05/15/2002 Entry: "All Things Must Passzzzz..."

For a required training session, I'm reading an article from the Center for Quality of Management Journal. I'm also falling asleep in my cup of coffee as I read it. If it were just boring and poorly written, that would be one thing. But the piece uses a tone and cadence to describe its management concepts ("Eliminating the Seven Wastes," "The Five Principles of Lean Systems") that reminds me discongruously of Buddhist dogma ("The Four Noble Truths," "The Three Pillars of the Eightfold Path.") Of course, Buddhist Management and Business principles aren't a new idea; I can understand the need and appeal for this.

The part that bothers me is that I know, somewhere, someone has tacky, stock photography of someone wearing saffron robes over a business suit. And they aren't afraid to use it.