Don’t threaten people with this quote… One of the more popular email-signature quotes I still see–especially among Lean practitioners–is this supposed gem from Dr. W. Edwards Deming: “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” It pops up everywhere. Honestly, it seems this line (and a few other Deming-isms) circulates more often than Deming’s actual teachings. And the funny thing is: the quote doesn’t appear in Out of the Crisis or The New … Continue reading Did Deming Really Say ‘Survival Is Not Mandatory’? A Lean Perspective