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Quality - No Quick Fix
Posted by Robin Gladieux - Saturday, April 08, 2006I have a letter of importance framed and hung on the office wall. The letter is from Dr. W. Edwards Deming to Time Magazine. In the letter Dr. Deming is addressing one of his pet peeves, as one would say. Management’s misconception- the Quality “QUICK FIX.”
You might first ask, “Who is Dr. Deming?” Here is a quick overview. Dr. Deming first started out as a statistician and academic. Now, to many, he is ‘The Man Who Discovered Quality.’ (A book written by Andrea Gabor about Deming, 1990). He was instrumental in shaping the Japanese management method after WWII at the request of General MacArthur. When it looked like the Japanese auto industry might overcome the US auto industry, US corporate executives began to take notice of Dr. Deming.
And this is where the letter comes in. Time had written an article about Japan. In one paragraph it stated that Dr. Deming gave a lecture to US engineers and top management in Detroit about his work in quality. Dr. Deming’s rebuttal to Time was that it was not just ONE lecture but 35 lectures in the first year and six months later he was there again, and six months later yet again. Well you get the point.
There is no QUICK FIX! To quote Dr. Deming, “the trouble with American industry today is that top management supposes that one lecture or one day will do it. Few people in top management in America understand their responsibilities and know that they must serve a life term on quality.”
But don’t let this discourage you. The effort a company puts forth to achieve higher quality in customer satisfaction, fewer errors, better lines of communication, happier employees, less chaos, new and better products, higher profits, etc., is oh so worth it. Just ask Toyota. By the way, the letter is dated April 6, 1981. Dr. Deming’s truth is timeless. For more on Dr. Deming go to www.deming.org.
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