What Is Dignity?

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Growth Strategy (41-slide PowerPoint presentation). The reality is: all businesses face the challenge of achieving sustainable Growth. They need viable Growth Strategies. So, what is Growth Strategy? It is the organization's high-level Corporate Strategy Plan that outlines everything the organization needs to do to achieve its goals for [read more]

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Editor’s Note:  The author is an expert and practitioner of the growth strategy framework, Delta Model.  The Delta Model is based on the teachings of MIT professors Dean Wilde and Arnoldo Hax.  It aims to change your strategic thinking, identify new sources of revenue, and transform your overall organization.  This article is based on the business principles taught in the Delta Model framework.  You can download a free overview of the Delta Model here.  To learn more about the Delta Model, please have a look at the author’s documents on Flevy here.

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Dr. Edwards W. Deming’s work can answer this question of what is dignity using moral philosophy of management as part of the science of management. There is a vision of human dignity that is foundational to his work. Deming understood that the inherent dignity of human nature is honored when it is possible for people to make a contribution of intrinsic value to the common good. What Deming calls “pride in workmanship” satisfies a deep human need to be really and effectually of service to their fellow human beings and to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Deming recognized that this intrinsic orientation toward mutuality and cooperation is a far more fundamental and dependable source of motivation toward achievement and excellence than is any scheme of carrot and stick extrinsic motivation. The job of leadership and management is to make it possible for people to participate “with pride of workmanship” in an enterprise that produces products and services that are inherently valuable and provide a positive contribution to the common good.

This requires a clear aim and the identification, development and optimization of systems of service and production that can be improved continuously and forever. Most failures in the development of quality products and services are due to problems with the system of production. Understanding and managing the system is a key management task. The cooperative participation of workers, managers, customers and suppliers in the process of continuous improvement fulfills the inherent need for human dignity and promotes the conditions in which civil society and culture can flourish. These fundamental principles are as applicable to the government and the not-for-profit world as they are to traditional business enterprises.

Continued reliance on competition and extrinsic motivation robs people of pride in workmanship, destroys systems and leads to products and services of unsatisfactory quality. This leads to a declining quality of life that undermines civil society and culture.

The future vitality and adaptability of our civilization and society depend upon leaders of business, government and the not-for-profit world learning a new approach to leadership and management based upon this vision of human dignity and cooperation. That was dignity for Dr. Deming and this is dignity for me for if you have peace in your life, dignity and prosperity is the proper path to a fulfilled life.

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