The First Step

Learning How to Change

The first step is transformation of the individual. This transformation is discontinuous. It comes from understanding the system of profound knowledge. The individual, transformed, will perceive new meaning to his life, to events, to numbers, to interactions between people.

Once the individual understands the system of profound knowledge, he will apply its principles in every kind of relationship with other people. He will have a basis for judgment of his own decisions and for transformation of the organizations that he belongs to. The individual, once transformed, will:

Set an example
Be a good listener
Continually teach other people
Help people to pull away from their current practice and beliefs and move into the new philosophy without a feeling of guilt about the past.

The New Economics, 3rd ed. (pp. 63-64)

Everyone doing his best is not the answer. It is first necessary that people know what to do. Drastic changes are required. The first step in the transformation is to learn how to change: that is, to understand and use the 14 points in Ch. 2, and to cure themselves of the diseases in Ch. 3. Long-term commitment to new learning and new philosophy is required of any management that seeks transformation. The timid and the fainthearted, and people that expect quick results, are doomed to disappointment.

Deming, W. Edwards. Out of the Crisis (MIT Press) (Preface) . The MIT Press.

The first step in any organization is to draw a flow diagram to show how each component depends on others. Then everyone may understand what his job is. If people do not see the process, they can not improve it. Anyone needs to see the process as a catwalk, a flow diagram— Paul Batalden, M.D., 13 November 1990.

The New Economics, 3rd. ed. (p. 22)

The secret is cooperation between components toward the aim of the organization. We cannot afford the destructive effect of competition…

The first step is clarification: everyone in the organization must understand the aim of the system, and how to direct his efforts toward it. Everyone must understand the danger and loss to the whole organization from a team that seeks to become a selfish, independent, profit-centre.

The New Economics, 3rd. ed. (p. 36)

Modern principles of leadership, explained and abundantly illustrated in this book, will replace the annual performance review. The first step in a company will be to provide education in leadership. The annual performance review may then be abolished. Leadership will take its place. This is what Western management should have been doing all along.

Deming, W. Edwards. Out of the Crisis (MIT Press) (pp. 116-117). The MIT Press.

OVER THE PAST FORTY-FOUR posts of this newsletter I have presented Dr. Deming’s philosophy for the transformation of Western management in discrete parts, with the aim to provoke curiosity on your part to learn more about them and discover for yourself how they comprise an interdependent system of thought. In the course of your reading you may have felt invigorated at times to do something with the knowledge you’ve gained, but may have hit a wall in knowing where to begin. Rest easy: You’ve already begun the first of several first steps.

Dr. Deming’s philosophy has innumerable entry points that depend upon the learner’s frame of reference and what is motivating them to learn. Sometimes, it’s an existential crisis, others a specific problem that’s dogged the conscience for years, while still others are just curious to learn for the sake of learning. Were you to sit down with Dr. Deming to explain your plight, after listening thoughtfully he might offer any of the above excerpts about the first step you need to take, and perhaps an offer to take one of his four day seminars to deconstruct the barriers in your present thinking. He’d be very curious to learn from you what’s holding you back.

However, let’s suppose you’re new to all of this, and have a desire to transform how your organization works because you want to find better ways of working. Your process could look like the idealized flow diagram below that begins with transforming yourself by learning and applying new theory:

(You might recall from our July 23rd post on Psychology how the process of learning new things transforms your brain through biochemical processes. Go back and read-up on it, or better still watch the linked 2012 Deming Institute talk by JW Wilson…)

Observe that there are loops within loops in this process flow diagram, and many more that I haven’t detailed that you may think of besides. There are also delays embedded in every box and line - time spent thinking or becoming preoccupied with other things. That’s ok - deep learning isn’t a bullet train.

Note that there’s no real reason to delay creating a map of your system as you go - it might actually be useful to advance your understanding of the interrelationships and interactions within your organization. You could use Dr. Deming’s Production Viewed as a System diagram as a template for your own organization, as educator John Dues illustrates in his book Rethinking Improvement:

Don’t be a perfectionist: Your map is likely wrong and won’t represent reality. Show it to others, get their input, and revise as you learn more.

Select a source of dissatisfaction to change. Plan a PDSA cycle to improve it, see what happens when you try. Record what you’ve learned; choose another target, or refine your current approach. Run the cycle again. And again.

These are all good first steps that lead to many subsequent ones as part of a longer journey.

Application

Recently, I was asked by a senior manager how to begin improvement when you’re beholden to top-management who are either differently-motivated, disinterested or detached. I made the following suggestions:

• The first step is to learn a new theory of management to give yourself and your peers a vocabulary to identify and explain the phenomena in your organization, and what to do differently and why.

• Learn what and how to improve in your own immediate sphere of influence; yes, it will have a maximum reach with weaker leverage points, but you don’t have to wait for permission to start.

• Discover your system’s AIM: How well does it align with the business’ stated strategic objectives?

• Diagram your value streams and process flows: How do you provide value to your internal and external customers? How do your processes work today?

• Incrementally build your case for system improvements with leadership by providing “optimizing options” that improve quality, boost productivity, and lower costs. Be prepared to coach and teach upward.

• Find allies who can help build your case for expanding your sphere of influence for change. Teach them what you’ve learned.

Reflection Questions

What do you wish to could be improved in your organization? What would you like to do differently? What’s standing in your way? What could you do right now to effect a step towards that improvement?

Consider the idealized learning process flow diagram above: What would you add or remove for yourself?