W. Edwards Deming 14 Points

How many organizations today employ this philosophy?

The 14 points apply anywhere, to small organizations as well as to large ones, to the service industry as well as to manufacturing. They apply to a division within a company.

The 14 points.

Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs.

Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change.

Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first place.

End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead, minimize total cost.

Move toward a single supplier for any one item, on a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust.

Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.

Institute training on the job.

Institute leadership (see Point 12 and Ch. 8). The aim of supervision should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of management is in need of overhaul, as well as supervision of production workers.

Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company (see Ch. 3).

Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.

Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and thus lie beyond the power of the work force.

Eliminate work standards (quotas) on the factory floor. Substitute leadership.

Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers, numerical goals.

Substitute leadership.

Remove barriers that rob the hourly worker of his right to pride of workmanship. The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer numbers to quality.

Remove barriers that rob people in management and in engineering of their right to pride of workmanship. This means, inter alia, abolishment of the annual or merit rating and of management by objective (see Ch. 3).

Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.

Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The transformation is everybody's job.

Effective Leadership

Was Martin Luther King, Jr an effective leader? The question seems unintelligent since the outcome of history can been seen all around us in the fruitful labors of the Civil Rights movement. Clearly, King was an effective leader by the definition of accomplishing racial equality for black Americans through his actions, speeches and writings such as The Letter from a Birmingham Jail. One could go on to enumerate all the accomplishments of Dr. King throughout his life, but this analysis will focus on specific instances of leadership in order to gauge the degree of effectiveness of his proclaimed mission:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. (American Rhetoric, 2009)

Born into a family which had a tradition of pastors, and after completing his education, King began to assume different leadership positions. King recognized the opportunities before his race and was convinced that the injustice that was subject to blacks would not stand for long. After the early success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott which began when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, King became the leader of the Civil Rights movement. King was deeply inspired by Jesus and Gandhi. He became utterly convinced of the power of love to transform the racial hatred and bitterness that was at the root of segregation. This power which originated from Jesus himself in the Sermon on the Mount tells Christians to love your enemies:

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. (NAB, 2002)

King applied these principals along with the concrete example of Gandhi during his battle for the independence of India. According to Kevin Morrow, the Gandhi approach had caught King’s attention at a time of disillusionment and despair about love as a force for political and social change. "I became deeply fascinated by his campaigns of nonviolent resistance,” King remembers. “As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform." (Examiner, 2009)

King knew about the laws of God which are just and in conformity with the natural law, and the laws of man which if not based on the natural law can be unjust. Thus, one has a duty to fight against and disobey unjust laws and King taught this to his followers.

King was a pastor, a man of God and he used the words of Jesus to rally the deeply spiritual elements of the civil rights movement. For instance during his sermon, “I’ve been To the Mountaintop,”, King uses powerful biblical language and weaves the civil rights struggle into an eternal perspective, a fight that will go on even after King is gone:

We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop and I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will, and He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight; I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” (King Center, 2009)

This type of powerful language coupled with the seriousness of the task at hand, allowed King to use his rhetorical skills to the greatest effect. King was a student of history, of struggle, and a man of great character. He followed the greatest practitioners of non-violent resistance in Jesus and Gandhi and effectively implemented their strategy and tactics into the civil rights battle. Additionally, King did not avoid confrontation, but sought victory unequivocally and without compromises for what was right. He also foresaw the danger to his own life, but placed his destiny into the hands of God and courageously continued to fight for justice until his assassination in 1968.

“Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation. And I want to thank God once more for allowing me to be here with you.” (King Center, 2009)

Bibliography:

"American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. 4 Mar. 2009 .

Morrow, Kevin . "DC Christian Culture Examiner: In Jesus-Gandhi-King connection, Sermon on the Mount's influence comes full circle." Burlington Vermont News. 6 Mar. 2009 .

"The King Center." The King Center. 6 Mar. 2009 .

"USCCB - NAB - Matthew 5." United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 6 Mar. 2009 .

Self Leadership

In the weekend lecture by Professor O' Neal, he stated that leadership begins with the self. An individual must address and acknowledge their own weaknesses and failings and minimize them in order to develop into a great leader.

Great leaders will surround themselves with great people, and they will develop and encourage their followers to "surpass me in every way", and they will continually work to minimize the effects of their personal weaknesses.

One classic method to address personal weakness is to use Benjamin Franklin's thirteen virtues in your own life. Use them everyday and reflect through the use of a daily journal on how well you implemented each in your day.

1. Temperance. Eat not to Dullness. Drink not to Elevation.

2. Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling Conversation.

3. Order. Let all your Things have their Places. Let each Part of your Business have its Time.

4. Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality. Make no Expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.

6. Industry. Lose no Time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary
Actions.

7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful Deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak
accordingly.

8. Justice. Wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the Benefits that are your Duty.

9. Moderation. Avoid Extremes. Forbear resenting Injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness. Tolerate no Uncleanness in Body, Clothes or Habitation.

11. Tranquillity. Be not disturbed at Trifles, or at Accidents common or unavoidable.

12. Chastity. Rarely use Venery but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dullness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another's Peace or Reputation.

13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.