Deming's Point No. 8: No Fear

Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company. 

What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life--this, according to Heinrich Emil Brunner (1889 - 1966), a Swiss Protestant, and one of the best known of the neo-orthodox theologians. Driving out fear is about creating hope and loyalty and an environment that fosters trust. Without it, you will not be able to drive a successful CRM effort in your organization.

What's loyalty worth? Take the case of Malden Mills. The company was devastated by fire on December 11, 1995, just a short time before Christmas. At a cost of  nearly $15 million, President and CEO Aaron Feuerstein, continued to pay his employees for 90 days. They were even paid a $275 Christmas bonus two days after the fire.

Feuerstein said, "Because we thought constructively and positively about our future as opposed to crying and getting depressed, an incredible amount of favorable things happened." The company has made a strong comeback since fire destroyed three of the its main manufacturing facilities, and the names Feuerstein and Malden have become synonymous with employer-employee loyalty.

According to Feuerstein, "My people have seen that loyalty was extended to them and they in turn have extended a degree of loyalty to me, and as a result, Malden Mills today is far above what it was …