Bill Deming: The First Organisational Psychotherapist?

Who Was Bill Deming?

W. Edwards Deming, commonly known as Bill Deming, was an American statistician, professor, author, and management consultant. Though most recognised for his contributions to quality management and the development of statistical process control, Deming’s work encompassed much more than equations and charts. He deeply cared about organisational culture and improving human aspects of work.

Did Deming Focus on Mental Models?

Deming was keen on changing the way people think about work and management. His System of Profound Knowledge, a cornerstone of his management philosophy, includes “understanding psychology” as one of its four elements. This shows Deming’s emphasis on the psychological aspects of organisational behaviour, closely aligning with what is now understood as organisational psychotherapy. He believed that for any change to be effective, the underlying beliefs, mindsets, and shared assumptions of people within the organisation must transform.

How Did Deming Approach Consultancy?

Deming wasn’t the typical consultant who’d hand over a report and call it a day. He committed to his client companies. Through ongoing interactions, he helped people inside organisations identify their systemic problems and internal challenges. Often, this required him to deal with strong resistance to change, which necessitated a keen understanding of human psychology. Here, Deming acted more like an organisational psychotherapist than a traditional consultant. He facilitated self-awareness and helped organisations improve from within, by addressing shared assumptions and beliefs that often acted as barriers to change.

What About Client Transformation?

Those organisations willing to listen often found themselves fundamentally transformed. For example, Ford Motor Company, one of Deming’s famous clients, shifted its corporate culture from one that blamed individuals for mistakes to one that looked at the system as a whole. This transformational approach, which also involved altering shared beliefs and assumptions, is what you’d expect from organisational psychotherapy. It aims to shift core paradigms, rather than just treating superficial symptoms.

Is Labelling Deming as an Organisational Psychotherapist Justifiable?

While the term “organisational psychotherapist” wasn’t in existance during Deming’s era, his principles, methods, and intentions align well with the practice. Through his focus on human psychology, sustained client interactions, and emphasis on systemic transformation, including the tackling of shared assumptions and beliefs, Deming could easily be viewed as an organisational psychotherapist, even if he never used that title himself.