In Their Own Words
Episodes
Why Commissions Didn't Fix Our Sales Problem
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if your sales problem isn't your people — but the system they're stuck in? Mike Carr spent years doing what everyone told him to do: commissio...
Fitness Matters: A Deming Success Story (Part 4)
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do you run an offsite that actually changes performance — not just conversations? In this episode, Travis Timmons and Kelly Allan share with And...
The Courage to Not React
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when a new data point drops—and all eyes turn to you? In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz explore the leadership discipline r...
Fitness Matters: A Deming Success Story (Part 3)
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do you design a team off-site that actually improves your organization? In this episode, Travis Timmons breaks down the mechanics of a Deming-styl...
Where is Quality Really Made? An Insider's View of Deming's World
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Scherkenbach, one of W. Edwards Deming's closest protégés, and host Andrew Stotz discuss why leadership decisions shape outcom...
Fitness Matters: A Deming Success Story (Part 2)
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when an entire company learns to see its work as a system? In this episode, Travis Timmons reveals how his team uses Deming-inspired pre-...
Fitness Matters: A Deming Success Story (Part 1)
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Travis Timmons shares with host Andrew Stotz how a decade of frustration running his physical therapy practice turned into joy once he discovered Demi...
When is Change an Improvement?
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we really know when improvement has happened inside a school or organization? In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz unpack a clear, three...
Optimizing Student Learning: Crazy Simple Education (Part 2)
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if more quizzes created more joy—not stress? Lee Jenkins shows host Andrew Stotz how Deming-inspired practices like random-concept quizzes, stu...
What is "Profound Knowledge"? An Insider's View of Deming's World (Part 4)
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered what Dr. Deming really meant by "profound knowledge" — and how it can still transform your work today? In this conversation, Bill Sche...
A Smarter Way to Set Goals
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you looking for smarter, more sustainable improvements? In this episode, John Dues joins Andrew Stotz to challenge the way schools - and businesse...
Dr. Deming's Advice to Educators: Crazy Simple Education (Part 1)
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if learning could feel like a team sport instead of a pressure test? Lyle "Lee" Jenkins, PhD., a longtime educator, shares how a chance encounter...
A Leadership Playbook: An Insider's View of Deming's World (Part 3)
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Great leaders know there's no one-size-fits-all formula. In this episode, Bill Scherkenbach and Andrew Stotz discuss practical lessons on how to conne...
Making Data Work for You
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is your data trying to tell you? In this episode, John Dues talks to Andrew Stotz about why most leaders misread data, overreact to single result...
A Deming Approach to Real Estate
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Discover how Andy Novins turns business challenges into big wins! Andy shares with host Andrew Stotz how he uses Deming strategies to outsmart competi...
Rare Photos and Fresh Stories: An Insider's View of Deming's World (Part 2)
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Step into a treasure trove of rare stories, photos, and audio clips as Bill Scherkenbach shares his decades with Dr. Deming. From boardrooms to sleigh...
From Student to Colleague: An Insider's View of Deming's World (Part 1)
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was it like to learn from Dr. Deming himself -- a decade before his name became legend in U.S. business circles? In this deeply personal episode,...
Mapping More of the Process: Path for Improvement (Part 10)
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could tackle a persistent problem without guesswork? In Part 10 of the Path to Improvement series, John Dues and Andrew Stotz discuss how ...
Mapping the Process: Path to Improvement (Part 9)
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can we improve attendance when every school has a different process? In this episode, John Dues continues his exploration of Deming's philosophy i...
Getting Started with Quality as an Organizational Strategy: A Conversation with Cliff Norman and David Williams
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why would any leader choose to take on a transformation that requires rethinking how they lead, how their organization functions, and how they learn?...
Powerful Learning with PDSA: Path for Improvement Part 8
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's time for PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) Cycle 2 in John Dues' journey to reduce chronic absenteeism in his schools. His team is using PDSA to quickly t...
Don't Be Limited by Quality Management: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 13)
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does "quality" apply in all areas of an organization? In this final episode of the Misunderstanding Quality series, Bill Bellows and host Andrew S...
Do Specification Limits Limit Improvement? Misunderstanding Quality (Part 12)
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are your specification limits holding you back from improving your products and services? Should you throw out specifications? What does Stephen Hawki...
Plan-Do-Study-Act: Path for Improvement (Part 7)
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can you use Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) during the information-gathering phase of an improvement project? Yes! Join John Dues and host Andrew Stotz as t...
To Improve Quality Don't Measure Quality: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 11)
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Misunderstanding Quality, host Andrew Stotz and Bill Bellows discuss what not to measure when it comes to quality. Bill offers some...
Diving Deeper into Defining the Problem: Path for Improvement Part 6
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join John Dues and Andrew Stotz as they go one step deeper into finding the precise problem you want to improve. Sometimes taking big actions means st...
Quality as an Organizational Strategy with Cliff Norman and Dave Williams
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could transform quality from a compliance exercise into a strategic advantage? In our latest podcast, Andrew Stotz sits down with Cliff ...
Are You in Favor of Improvement of Quality? Misunderstanding Quality (Part 10)
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone is in favor of improving quality, but what does that mean? In this episode Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz discuss stories of meeting requireme...
Moving Productivity Forward: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 7)
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of the series, Jacob Stoller and Andrew Stotz discuss the difference between typical companies using traditional management and m...
Worse Than a Thief: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 9)
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz as they discuss what actions (or inactions) make us worse than thieves and how that relates to expiration dates, an...
Define the Problem: Path for Improvement (Part 5)
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Before you start solving a problem, you need to know what, precisely, you're trying to solve. In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz talk about h...
Beyond Looking Good: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 8)
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz dive further into acceptability versus desirability in the quality world. Is it enough that something i...
See the System: Path for Improvement (Part 4)
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Before you jump into tools and solutions, you need to take a step back. In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz discuss the four questions you nee...
Frame the Challenge: Path for Improvement (Part 3)
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
John Dues and Andrew Stotz are diving deeper into the improvement model that John is building with his team. In this episode, learn the three ways to ...
Paradigms of Variation: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 7)
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz explore the intersection of variation and quality through awareness of the "Paradigms of Variation." In...
Myth of Tech Omnipotence: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 6)
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many companies strive to automate by using more technology and fewer humans. But does their productivity really improve? Does it keep them agile? In t...
Myth of Sticks and Carrots: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 5)
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Traditional management uses "carrots," like bonuses, and "sticks", like Performance Improvement Plans, to motivate employees. But are humans really bu...
Top-Down Knowledge Myth: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 4)
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jacob Stoller and Andrew Stotz discuss the myth that managers need to know everything in order to manage. What happens when you ask n...
Category and Continuum Thinking: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 6)
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is quality simply a matter of two categories: good and bad? But then how do you get to "better"? In this episode, Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz discus...
Myth of the Bottom Line: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 3)
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is your financial bottom line the true story of your organization? In this episode, Jacob Stoller and Andrew Stotz take on the myth of the bottom line...
The Myth of Segmented Success: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 2)
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is the whole simply a sum of its parts? In this episode, Jacob Stoller and Andrew Stotz discuss what happens when you divide a company into pieces and...
The Red Bead Experiment: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 5)
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What can Dr. Deming's famous Red Bead Experiment teach us about quality? What happens when you only focus on the bad, and ignore the good? In this epi...
Setting the Challenge: Path for Improvement (Part 2)
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz discuss the first part of John's path for improvement model - setting the challenge. Using an example from...
Pay Attention to the Choices: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 4)
19 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing their discussion from part 3 of this series, Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz talk more about acceptability versus desirability. In this episo...
5 Myths of Traditional Productivity: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 1)
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this new series, Jacob Stoller and Andrew Stotz discuss five major management and productivity myths and how Lean and Deming thinking solve them. T...
Building an Improvement Model: Path for Improvement (Part 1)
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this new series, John Dues and Andrew Stotz discuss John's model for improvement. This episode includes an overview of the model and how John uses ...
Acceptability VS Desirability: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 3)
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is reaching A+ quality always the right answer? What happens when you consider factors that are part of the system, and not just the product in isolat...
8 Dimensions of Quality: Misunderstanding Quality (Part 2)
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Bellows and Andrew Stotz discuss David Garvin's 8 Dimensions of Quality and how they apply in the Deming world. Bill references ...
Quality, Back to the Start! Misunderstanding Quality (Part 1)
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Where did your "quality journey" start? In this first episode of a new series on quality, Bill Bellows shares his "origin story," the evolution of his...
Goal Setting is Often an Act of Desperation: Part 6
17 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of the goal setting in classrooms series, John Dues and Andrew Stotz discuss the last three of the 10 Key Lessons for implementin...
Goal Setting is Often an Act of Desperation: Part 5
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz apply lessons five through seven of the 10 Key Lessons for implementing Deming in classrooms. They continu...
How to Test for Understanding: Awaken Your Inner Deming (part 22)
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do you know that the learning you and your colleagues are doing is leading to changes in behavior? In this episode, Bill and Andrew discuss little...
Transparency Among Friends: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 21)
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can you make lasting change at your organization? Recruit your friends! In this discussion, Bill Bellows lays out his experience recruiting and wo...
Goal Setting is Often an Act of Desperation: Part 4
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can a 4th grade class decide on an operational definition of "joy in learning"? In part 4 of this series, educator John Dues and host Andrew Stotz dis...
System of Profound Wisdom: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 20)
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Deming developed his philosophy over time and in conversations with others, not in isolation. As learners, we tend to forget that context, but it'...
Transforming How We Think: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 19)
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens if you transform HOW you think? In this episode, Bill Bellows and host Andrew Stotz discuss the problem of thinking in one dimension at a...
Goal Setting Is Often An Act of Desperation: Part 3
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In part 3 of this series, John Dues and host Andrew Stotz talk about the final 5 lessons for data analysis in education. Dive into this discussion to ...
Organizations are Holograms: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 18)
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Bellows and host Andrew Stotz discuss seeing organizations as holograms—3D images. Holograms show all parts from different vie...
Goal Setting Is Often An Act of Desperation: Part 2
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you struggle to meet your goals or targets? Find out how you can change your thinking about goals and your process for setting them so you can keep...
Transformation is Never Complete: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 17)
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In The New Economics, Deming said "The individual, transformed, will perceive new meaning to his life…" (3rd edition, page 63) But are we ever compl...
Goal Setting Is Often An Act of Desperation: Part 1
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did Dr. Deming forbid setting goals? Dive into this discussion about healthy goal setting, learn why your process matters, and the four things you nee...
Get Off Of My Cloud: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 16)
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"The Cloud" is a metaphor for the top level of corporate authority - the CEO, CFO, CTO and maybe some Vice President positions. And if you're trying t...
Commit to Transformation: Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 20)
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to "commit" to transformation? What does "transformation" mean? In this episode, John Dues and host Andrew Stotz discuss Point 14 of...
Start Where You Are: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 15)
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Bellows and host Andrew Stotz talk about where and how to start using your new knowledge when you're learning Deming. TRANSCRI...
Go Beyond Skills Training: Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 19)
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between education and training? Why is the distinction important? How does the Deming lens offer a new perspective on teacher ef...
Remove Barriers To Joy In Learning: Deming in Schools Case Study (part 18)
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do grading systems, teacher ratings, school rankings, and other programs like those create barriers to learning? Should we eliminate them entirely...
Eliminate Management by Extremes: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 14)
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many businesses equate "manager" with "leader," excluding potential leaders from across the organization. In this episode, Bill Bellows and host Andre...
Does Competition Create Wins? Role of a Manager in Education (Part 14)
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Who wins when teams and team members compete with each other? In this final episode in the Role of a Manager in Education series, David Langford and A...
The Unhurried Conversation: Role of a Manager in Education (Part 13)
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are unhurried conversations, and why should managers prioritize them? In this episode, David Langford and host Andrew Stotz talk about the kinds ...
Eliminate Arbitrary Numerical Targets: Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 17)
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Quotas, arbitrary targets, work standards with numerical goals - these don't seem to apply to schools. But, as John Dues and host Andrew Stotz discuss...
Integration and the Taguchi Loss Function: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 13)
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Should we strive to better understand what happens "downstream" to our defect-free work? No matter the setting, if our work meets requirements and we ...
Pitfalls of Slogans and Targets: Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 16)
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Slogans and exhortations don't work to motivate people. Targets usually encourage manipulation or cheating. John Dues and Andrew Stotz discuss how the...
Integration Excellence: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 12)
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean that people feel connected and included when something good happens yet dissociate when something bad happens? In this episode, Bill...
Do You Listen to Speak or Listen to Learn? Role of a Manager in Education (Part 12)
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listening to understand and learn is often harder than not-really-listening because you're thinking about what to say. Dr. Deming emphasized learning ...
How to Break Down Barriers: Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 15)
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most people agree: teamwork and collaboration generate greater results than isolation and silos. So why do we let barriers get in the way? In this epi...
In Search of Excellence: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 11)
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between Compliance Excellence and Contextual Excellence? Is one better than the other? Which one does a Deming organization purs...
Drive Out Fear: Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 14)
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What causes fear in an organization? How is fear hurting employee morale, productivity, and overall performance? What great things can happen when you...
Are You Expecting Perfection? Role of a Manager in Education (Part 11)
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Perfection may be your goal, but unless you create an artificial environment, you're not going to get it. David Langford and host Andrew Stotz discuss...
It Depends! Rethinking Improvements: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 10)
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When we answer a question with "it depends" we are asking for more information about the possible variables that will inform the answer. In this episo...
How to Build Trust: Role of a Manager in Education (part 10)
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Trust me!' We've all heard it, and probably said it. But how do you build a culture of trust at work, or in a classroom? David Langford and host Andr...
What do training and leadership really mean? Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 13)
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, John Dues and host Andrew Stotz discuss what Dr. Deming meant by "institute training on the job" and "adopt and institute leadership"...
Who Needs Special Help? Role of a Manager in Education (Part 9)
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most of the time, variation between students or workers is the result of common cause situations, but sometimes you find folks who consistently aren't...
Resource Management: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 9)
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill Bellows and host Andrew Stotz talk about resource management in a non-traditional sense. Bill explains how managing the variatio...
The Student Supply Chain and Using PDSA for Improvement Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 12)
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this series, John Dues and host Andrew Stotz discuss principles that educational systems leaders can use to guide their transformation work. This e...
Whose fault is it? Role of a Manager in Education (Part 8)
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When things go wrong, who gets blamed? When things go right, who gets the credit? Dr. Deming wrote that good managers don't play the blame/credit game...
Applying Deming's 14 Points to Education – Points 2 and 3: Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 11)
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Deming was a professor for nearly 5 decades, and while most of his examples and writing discussed manufacturing, he applied all the same ideas to ...
Understanding Shades of Variation: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 8)
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Bill and Andrew discuss the shades of variation: meeting requirements, accuracy, precision, and precision around variety. Is reducing...
Starting the Transformation: Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 10)
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, John and Andrew shift from management myths (don't do this) to principles for transformation (do this instead) based on Deming's 14 P...
Unleashing Hidden Powers for Improvement: Role of a Manager in Education (Part 7)
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
David and Andrew discuss the three types of power that leaders have: authority, knowledge, and persuasion. David also explains where the current style...
Seeing Through New Eyes: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 7)
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Learning Deming is like seeing the world through a different lens. In this episode, Bill Bellows uses various examples to show us how powerful that ne...
Going Beyond Good: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 6)
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If something is "good" is that good enough? Who decides? In this episode, Bill and Andrew discuss how people define "good," what interchangeability ha...
Beyond Tools & Techniques: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 5)
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Data represents raw numbers and information represents the what, when, where, etc. of something. Knowledge requires looking inward at how something...
Tackling More Management Myths: Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 9)
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we motivate employees? Traditionally, we offer merit pay, focus on accountability, and use other extrinsic motivators tied to performance. The ...
Performance Appraisals: Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 8)
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Deming railed against performance appraisals, listing them 3rd in his Seven Deadly Diseases of Management and calling them "Destroyer of People." ...
Tackling Management Myths: Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 7)
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, John and Andrew unpack a few of the myths Dr. Deming identified that continue to destroy organizations from the inside. John explains...
Managing Mistakes: Role of a Manager in Education (Part 6)
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, David and Andrew ask: should we tell people when they make mistakes? How do educators manage mistakes in a classroom setting, after t...
Is Transformation Needed? Deming in Schools Case Study (Part 6)
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, John and Andrew discuss what "transformation" means in education. John juxtaposes two reports, conducted a decade apart, that have in...
Coaching vs Judging: Role of a Manager in Education (Part 5)
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In part 5 of this series, David and Andrew discuss the pitfalls of managers acting as judges versus the benefits of acting as a coach. They explore t...
Secret Weapon for Improvement: Deming in Schools Case Study with John Dues (Part 5)
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is there a secret weapon for improvement? Yes! John and Andrew discuss how students fit into improvement projects - and how that translates to busines...
The End of Perfection: Awaken Your Inner Deming (Part 4)
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between "perfect" and "that will work?" We use them interchangeably all the time. In this episode, Bill and Andrew discuss what ...