Constancy of Intention LO2303

MarthaWhi@aol.com
Tue, 1 Aug 1995 22:04:06 -0400

Replying to LO2281 --

(was "Customer not always right")

Barry writes: >>Now how do we promote constancy of intention? In turn,
such constancy promotes what Deming et al. refer to as having each of us
building quality into what we do, rather than checking for quality.
Thoughts on this conundrum?<<

Checking for quality has to do with looking for potential problems and
engages a particular modality of thinking. Building quality into what we
do engages a different one.

Checking for quality is an important component, of course, but it lies in
a more "negative" domain, if you will - looking for something that is
"wrong" or not, in some way, up to standards. It has to do with yesterday
and today.

Building quality into something has to do with creativity, imagination and
innovation. It occupies a larger domain, heads in a more "positive"
direction and has to do with creativity, excitement and unending
tomorrows.

Interestingly enough, both of the aforementioned needs are necessary and
complementary and the marriage of both of them create the sort of balance
which makes the transition from yesterday to tomorrow less chaotic and
reduces the number and severity of crises.

The constancy of intention Barry speaks of will be more easily adopted and
more readily seen in organizations which actively promote skills
enhancement, learning AND creativity - organizations that know how to
exist in that space between replication (checking for quality) and
complete chaos - the place of complexity in which diverse needs,
intentions and styles come together.

Learning, in the past, has been done primarily with the intention of
gaining mastery in order to "do something right", a systematic studying in
a particular field in order to acquire knowledge or skill. Learning, now,
must incorporate the creative willingness to go beyond what is known or
understood in order to flow with the tremendous rate of change we now
experience.

The most successful organizations will be those which support the ongoing
acquisition of knowledge and skill through learning, and, at the same
time, support and encourage learning through creativity, imagination,
exploration, discovery and intentional risk-taking. This brave new world
of ours, in the midst of incredible chaos, change and transformation, will
demand new kinds of courage, willingness and expansion from us, as we
learn to balance issues which sometimes seem paradoxical. This will
necessitate removal of the atmosphere of fear so pervasive in
organizations today, for fear and insecurity do not encourage the
exploration and discovery of anything new.

There will always be those of us who are more interested in checking for
and defining quality in the "here and now." And there will always be
those of us who are more interested in building an ever-better
"mousetrap."

In the final analysis, we can promote a constancy of an intention that is
balanced, that "sees in many directions" at the same time. This is an
example of the synthesis and congruence created when we work and learn
with a whole brain and when we create a union of differences with one
another, honoring and utilizing the great richness and power our
differences bring to us as individuals and as a collective.

We can produce quality in the here and now, even as we, at the same time,
create our tomorrows with ever more refined and synergistic quality and
value. This is what Deming was after. Perhaps we can carry his vision
into the future, as we expand our understanding of quality and our ability
to create it.

Best regards,

--
Martha White
Co-President
Institute for Business and Social Architecture International, Ltd.
303-838-5178
Marthawhi@aol.com