{domain:"www.qualitydigest.com",server:"169.47.211.87"} Skip to main content

User account menu
Main navigation
  • Topics
    • Customer Care
    • FDA Compliance
    • Healthcare
    • Innovation
    • Lean
    • Management
    • Metrology
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
    • Six Sigma
    • Standards
    • Statistics
    • Supply Chain
    • Sustainability
    • Training
  • Videos/Webinars
    • All videos
    • Product Demos
    • Webinars
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Submit B2B Press Release
    • Write for us
  • Metrology Hub
  • Training
  • Subscribe
  • Log in
Mobile Menu
  • Home
  • Topics
    • 3D Metrology-CMSC
    • Customer Care
    • FDA Compliance
    • Healthcare
    • Innovation
    • Lean
    • Management
    • Metrology
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
    • Six Sigma
    • Standards
    • Statistics
    • Supply Chain
    • Sustainability
    • Training
  • Login / Subscribe
  • More...
    • All Features
    • All News
    • All Videos
    • Contact
    • Training

You Cannot Give 110 Percent

It runs counter to the objective of avoiding waste

Alan’s Apothegms with Alan L. Austin
Tue, 08/07/2012 - 09:46
  • Comment
  • RSS

Social Sharing block

  • Print
  • Add new comment
Body

My name is Alan Austin, and I recently described myself as a quality prodigal. I don’t mean to say that I’m very good at spending recklessly, but rather that I have returned to quality after straying onto other paths.

ADVERTISEMENT

For those of you unfamiliar with the word, Merriam Webster defines apothegm as “a short, pithy, and instructive saying or formulation.” Examples might include “a government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take it away” or “you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” For this column I will be presenting my thoughts addressing some expressions that have been so overused as to become almost accepted as gospel. This column’s first apothegm is:

 …

Want to continue?
Log in or create a FREE account.
Enter your username or email address
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
By logging in you agree to receive communication from Quality Digest. Privacy Policy.
Create a FREE account
Forgot My Password

Comments

Submitted by dbutchko on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 15:14

Stop giving 110%

I once worked with a brilliant quality professional (thank you, Ray) who said that if you have to give 110 % of your effort for 100% of your results, you need to find out what's wrong with the system that's using up that extra effort with no returun.

That and people who claim to give 110% are only demonstrating that they are bad at statistics.

  • Reply

Submitted by Dave Gentile on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 17:05

In reply to Stop giving 110% by dbutchko

And...

This also illustrates how companies promote the hero system and are impressed by fireworks.  As a former colleague described a former boss of mine, "He throws a forward pass and runs down the field to catch it while the rest of the team is running the other way."

  • Reply

Add new comment

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
Please login to comment.
      

© 2025 Quality Digest. Copyright on content held by Quality Digest or by individual authors. Contact Quality Digest for reprint information.
“Quality Digest" is a trademark owned by Quality Circle Institute Inc.

footer
  • Home
  • Print QD: 1995-2008
  • Print QD: 2008-2009
  • Videos
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write for us
footer second menu
  • Subscribe to Quality Digest
  • About Us
  • Contact Us