Six Sigma and More Think about the whole system
Mon, 10/15/2012 - 11:12
It may seem dangerous to ask questions, especially in an environment that is hostile to change. The heart of improvement often lies in listening to many viewpoints in order to involve people affected by the outcome. In an environment of trust, it’s… Teaching Statistics That Help, Not Hinder, ManagementUsing statistics intelligently to make decisions
Wed, 09/19/2012 - 13:55
As I titled this column, I was reminded that W. Edwards Deming liked to say, “The most important numbers are unknown and unknowable.” But some numbers are important, and most managers do not know how to manage them. I don’t want to sound like a… Goodbye Fear, Hello CreativityWe have the tools to be creative. So what should we create?
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:27
I recently picked up the summer 2012 edition of the American Society for Quality's (ASQ) Quality Management Forum, which focused on creativity and innovation. Tracy Owens started off the discussion with his article, “Don’t Ask Him, He’s Not Creative… Success by Any Other NameWe must not only do things right, but do the right thing
Wed, 07/11/2012 - 13:42
One of the most important events I remember experiencing years ago as part of my MBA was an introductory conversation I had with J. B. Black, Jr., a dean at Wright State University. One of the things I learned from Black was that a most important… Six Sigma and MoreRelational autonomy
Mon, 05/14/2012 - 10:47
As my wife, Carole, was recently preparing to begin another chapter in our forthcoming book, The Transformational Workplace, she found out that one of the people we interviewed on my sabbatical last year had just won the International Children’s… Joy in the WorkplaceKindness, joy, and success are inextricably intertwined
Thu, 02/16/2012 - 16:46
As we arrived in the lobby of the Westin in Grand Cayman, George Davidson was playing the love song from The Phantom of the Opera on the grand piano. Grand Cayman is one of our favorite winter retreats and Davidson has been a staple of what we enjoy… When Your Project Is Stalled, Seek Out the UninvestedOutsiders can ignore unstated assumptions that keep the team from moving forward
Fri, 12/16/2011 - 11:52
A few weeks ago, my eyes filled with tears as our daughter, Lisa, told those whom we call the Macaronis, that she was struggling to decide between her current occupational choices (yes, she’s that talented and in demand); what she really wanted… Steve Jobs: ‘Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish’Do great work by loving what you do
Fri, 11/11/2011 - 12:27
As most of us know, on Oct. 5, 2011, we lost Steve Jobs, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc. Amid all the reports of his life and death, one of his phrases stood out to me: “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” The phrase ended his June 12, 2005… On-the-Job Stress: A Disease in Search of a CureDiagnose the cause and write a prescription for treatment
Mon, 06/20/2011 - 06:00
As I was recently going through some old papers, I came across a letter that my good friend and fraternity brother, Ron Sparling, and I had sent to the general manager of a General Motors Corp. (GM) division where another close friend and fraternity… Six Sigma and More: It’s the System, Stupid!Ruminating on front-line blame
Thu, 05/12/2011 - 05:30
As we continue our sabbatical journey, more opportunities for the improvement of management practices continue to appear. This month, the overriding theme that I have observed is the lack of front-line performance that seems to be a result of the…
