Skip to content

The aim of leadership should be to improve the performance…

“The aim of leadership should be to improve the performance of man and machine, to improve quality, to increase output, and simultaneously to bring pride of workmanship to people. Put in a negative way, the aim of leadership is not merely to find and record failures of men, but to remove the causes…” quote by W. Edwards Deming
Download Open image
“The aim of leadership should be to improve the performance of man and machine, to improve quality, to increase output, and simultaneously to bring pride of workmanship to people. Put in a negative way, the aim of leadership is not merely to find and record failures of men, but to remove the causes of failure: to help people to do a better job with less effort.”

W. Edwards Deming

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Leadership should enhance human and machine performance, raise quality, boost output, and foster pride, while eliminating failure causes to enable better work with less effort.

In simple terms: Good leadership raises performance and pride while removing failure causes.

Key Takeaway

Focus on improving systems, not just blaming people.

Themes

leadership quality performance pride systems

Mood

optimistic determined inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational practical

When to use this quote

  • manufacturing
  • software development
  • healthcare
  • education
  • team management

Key Concepts

management continuous improvement systems thinking

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you identify root causes of failure in your team?
  • What steps can you take to empower people rather than blame them?
A Different Perspective

Leaders may struggle to change entrenched cultures resistant to systemic change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by W. Edwards Deming

Explore all 255 W. Edwards Deming quotes

More Aim quotes

Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes