Traditional Wisdom LO9089

Robert Bacal (dbt359@freenet.mb.ca)
Tue, 13 Aug 1996 00:57:19 +0000

Replying to LO9055 --

On 12 Aug 96 at 22:15, Rol Fessenden wrote:

> Replying to LO8958 --
>
> Deming was not infallible. Great man, still only a man. Robert's
> position sounds right to me. Is there a logical construct or
> alternatively, some data that would contradict him? --

I wonder whether Deming was using what I call useful fictions--statements
that while not objectively true, when treated AS true, help us move
forward, or counter-act inertia. For example, when I trained teachers I
taught them that they were responsible for creating learning in students,
and that if they did not, they were not suceeding. This is clearly a
useful fiction, since it encouraged them to do anything in their power to
make ithappen, rather than blaming the little mushrooms.

Seeing Deming on tape, he strikes me as being someone who would use such
fictions.

Robert Bacal, CEO, Institute For Cooperative Communication
dbt359@freenet.mb.ca, Located in Winnipeg,Canada.
*For articles on management, change, training,communication, etc,
visit our home page at: http://www.winnipeg.freenet.mb.ca/~dbt359

-- 

"Robert Bacal" <dbt359@freenet.mb.ca>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>