We often view sports, faith, and local governance as entirely separate worlds. But at the heart of all three lies a hidden truth that determines success or failure: how we manage systemic variation.

The contributions of W. Edwards Deming in developing and introducing a new system for managing quality were recognized by Fortune magazine as “among the 20 that have shaped the modern world of business,” and by U.S. News and World Report as “one of nine turning points in history. The top turning point was identified as the Apostle Paul, whose preaching and eloquent writings led to the mass acceptance of Christianity.”

Deming concluded that if he were to reduce his message to just a few words, it all has to do with reducing variation. Ignorance of this fundamental truth is why the contributions of W. Edwards Deming are not more commonly known or understood.

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. – Winston Churchill

Through his survey regarding a Biblical World View, George Barna reports that only 4% claim “religious beliefs and worldview-related behaviors … consistent with biblical principles, beliefs and behavior.”

• The 10 Commandments reinforce God’s foundation of a biblical worldview.
• A biblical worldview refers to an understanding of the core principles and beliefs of Christianity. A Christian would strive to live according to these beliefs and repent when they fall short, while understanding that, through God’s grace, they will be forgiven as they forgive others.
• To be an effective Christian or Citizen, a biblical worldview is not enough by itself to navigate successfully in today’s world.
• A quality management system provides a context that integrates a biblical worldview with citizenship. Judeo-Christian principles informed the Declaration of Independence and influenced the design of the Constitution.

A survey regarding the relevance of Quality Management to a biblical worldview could be assessed with one question:

How would you define the ideal basketball free-throw shot?

I’ve asked this question numerous times over the years, and the most common and incomplete answer is “it goes in.” But a perfect free throw isn’t just about the result; it would include where the ball lands, along with the speed, motion, and trajectory. An explanation and accompanying article are provided at SuccessThroughQuality.com, Articles, Research Papers, Posts – Continuous Improvement at the Free-Throw Line.

Using another sports metaphor, the success of Indiana University football coach Kurt Cignetti in achieving a perfect record, including winning the national championship, represents a successful application of an intuitive or a more unconscious awareness and understanding of variation.

Can Cignetti’s system be successfully reverse-engineered? Yes, and understanding variation would make it easier. Cignetti succeeded because he didn’t just focus on winning games (the result), but on relentlessly standardizing and improving processes and systems. Culture is a supporting system, and the Leader (coach) is the “conductor of the orchestra (system).

“An example of a system well-optimized, is a good orchestra.” – WED

Successfully leveraging the interrelationship between Citizenship, Christianity, and Quality management supports continuous improvement.

For Christian, understanding and managing vocation helps to avoid the Sin of Omission.

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. – James 4:17

In organizations, failing to adopt better methods to reduce variation results in higher costs to customers and society. Deming described the cycle as a Chain Reaction:

• When you improve quality by reducing variation, Costs decrease because of less rework, fewer mistakes, fewer delays and snags, better use of time and materials; productivity improves; capture the market with better quality and lower prices; stay in business; and provide more jobs.

Further Explanations

• Variation is an inherent part of God’s design of the universe.
• Variation represents the difference between the ideal (perfect) and the actual situation
• Perfect is described as encompassing all human needs, including those that support physical, psychological, and spiritual health. The more needs are met, the less harm is caused by unmet needs. Consequently, continuous improvement becomes a moral imperative.
• In Quality Management, the concept (things either get better or worse) is supported by the Taguchi Loss Function, which reinforces that the closer any service or product meets the ideal (target, more perfect), the higher the quality and the lower the cost to the individual and society.
• All actions are accomplished through a process (a habit, routine). A system is a collection of processes with a common aim. Example: (Commuting to work or school is a process that is not possible without the existence of a transportation system. The transportation system includes the means of travel, infrastructure, laws and regulations, emergency services, etc.)

Systems determine most, if not all, of the results. A system is a collection of processes with a common aim. The U.S. Founding Fathers identified the aim of the Constitution to enable We the People (top management) to work together to achieve “a more perfect Union.”

Tasks, Processes, Systems

In the military, a process is an individual task needed to develop skills, knowledge, and abilities (See Universal Joint Task List). Collective tasks are all the individual tasks needed to accomplish a respective mission. Same principle in Sports: You have the individual tasks for each position and the collective tasks needed to support the overall game plan. The key to execution is the leadership and culture.

Conclusion

Ultimately, systems determine results. If we want a society—and a local government—to achieve the highest levels of quality possible, we must adopt the methods required to reduce variation and eliminate systemic waste.

From the discipline of Coach Cignetti’s gridiron to the foundational targets set by the Ten Commandments, the lesson is clear: quality is a continuous journey. By accepting our role as the “top management” of our communities, we can replace chaotic variation with a disciplined, continuous effort toward a more perfect union.

The Founders left it up to future generations—including our own—to accept responsibility for this journey, applying the best methods available to improve systemic quality in our own backyards. Continuous improvement is no longer just a management strategy; it is a moral imperative.

End Notes:

ChatGPT Prompt and Replies – Ten Commandments, Five Whys, Taguchi Loss Function, Metics, Example

PDF: ChatGPT Five Whys, Commandments, Taguchi Loss Funtion

• The Five Whys is a root cause analysis tool developed in quality management. When applied to the Ten Commandments, it can help uncover the deeper principles behind each commandment, rather than viewing them merely as rules, but as a System.
• System View: The Ten Commandments can be viewed as defining the Target Condition for Society. This identifies why each target matters. The Taguchi Loss Function explains the consequences of deviation.
• Feedback Measures: This is where the framework becomes especially useful from a Deming, Taguchi, and systems-thinking perspective.
• Applied Example – Local level of Government – Brown County, IN