Edwards Deming, Simple Points, Background Story

I didn't see Deming's 14 points until 1979, yet they were familiar to me, reflecting what I'd grown up with, consistently embracing a philosophy of improvement, leadership, training, education, teamwork, eliminating fear, removing barriers, avoiding showiness, teaching correct principles to encourage more self-management.

Practical principles captured in simple comments like "Be wise" and "Be nice" and "Do good" and "Do better" and "Don't quit" make points without being complex, but watch out for window dressing.

Be wise - really think, observe, clarify, evaluate, act, learn, repeat, don't quit.

Be nice - it works better. Not being nice adds negative emotions with attendant complexity and vagueness. Negative emotions are an underground drag on progress. Positive emotions are powerful for adding value.

Do it - get it done - be wise, think, be nice, do good, evaluate, do better, update plans, prototype, test, implement, assess, keep learning, keep improving, don't quit.

Patient persistence in pursuit of perfection will lead to better practices and more profits, allowing greater rewards for all concerned.

Background Story -- Turning Point in Business Leadership

After getting a Master of International Management degree and then MBA, I joined a fast-growing computer company in Texas and was initially given assignments that groomed me for general management. One learning experience changed my outlook on management. Two higher level bosses took me with them to meet a Japanese company to explore a joint venture between our Texas-based company and their company. I was there mostly because my office was in the Bay Area where the meeting was held, and my bosses had flown from Texas, one originally from Boston - both had strong accents.

During the meeting the four Japanese men on the other side of the table looked at and talked to me more than my bosses. This frustrated one of my bosses enough that he asked why they talked more to me, indicating I was junior to them. The Japanese men expressed apologies for any offense, saying they were more familiar with California English than Texas English or Boston English.

I was given liaison responsibility after that meeting. I tell this story for what subsequently happened.

My boss’s boss's boss assigned planning and implementation responsibility for this project to the general manager of our Fort Worth operation, who in about a week produced a "well written" plan for our end of things and sent it to me to follow up with the Japanese.

As weeks went by waiting for the Japanese to “get their act together” my superiors grew increasingly frustrated. After two months, I was told to tell them “if you can’t make decisions, we’ll find someone who can,” etc. I was then told to call it off just as they finally submitted their plans. I was initially put off by how much they had done, feeling they had made it too complicated. We considered our plan more succinct and to the point.

But the tables turned as planning was followed by implementation. Virtually everything the Japanese had said they would do they did as promised or better, while our American end fell into disarray. The Fort Worth general manager had prepared his plan on his own with his boss. All that mattered was that his bosses had approved it. He had not involved the many others in his organization in the planning process. People ended up being fired in all the confusion, and after six months, the Japanese told us they would go on without us and ended the relationship. Seeing the contrast, I was embarrassed for us and marveled at the Japanese.

In answer to my queries about why and how they did things, I was introduced to the work of Edwards Deming. This was 1979 and I had never heard of him. But I was captivated by his 14 points. I began to apply them in my business leadership roles. Deming’s points turned me into a "turnaround specialist” focused on really improving corporate value, not just making high level quick-fix "slash & burn" cosmetic changes.