Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1503998
40 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2023 and the variation across workers was just a normal variation within that system. Deming's colorful commentary was both humorous and sobering, but the impact is etched in my mem- ory. Since then, I have always tried to under- stand the impact of normal variation on what I think we see. Now, I recall a more humorous anecdote from that seminar when he reminded the audi- ence that he clearly expected them to pay attention and listen. He had an audience of maybe 300 to 400 people, and at the end of the first session, they had an opportunity to ask him questions. ere were microphones on stands in mul- tiple aisles where long lines of peo- ple quickly formed behind each one. Dr. Deming called on the first individ- ual: "First question?" he announced. I don't remember the specific ques- tion, but I recall it seemed to be thoughtful and seri- ous. Before answering, Dem- ing paused for what seemed like an eternity; the anticipation mounted. Eventually, he responded back, somewhat loudly, "Weren't you here? Weren't you listening? Next question." I am sure that there was an intentional lesson there, although the waiting lines at the microphones dimin- ished rather quickly. But it taught me to stay engaged and pay even better attention for the balance of the week. In addition to Deming's 14 points, I fre- quently credit him with some additional key points that I am likely paraphrasing: • People generally want to come to work and do the right thing. • When they don't do the right thing, it is usually the failure of management to pro- vide the tools, training, or resources to do the job properly. • Don't ever start with blaming the worker; look in the mirror first. • Trust in God. Have everyone else provide data. Otherwise, it is just another opinion. • If you put a good person in a bad system, you will still get a bad result. Educators will say that students retain only 10% of what they learn in class. Over the years, I may not have retained every- thing I learned from Dr. Deming; those 14 points might be a lit- tle hazy, for example. But since that expe- rience, when things did not happen the way I expected, I stopped letting my first response be, "Who did it?" and replaced it with "Why did it happen?" I understood that we needed to look at the system as much or more than look- ing at the people. Somehow, from then on, it became hardwired into my worldview. It most certainly has had more impact on the past three decades of my life—both personal and profes- sional—than I ever would have imagined. PCB007 References 1. "Red Beat Experiment with Dr. W. Edwards Dem- ing," youtube.com. Mark Wolfe is an electronics industry executive and consultant for IPC. Educators will say that students retain only 10% of what they learn in class.