He that would run his company on visible figures alone will in time have neither company nor figures.

It is management's job to direct the efforts of all components toward the aim of the system. The first step is clarification: everyone in the organization must understand the aim of the system, and how to direct his efforts toward it. Everyone must understand the damage and loss to the whole organization from a team that seeks to become a selfish, independent, profit center.

The most important figures for management of any organization are unknown and unknowable.

Shrink, shrink variation, to reduce the loss.

Stamping out fires is a lot of fun, but it is only putting things back the way they were.

People copy examples and then they wonder what is the trouble. They look at examples and without theory they learn nothing.

The emphasis should be on why we do a job.