraisals-mbo's etc., should grow out of an enhanced understanding of
systems instead of simply beginning to eliminate these sources of
sub-optimization without understanding why.  Without understanding systems
first there is likely to be a revolt at some level because you are getting
rid of these accepted "best practices" without explaining why the
organization will be able to function more effectively without them.
Robert Crow
Principal
Crow Consulting
165 River North Circle NW
Atlanta, GA 30328 USA
Voice 770-396-2280
FAX 770-396-7010
jr1crow@mindspring.com
www.crowgroup.net