Out of the Crisis.Org

[Louis Altazan]

My Grandfather was a very wise man. He had home-spun common sense, a great work ethic and was able to easily resolve problems that seemed to baffle others. He raised eleven children during the great depression, because of these abilities or perhaps that is what brought these abilities out in him.

He was fond of saying, “When the tide goes out, you can see who is swimming without their trunks.” Basically, fast talk, gimmicks and questionable methods may work for a while, but when things get tough, sound management will show. I think this is abundantly clear in the giant corporations now teetering on the edge of ruin. Unfortunately, a huge amount of small businesses have adopted the same non-sense styles of management.

For many years quick-fixes, incentives and clever marketing were espoused as the key to success. Each CEO brought new quick-fixes, which only acted on symptoms. Sooner or later the problems exceed the resources of the company, and can no longer be ignored. The methods that are quickly bringing the modern world to ruin were as wrong forty years ago as they are today. Their effect is accumulative. The longer they are used the worse things get.

The true signs of proper management theory, are these:

1. The longer it is applied, the better things get.
   
2. It works well in good times but really works well in bad times.
   
3. It works in any area and with any business type.

Deming management theory is just such a philosophy.

_________________
Louis Altazan
Owner/Manager AGCO Automotive Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA