Quality of Life

The individual has been crushed by our style of management today. --W. Edwards Deming

For a long time, I thought I was a "geek"--good at mathematics and science, but with no "people skills." I am not an extravert; I cannot make people laugh nor do I have the ability to chat in lively conversation and keep other people talking. But I do seem to have a better than average ability to listen. And that is a real "people skill." I'm beginning to cultivate that skill more fully by pursuing a certificate program in Mediation and Conflict Management at Woodbury College.

As you may see from some of my other webpages, my heritage and heart are Celtic. The number three is rampant in ancient Celtic and Nordic art, characterizing

So, my current goal (which constantly evolves) is to create a life in which my livelihood is sustained by three things: Mediation and related practices including partnering, Workshops based on aspects of the theory described below, and Knitted Lace Art.

What is mediation? It is more than just a last step before going to court; it is a means of resolving many kinds of disputes, not just potentially legal ones. Here's a definition of mediation from Kenneth Cloke that signifies why I practice mediation:

"Mediation is a search for the invisible bridge that connects every living being with every other."

Quality of Life:

applying the principles of

W. Edwards Deming*

to improve the quality of our relationships

Main concept: Our relationships are all that ultimately matter in our lives--not our jobs, not our material possessions. If we consider that our relationships are a product, and that every being with whom we interact is a customer, then we can apply the same principles that Deming applied to manufacturing to our own lives. Those principles are:

"The system" -- everything is interconnected. One cannot "improve" a single aspect of a function in isolation, one needs to consider a system as a whole.

Create constancy of purpose

Drive out fear

Eliminate barriers

Value individuality

Establish a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust with a single supplier

Focus on continual improvement

*(If you don't know who W. Edwards Deming is, visit The Deming Institute; or this site from MIT's Center for Advanced Educational Services, his publisher; or the Deming Electronic Network.)

"Myth is the social dream and dream is the individual myth. By following your dreams you can discover the real dynamics of your life course, your life intention, and your life impulse." --Joseph Campbell

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