THE "CLEAN SHEET OF PAPER" ENVISIONED IN THE DESIGN PHASE GETS MESSY DURING IMPLEMENTATION.  COMPANIES HAVE LEARNED THAT THROWING AWAY THEIR EXISTING SYSTEMS, SKILLS, HABITS, AND STRUCTURES WHILE ADOPTING NEW ONES IS LIKELY EXPENSIVE AND INEFFICIENT, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM.

THE "TOP DOWN" ASPECT OF THE TQM CHANGE CAN DOMINATE, AND THEREFORE UNDERMINE, THE TQM TRANSFORMATION.  THIS IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN WHEN COMPANIES SIMULTANEOUSLY LAUNCH QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND COST CONTAINMENT CAMPAIGNS; OR WHEN MANAGEMENT INTRODUCES TQM WITHOUT CHANGING ITS GOVERNANCE PHILOSOPHY (turtle); OR WHEN MANAGEMENT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW APPROACH (E.G., WENDY'S).

BE PATIENT. TQM IS A LONG-TERM, NEVER ENDING PROCESS.  IF YOUR PATIENCE DOES NOT LAST LONG, DON'T BOTHER TO START.

BE CRITICAL. BEWARE OF TQM'S MOST CHARISMATIC ADVOCATES.  "CARRY A RULER" AND MEASURE REAL RESULTS.  THERE MIGHT BE A POINT BEYOND WHICH THE COST OF FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OUTWEIGHS ITS BENEFIT.

BE REALISTIC. THINK LONG ANE HARD HOW AMENABLE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS TO A TQM TRANSFORMATION.

BE CAUTIOUS. THE BIGGER THE HYPE, THE GREATER THE CHANCES OF FAILURE.  UNDER-PROMISE AND OVER-DELIVER.

BE LOGICAL. THINK LOGICALLY ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE INNOVATION'S PENETRATION (AT LEAST AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THE CHANGE PROCESS).

COMPANIES NEED TO CHANGE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS STABLE INDUSTRY; NOR IS THERE A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL CHANGE PACKAGE.

QUALITY IS PENULTIMATE TO PERFORMANCE. TQM SHOULD IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE.