In LO 2198, John Rushing asks,
>Is the LO one wheel of the World Class Organization bicycle?
>Is the TQM organization the other wheel? Or more directly, is
>the World Class Organization an upgraded blend of TQM and LO?
>
>
>Am I missing something? Dr. Hodgetts suggests that
>TQM focuses on incremental improvement; LO focuses on paradigm
>shifts and the World Class Organization combines the two. Am
>I mistaken in that the LO focuses on all of the above and more?
John,
Depends. How did you learn and define TQM? My first teacher was W. Edwards
Deming. I feel comfortable that TQM and LO fit as snug as a bug in a rug.
Of course, Deming thought that what Peter Senge wrote about in the 5th D.
was pretty good stuff.
If you take TQM (as about 99 per cent of those out side of TQM do) to mean
ONLY incremental improvement, TQM and LO are complimentary, perhaps second
cousins.
I defined TQM (based on what I learned from Deming, Juran, and GOAL/QPC)
as breakthroughs or incremental improvement to broken processes/working
processes, installation of new processes and standardization of same. (For
arguments sake these processes are complex in nature, the same as systems
in systems thinking). I was initially offended by Senge and LO folks since
I thought they were attempting to take credit for what Deming was teaching
the world. Once I found out Deming and Senge were friends, I realized LO
supplemented TQM (Deming style).
If you saw Deming, read "Out of the Crisis", or attend a Deming Users
Group, you got the sense of community with him, a deep desire for real
learning, an abiding concern for truth, authenticity and just being Dr.
Deming, a person who dedicated himself to mankind. What did Deming say -
Pride in work!! Joy in learning!!
Deming's quote: "No one would have asked for Velcro. Someone had to invent
it." Deming talked about the need for safe havens for inventors. That the
great inventions come from people who are doing it for the sake of doing,
intrinsic motivation. I believe he used Bell Labs as a good example of
where NEW KNOWLEDGE came from aka a Learning Organization. Deming must
have used to word LEARNING 60 times in "Out of the Crisis".
If we take the minimalists view and desire to discredit TQM (making it
look less significant), then there probably is some dichotomy or distance
between TQM and LO. This would be the view of the world of a Mike Hammer
for instance. "I've got a hammer and I am going to convince people it
looks much different than Juran's hammer". (Call Joe Juran and ask him if
Champy and Hammer invented something new. I imagine he would chuckle and
then lecture you on what he taught Japan). So, one view of TQM is little,
itty-bitty improvement that takes forever.
If we take the broad view of what Deming and Juran taught (Managerial
Breakthrough was written in 1962), perhaps LO is a marvelous
addition/overlay of TQM and they are part of the same thing; LEADERSHIP'S
responsibility to mankind to treat our precious human resources (I believe
Deming called us golden nuggets or jewels) with respect, caring, love, to
enable dignity, pride in work, joy in learning. Whenever this is
accomplished, great things are invented and learned.
Have a great day!!
-- Dave Buffenbarger Organization Improvement Coach Dow Chemical Company (517) 638-7080 dwbuff@aol.com