Abstract: Before his death in 1993, W. Edwards Deming provided “a map of theory by which to understand the organizations that we work in.” He was well aware of the challenges that organizations face, in their “Organizations (Business) as Usual” mode of operation. He shared simple explanations to challenge us to envision “Organizations (Business) as Unusual.” “Sure,” he said, “we have to solve problems. Certainly stamp out the fire. Stamp out the fire and get nowhere. Stamp out the fires puts us back to where we were in the first place.” In practicing “Organizations as Usual,” resources are allocated to fire-fighting, attempting to lower Things Gone Wrong, such as medical errors in a hospital. Under such contingent circumstances (a problem has occurred), how much value is given to activities for preventive measures(a problem has not occurred), if not seeking opportunities for investment, wherein efforts to improve existing actions (those not considered current problems) will have a superior return elsewhere within the system? Organizations as Unusual offers opportunities to both prevent problems and seek opportunities for investment.

Biography: Bill Bellows is an Associate Fellow in the InThinking Network at Aerojet Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, California, where he is known for his efforts to provide insights to the advantages of thinking together, learning together, and working together. Audiences for his classes have also reached after-school program in elementary schools, graduate students at Northwestern University, as well as corporate, university, and public classes across the United Kingdom. Bill earned his BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Away from work, Bill serves as president of the In2:InThinking Network, and as a board member of the W. Edwards Deming Institute, and the Volunteers of America – Los Angeles chapter. He also serves on the editorial board of the Lean Management Journal. He lives in Valencia with wife, Monica, and their two college-aged children, Allison and Wilson.

Contact: Bill can be reached by e-mail at william.bellows@rocket.com for additional information about this Pre-Conference session.

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-bellows/0/435/218/