[T]he prime purpose in carrying out a survey or experiment is to find answers to certain questions in order to provide a basis for rational prediction, usually in order that action may be taken on the sources of the data.
‘We installed quality control.’ No. You can install a new desk, or a new carpet, or a new dean, but not quality control. Anyone that proposes to ‘install quality control’ unfortunately has little knowledge about quality control.
A bad system will beat a good person every time.
A common disease that afflicts management and government administration the world over is the impression that ‘Our problems are different.’ They are different, to be sure, but the principles that will help to improve quality of product and of service are universal in nature.
A company could put a top man at every position and be swallowed by a competitor with people only half as good, but who are working together.
A good question for anybody in business to ask is What business are we in? To do well what we are doing-i.e., to turn out a good product, or good service, whatever it be? Yes, of course, but this is not enough. We must keep asking – What product or service would help our customers more? We must think about the future. What will we be making 5 years from now? 10 years from now?
A leader’s job is to understand his people, understand their differences; optimize their interactions, their educations, their experiences.
A numerical goal leads to distortion and faking, especially when the system is not capable of meeting the goal. Anybody will meet the quota (goal) allotted to him. He is not responsible for the losses so generated.
A system must create something of value, in other words, results.
