第四十九篇 Getting management on board to support statisticians' roles
本帖最后由 小编D 于 2012-2-20 15:57 编辑
本文由：zzzelva dhjulia 翻译 spear 校稿
In With the Right Crowd
与合适的人合作
Getting management on board to support statisticians' roles
同舟共济以管理支持统计学家的工作
著者：Ronald D. Snee, Roger W. Hoerl and Angela N. Patterson
First, the good news. The importance of statistics related to the way the world does business has never been greater:
首先, 来看优势的一方面。统计学对于世界万物运行的重要性无与伦比。
• Large-scale statistical training through improvement initiatives like Six Sigma has spread statistical thinking, and it has become common in fields such as finance and healthcare.
借助诸如六西格玛之类的改善措施，大规模的统计培训已经使统计思维得到传播，这种培训在财务、保健等领域已经得到了广泛的普及。
• Commercial statistical software puts the ability to do complex statistical calculations on the desktops of managers and executives who neither have nor need specialized statistical expertise.
商务统计软件为经理和主管们提供这样的能力：他们既不必掌握也不需专业统计工具也可以在自己的电脑上进行繁杂的统计计算了。
• About half a million students each year take a general introductory statistics course in college in the United States.
• 在美国，每年有大约五十万的大学生开始接触到一些统计学入门知识。
• The web puts vast storehouses of statistical information at everyone's fingertips.
互联网让人们对统计信息的巨大知识宝库触手可及。
Now, the bad news: The statistician and quality professional might become the proverbial middle men who get cut out by these advances.
而劣势的一面是：统计学家和质量专家脱离了这些工具后或许会变成我们常说的中间人。
Consider the plight of travel agents. When was the last time you booked an airline ticket or hotel reservation through a living, breathing travel agent? Why should you when it's easier and cheaper to do it yourself using powerful web based programs that can instantly scour the universe for the best deals? Using the business term for "cutting out the middle man," travel agents have been "disintermediated."
想想旅行社代理人的困境吧。还记得你上一次从一个活生生的旅行社代理人手中订购机票或旅馆是多久之前的事情么？既然你自己借助强大的搜索系统都能轻易且廉价地搜罗到最优惠的折扣，那又何乐而不为呢? 这样，作为中间人的旅行社代理人就被“取消中间”了，用一句专业术语来讲，就是被“踹掉中间商”。
Statisticians run a similar risk unless they find a way to break out of their traditional roles. During the past 40 years, much of the work done in corporate statistics groups can be described in two ways:
除非能够有办法改变他们传统的角色，统计学家们也同样要面临类似的处境。过去的四十年间，综合统计小组所完成的很多工作大致可用以下两点来概括：
1. Performing technical tasks, such as analyzing data and designing experiments at the request of someone directing a project.
2. Advising others how to attack a statistical problem.
These types of activities have typically been referred to as statistical consulting. In the days before all of the good news, this role of enabler made sense. Corporate statistics organizations grew comfortable in this role, "owning" the organization's statistical methods. As a result, statisticians came to be viewed as narrow specialists, such as accountants or lawyers, and as passive consultants rather than equal members of business teams.
此类相关的活动通常被称作为统计咨询。在上述所有优势得以发挥之前的时间里，专业统计咨询这一角色的执行者非常重要。综合统计组织因“拥有”组织的统计方法而在这个角色中占尽优势。结果是，统计学家们被当作其所属的狭小领域的专家，就像会计师、律师和被动的咨询顾问， 而不是商业团体中平等成员。
It's a precarious position. You can no longer own statistics when anyone with a computer can download and use statistical software. Further, narrow technical tasks can easily be moved to low-cost countries, and many cost-conscious businesses are asking why their people can't analyze data themselves.
专业统计学的境况日益堪忧。在通过电脑就可以下载和使用统计软件的今天，人们就没没那么必要拥有统计学知识了。 而且，技术要求不高的一些工作可以轻松转到成本低的国家，很多成本意识强的公司也在思考：为何不能由他们自己的员工来完成必要数据分析。
As demand for statisticians' traditional services dries up, statisticians must move from the role of passive consultant to active colleague. In other words, they must do what travel agents have so far failed to do: find a way to add significant value in the face of developments that have made their traditional services widely available for free.
随着对统计学家的传统服务的需求日益萎缩，统计学家们不得不抛弃被动的咨询顾问策略，改为主动出击的策略。换句话说，统计学家必须做旅行社迄今未能做成的事情：找出一种增加独特商业价值的方法，来应对传统服务已可广泛免费获取的局面。
The world of statisticians and quality professionals / Figure 1
附图一： 统计学家和质量专家主导的世界
Figure 1
Think marketing
思维营销
There are two compelling reasons for statisticians to become active partners, particularly with managers. One of those reasons is opportunistic and the other idealistic. When the infamous bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he said. "Because that's where the money is."
有两个原因迫使统计学家们特别是与经理人之间主动合作。一个是从机会主义，另一个是现实主义。当被问及为什么抢劫银行时，臭名昭著的银行抢匪威尔萨顿说：“因为那是放钱的地方”。
Managers control the resources of time, money, personnel and equipment. They are where the action is—setting direction, goals and objectives—and if you want to be in on that action, you need to do far more than regard managers as a distant end-user of your services.
经理们掌控时间、金钱、人员和设备等资源。他们是行动的主导者（确立方向，任务和目标）， 如果你想要参与其中，仅把经理当做是你服务的终端用户的想法是不够的。
The idealistic motive comes from the convergence of your vocational ideals and values with theirs. Managers are responsible not only for the day-to-day running of the business, but also for improving the way work gets done. Like the best statisticians, the best managers want to help people succeed. They want to see process performance improve and data based approaches and scientific management really work. In realizing those goals for the organization, managers want to fulfill their personal goals.
理想主义的动机出自你与他们的职业理想和价值的整合。经理人们不仅负责着公司的日常商业经营，还有责任改善工作方法。和优秀的统计学家一样，优秀的经理人也很乐意帮助人们成功。过程行为的改善、数据的基本方法和实际工作中的科学管理方法都是他们很希望看到的。在实现组织目标的同时，经理人们也希望实现着他们各自的人生目标。
How do you create opportunities to work more closely with managers? Think marketing. Like a veteran marketer, you must first identify your customers and their needs. Where is the value you can add to make the most difference—in manufacturing, supply chain and distribution, or in a particular division, department or discipline? Which managers in the area you have identified possess the requisite resources and authority to bring you on to a project?
怎样创造与经理人更接近的工作机会呢？想想市场营销吧。假设你是一位资深的销售人员， 你首先要做的就是确定你的客户群以及他们的购买需求。在哪一环节（ 生产、供应链、分销或者部门或者采购倾向）加入附加值以形成最大差别？这些你已经确定的领域中，哪些掌权的经理人有必要的资源的权力让你参与到项目中来？
But before you propose to help, determine exactly what needs those managers and departments have in terms of critical issues and operational, financial and corporate objectives.
在提出帮助之前，务必要搞清楚这些经理人和他们的部门需要解决哪些关键问题和可操作的、财务方面的及共同的目标。
You can do this by interviewing managers about their goals and the challenges that keep them awake at night. Also, interview the managers' colleagues for their perspectives. This intelligence, combined with your knowledge of the company's objectives, should enable you to see a clear picture of the needs of potential partners.
通过交谈从经理人口中了解到他们的目标和让他们寝食难安的难题等不难做到这点。也可以和这些经理人的同事交谈获知他们的预期。有了这些信息，再结合你对这个公司的整体目标进行的了解，你应该会对这个潜在客户的需求有清晰的认识。
Once you understand a potential partner's needs, then you can (again, like a marketer) create your value proposition, which details the benefits you can deliver at what cost. In creating your value proposition, be sure you can deliver what you say you can. In fact, you should underpromise and overdeliver.
一旦了解了潜在客户的需求，你（还是把自己假象成销售人员）就能够架构自己的价值主张，用以详细描述你所能够提供的价格优势。在架构价值主张的时，要确保你所描述的一定属实。实际上，应该少说大话。
For example, based on your background in finance, you might realize your company is not getting the best possible return relative to the risk it is taking when investing in a particular portfolio. Rather than lecture people on the use of statistics, you are more likely to succeed if you develop an overall value proposition that quantifies the types of returns that should be possible, relative to the risk appetite of the business.
举个例子，基于金融方面的背景，你可能意识到你的公司最有可能获得的收益与正投资于一个特定领域所承担的风险不成正比。相对于指导使用统计工具的人们你更接近成功，还是开发一种针对投资风险回报的全面价值预估工具更容易取得成功。
Once you get people's attention with this high level analysis, you could then develop a more detailed business case—tailored to a specific manager—outlining a conservative estimate of the increased returns, level of effort and resources that would be required, and the general timeframe of implementation and financial return.
一旦抓住了人们这种高层次分析的需求， 你就能够推出更详尽的商业方案（针对特定的经理人），内容要包括：概述增加收益的保守估计、所需投入的精力和资源的水准，以及大致的执行和财务回报的时间表。
It would be most effective to couch this analysis and recommendations in the standard terminology and metrics of the business, such as return on investment. Simply put, the value proposition and business case enable the manager to decide whether your services are worth it.
用标准术语和商业数据来表达这一分析和建议应该是最有效的，比如投资收益。简单地说，价值方案和商业案例让经理人决定你的服务是否物有所值。
Working with managers
与经理人合作
Not all managers are alike. In seeking out managers to ally yourself with on proposals or projects, you will find at least four common types:
经理人的风格也是千差万别的。在寻找经理人加盟自己的方案或者项目时，你会发现至少四种常见类型：
1. Low-risk managers think small, avoid outside help to keep the budget down and avoid rocking the boat at all costs.
保守型经理人。思想狭隘，排斥外部援助来降低财政支出，并不会孤注一掷把所有预算都投在一个项目里。
2. The resisters come up with infinite reasons why your proposal won't work, always know a better way and don't really want help.
推脱型经理人，总是有说不完的理由来否认你的提案，有更好的主意但就是不愿提供帮助。
3. The do-it-yourselfers gladly accept all the help they can get and take all the credit they can.
随意型经理人，对所有的帮助欣然接受，对所有的收益来者不拒。
4. The collaborators want help, appreciate everyone's contribution and will challenge and reward you throughout the course of a project.
合作型经理人，愿意提供帮助，对每个人的贡献表示感谢，在整个项目过程中勇于挑战并激励你。
During your career, you will likely work with all four types at one time or another. It goes without saying that the collaborator is the most desirable type to work with. But even beyond the collegiality of the collaborator, the ideal manager will have some additional attributes:
在你的职业生涯中，上述四种类型的经理人你都会有可能接触到。不用说，合作型的经理人无疑是最理想的合作伙伴。但是除了乐于合作之外，理想的经理人还具备以下几点特点：
• A significant need for your help.
• 非常需要你的协助
• Adequate funding and a willingness to spend it.
• 有充分的资金并且愿意投入
• An appetite for leading change.
• 有主导变革的意愿
• A desire for a win-win relationship.
• 期待双赢的合作
In addition, the ideal manager will exhibit the qualities of loyalty, trustworthiness and high integrity that inspire everyone on the team.
除此之外，理想的经理人还会以自身极高的忠诚度、可靠性和高素质去感染团队中的每一个人。
Unfortunately, not all managers are ideal or even collaborative. Further, not only are all managers different, but they are also not equal—some have more power than others. Therefore, to find your way to the most beneficial alliance—for you and the organization—you should thoroughly understand where real power resides. Who are the movers and shakers with influence to command resources (including you) and to lead or initiate the kind of projects to which you can add value? Such knowledge of the real dynamics of the organization is power, but it also can mean making hard choices: working with a credit hogging do-it-yourselfer manager with real power versus a collaborator manager with little leverage in the organization. See the sidebar "Click With Managers," for tips on making your relationships with the managers succeed.
遗憾的是，不是所有经理人都是理想型，甚至都不是合作型的。而且，经理人之间不仅风格各异，其权力也不平等——一些人拥有比其他人更多的权力。然而，为了达到最有益的平衡（对你和组织来说），你应该透彻地了解到实权在谁的手中。谁是呼风唤雨者，其能掌握资源分配（包括你）并且主导或者启动你能为其增加价值的项目?对组织的实施动态的了解是很有用的，但同时也可能意味着艰难的抉择：到底是倾向于一个掌握实权的随意型经理人还是合作型但是权利较小一点的经理人呢？看看边上的“点击经理人”的标题栏，这是为让你与经理人的关系获得成功所作的提示。
Working with teams
与团队合作
Of course, most significant projects involve not just one-on-one relationships with managers, but also entail work with teams. If your role has been primarily consultative in the past, then working as an integral part of a team outside your department might be a relatively unfamiliar experience. Like work with managers, teamwork requires some skills beyond purely technical statistical ability.1, 2
当然，涉入大多数出色的项目不仅要处理好与经理人之间的直接关系，还要注意保持与整个团队的协作。如果你过去一直是处于顾问式角色，那么作为你所在部门之外的团队的不可分割得一个部分工作可能会是相对陌生的经历。正如与经理人合作一样，与团队合作同样也需要单纯统计技术之外的一些技能。
Your statistical expertise, however, is part of what got you on the team. You have the opportunity to help the team put statistical thinking to work and to make sure the team gets the maximum value from data and statistical techniques.3
你的统计知识知识你在团队中立足的一部分条件。你有机会帮助团队将统计思维用于工作，还可以确保团队从数据和统计技术上发掘出最大价值。
You should therefore promote a standard problem solving approach, such as define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) that systematically structures data-driven techniques.4 Simply resorting to data in an ad hoc fashion greatly the power of statistical methods and the value you can bring to the team. By contrast, frameworks like DMAIC enable the team to build successively on each stage of its work, use statistical methods to get at the root causes of problems and solve them once and for all.
你应该掌握一种标准的解决问题的方法，比如定义、度量、分析、改进和控制（DMAIC）——系统化地构建数据驱动技术，。简单的数据筛选这一特定方式会大大削弱统计方法的威力以及你能给团队打来的价值。相比之下，DMACI之类的框架使团队在的每一个阶段的工作成功地完成，并利用分析方法找出问题的根本原因，然后一劳永逸地解决问题。
During a project, there might be teachable moments. These times are when you can educate the group about precisely how statistical thinking can solve the problem at hand and similar problems that might arise in the future. But don't play the role of expert witness or use statistical jargon to intimidate or dominate other team members.
项目中可能还会出现教学活动。这正是你可以给团队伙伴们传授统计思想的时候，以帮助他们解决当前的和将来可能会出现的问题。 但是千万不要企图扮演专家证人的角色或者使用统计学术语恐吓或支配其他团队成员。
Remember, too, that you are trying to help the team find the best business solution, not the best statistical solution. Certainly, as the team's primary interpreter of data, you are in a position of power, but you should use that power responsibly and diplomatically.
还要记住，你正在帮团队找到最好的商务方案，而不是统计方案。当然，作为组内的主要数据解释人员，你是有权力的，但应当负责任地、委婉地使用权力。
Participation as an equal team member also requires additional skills.5-7 You will need an understanding of group dynamics and the ability to facilitate and manage team meetings. You should also be able to teach statistical principles to nonstatisticians in a way they can understand and put to practical use.
作为一名平等的组成员参与也需要很多其他技能的。你需要了解小组动态，要有能力去帮助和管理团队会议。你还应该能够用他们能够理解并且可以投入实际应用得方式为没有统计学基础的团队伙伴们讲授受统计原理。
You should possess general business understanding, especially of finance, as well as a specific understanding of your company's business: its markets, customers, strategic objectives and key success factors.
你应该掌握基本的商务理念，特别是财务方面的，也特别要对你公司的商务领域有特别透彻的了解：包括公司的市场、客户、战略目标和关键的成功因素。
As you acquire or exercise these skills and gain additional trust and authority from managers and teammates, look for opportunities to assume broader, more consequential roles, such as project or initiative leadership.
当你掌握或者熟悉这些技能并且得到了经理人和团队成员的信任和认可时，你就可以找机会去扮演更广泛、更重要的角色了，比如项目或者新计划的领导者。
In summary, successful collaboration with managers and teams results when you:
总之， 成功地与经理人和团队合作的结果，就是你能做到以下几点：
• Learn about the subject, issues and business of the client group.
• 充分研究该客户团队的主观想法、问题和具体经营等。
• Focus on helping people be successful by delivering results and positive financial impact for the organization.
• 着重体现项目的成果和对整体财务的积极影响以帮助团队成员实现成功。
• Provide the best business solution, which might not be the optimal statistical solution.
• 提供最有利于客户经营的方案，而非过分考虑统计的完美。
• Promote the scientific method and the effective use of the right data.
• 推广科学方法和对正确数据的高效使用。
• Move from a consulting mind-set to a collaborative, leadership mind-set.
• 冲破原有的咨询者的定势，具备合作、领导的思维。
Insofar as you put these principles to work, you will succeed in transforming yourself from a merely nice-to-have resource to a valuable must-have colleague, thought leader and change agent.
只要把以上几点融入工作中，你将成功地从可有可无的角色转型为团队中不可或缺的一员，或者思想领导者甚至变革决策者。
Click with managers
与经理人合拍
It is unlikely you will match well with every manager. Personal chemistry with a colleague is mysterious. Nevertheless, once you have made a compelling case for your participation in a project, there are some useful principles you can adopt to help the relationship with the manager succeed:
与每一位经理人都配合默契对你来说不太可能。同事间的相处是非常微妙的。但是，你一旦参与了一个项目，以下有几点可以用来帮助你与经理人的成功相处的有用准则：
The manager is the boss. In all likelihood, you sought out the manager, not the other way around. And even though you might have been included on a project because you proposed it or demonstrated how you could add value to an existing activity, that doesn't mean you are in charge. Even the most collegial managers will expect to call the shots, because they are ultimately held accountable for results.
经理人就是老板。在所有可能的情况下，你都必须要服从经理人，而不是经理人听从你。即使你参与的这个项目是因为其出自你的提案或者是你在现有的基础上增加了附加值，也并不意味着你可以主宰一切。就算再温和的经理人也希望掌握全局，因为他们才是项目结果的最终承担者。
Money is the language of management. You must be able to help translate process and operational improvements into financial results. What will shorter cycle times, the eradication of root causes of problems or a reduction in process variation mean in terms of faster speed to market, increased equipment uptime and higher productivity? And what will those improvements mean to the top or bottom lines?
金钱是管理语言。你必须有能力帮助把所有的过程和具体的改善都转化成财务结果。影响周期缩短的因素有哪些？消除问题的根本原因或者减少过程变异意味着更快的市场推广，增加设备正常运行的时间和提高生产效率？这些改善意味着上线或者下线呢？
Deliver useful results and information. Advertisers long ago figured out that consumers are interested in the benefits of a product, not its features, no matter how impressive. Similarly, managers don't care about the complexities or technicalities of your statistical analysis; they just want information they can use to be successful.
提交有用的结果和信息。广告人很早之前就知道：无论多么令人印象深刻，消费者更关注商品带来的益处而非其本身多有特色。同样的，经理人也不会在乎你的统计分析到底多么的复杂或者高技术含量， 他们只需可以用以帮组他们成功的信息。
Focus on their needs, not your brilliance. That means developing your skills clearly and concisely presenting statistical studies to managers.1
关注他们的需求，而不是炫耀你的才华。那就意味着开发你的技能以明确而简洁地给经理人提出统计研究。
Challenge, don't attack. Think of yourself as a thought leader who has a unique perspective. Adding that perspective might involve disagreeing with the manager, but do it dispassionately and in a spirit of mutual inquiry. Be especially on guard against trying to dominate or win by high-handedly invoking statistical arcana that only you understand.
挑战，但不要攻击。将自己假设成一个有独特视角的领导。加上这个观点可能遇到不同意见的经理人，但你需要冷静而且本着相互咨询的原则去做。特别注意不要去试着支配或者通过专横地调用那些仅仅只有你理解的统计奥秘来取胜。
Get to know the managers. Understand their issues and concerns and the unique pressures of their jobs. For example, senior managers have different needs than middle managers. They are typically more focused on business results and less on operational specifics.
去了解经理人。理解他们的问题和担忧，理解他们需要承担的独特工作压力。例如，高级经理人就有着不同于中级经理人的需求，他们通常更关注经营结果而具体的操作细节。
Middle managers have the toughest jobs of all. They must balance direction from above with the realities of getting the work done. Remember, too, that managers are complex people, and you should try to get to know them from those perspectives as well.
在经理人当中，中中级经理人承担着最繁重的工作。在工作的顺利完成过程中，他们必需要平衡好上述各个方面。还有，不要忘记，这类经理人也是复杂的，你也需要试着从各方面对他们进行了解。
Deliver bad news thoughtfully. Because of the predictive and analytical power of statistics, it often falls to the statistician to be the first to understand that something won't work or isn't working as planned. In delivering bad news, take care not to give the manager ammunition to shoot the messenger and ignore the message.
周虑地汇报坏消息。因为统计科学的预测性和分析能力，统计学家们往往是最先明白一些将要或者正在不按计划进行的事情。 在汇报这些坏消息时，要确保经理人接收到并且足够注意这些问题。
Always review your conclusions with the manager before presenting them to a wider audience. Be sure your conclusions are based on rock solid, clearly articulated analysis. Don't merely present the problem, but whenever possible offer a potential solution.
在公布任何结论之前必须交由经理人审核。要确保所作结论实事求是并且经过缜密的分析。 不要仅仅给出问题，而是在任何可能的时候都要给出潜在的解决方案。
Fulfill the opportunity. Focus on solutions and results, not on methods. The idea is to make a difference, not showcase a discipline. Always strive to deliver results in scope, on time and within budget.
抓住机会。要注重方案和结果而非方法。其思想就是要做出区别，而不是展示纪律。总是准时而且不超预算地在范围内完成任务。
Share the success story together. Join managers in publicizing the results of a successful project, inside and outside the organization. Invite managers to co-author articles and speak at meetings and conferences.
共同分享成功的经历。在发布一个成功项目的成果时，联合组织内部和外部的经理人。邀请经理人合著文章，在会议和研讨会中发言。
Help the manager succeed beyond the scope of the project. Little things mean a lot. For example, you can pass along articles and books relevant to the manager's needs and interests.
帮助经理人取得超越项目本身的成功。小举动可能有大成效。例如，你可以根据经理人的需求和喜好提供些文章、书籍等。
You can provide the manager with useful intelligence about your discipline and the organization. Big things mean even more: suggesting high-performing job candidates, performing above and beyond the call of duty, and identifying additional opportunities. —R.S., R.H. and A.P.
你可以为经理人提供你们关于纪律和组织方面的有用知识。大动作意味着更大的成效：举荐些能力出众的人才，做些超出你职责范围外的工作，争取额外机会。—R.S., R.H. and A.P.
本文由：zzzelva dhjulia 翻译 spear 校稿
In With the Right Crowd
与合适的人合作
Getting management on board to support statisticians' roles
同舟共济以管理支持统计学家的工作
著者：Ronald D. Snee, Roger W. Hoerl and Angela N. Patterson
First, the good news. The importance of statistics related to the way the world does business has never been greater:
首先, 来看优势的一方面。统计学对于世界万物运行的重要性无与伦比。
• Large-scale statistical training through improvement initiatives like Six Sigma has spread statistical thinking, and it has become common in fields such as finance and healthcare.
借助诸如六西格玛之类的改善措施，大规模的统计培训已经使统计思维得到传播，这种培训在财务、保健等领域已经得到了广泛的普及。
• Commercial statistical software puts the ability to do complex statistical calculations on the desktops of managers and executives who neither have nor need specialized statistical expertise.
商务统计软件为经理和主管们提供这样的能力：他们既不必掌握也不需专业统计工具也可以在自己的电脑上进行繁杂的统计计算了。
• About half a million students each year take a general introductory statistics course in college in the United States.
• 在美国，每年有大约五十万的大学生开始接触到一些统计学入门知识。
• The web puts vast storehouses of statistical information at everyone's fingertips.
互联网让人们对统计信息的巨大知识宝库触手可及。
Now, the bad news: The statistician and quality professional might become the proverbial middle men who get cut out by these advances.
而劣势的一面是：统计学家和质量专家脱离了这些工具后或许会变成我们常说的中间人。
Consider the plight of travel agents. When was the last time you booked an airline ticket or hotel reservation through a living, breathing travel agent? Why should you when it's easier and cheaper to do it yourself using powerful web based programs that can instantly scour the universe for the best deals? Using the business term for "cutting out the middle man," travel agents have been "disintermediated."
想想旅行社代理人的困境吧。还记得你上一次从一个活生生的旅行社代理人手中订购机票或旅馆是多久之前的事情么？既然你自己借助强大的搜索系统都能轻易且廉价地搜罗到最优惠的折扣，那又何乐而不为呢? 这样，作为中间人的旅行社代理人就被“取消中间”了，用一句专业术语来讲，就是被“踹掉中间商”。
Statisticians run a similar risk unless they find a way to break out of their traditional roles. During the past 40 years, much of the work done in corporate statistics groups can be described in two ways:
除非能够有办法改变他们传统的角色，统计学家们也同样要面临类似的处境。过去的四十年间，综合统计小组所完成的很多工作大致可用以下两点来概括：
1. Performing technical tasks, such as analyzing data and designing experiments at the request of someone directing a project.
- 执行技术性任务， 例如按照项目负责人的要求分析数据或者设计实验。
2. Advising others how to attack a statistical problem.
- 指导他人解决统计问题。
These types of activities have typically been referred to as statistical consulting. In the days before all of the good news, this role of enabler made sense. Corporate statistics organizations grew comfortable in this role, "owning" the organization's statistical methods. As a result, statisticians came to be viewed as narrow specialists, such as accountants or lawyers, and as passive consultants rather than equal members of business teams.
此类相关的活动通常被称作为统计咨询。在上述所有优势得以发挥之前的时间里，专业统计咨询这一角色的执行者非常重要。综合统计组织因“拥有”组织的统计方法而在这个角色中占尽优势。结果是，统计学家们被当作其所属的狭小领域的专家，就像会计师、律师和被动的咨询顾问， 而不是商业团体中平等成员。
It's a precarious position. You can no longer own statistics when anyone with a computer can download and use statistical software. Further, narrow technical tasks can easily be moved to low-cost countries, and many cost-conscious businesses are asking why their people can't analyze data themselves.
专业统计学的境况日益堪忧。在通过电脑就可以下载和使用统计软件的今天，人们就没没那么必要拥有统计学知识了。 而且，技术要求不高的一些工作可以轻松转到成本低的国家，很多成本意识强的公司也在思考：为何不能由他们自己的员工来完成必要数据分析。
As demand for statisticians' traditional services dries up, statisticians must move from the role of passive consultant to active colleague. In other words, they must do what travel agents have so far failed to do: find a way to add significant value in the face of developments that have made their traditional services widely available for free.
随着对统计学家的传统服务的需求日益萎缩，统计学家们不得不抛弃被动的咨询顾问策略，改为主动出击的策略。换句话说，统计学家必须做旅行社迄今未能做成的事情：找出一种增加独特商业价值的方法，来应对传统服务已可广泛免费获取的局面。
The world of statisticians and quality professionals / Figure 1
附图一： 统计学家和质量专家主导的世界
Figure 1
Think marketing
思维营销
There are two compelling reasons for statisticians to become active partners, particularly with managers. One of those reasons is opportunistic and the other idealistic. When the infamous bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he said. "Because that's where the money is."
有两个原因迫使统计学家们特别是与经理人之间主动合作。一个是从机会主义，另一个是现实主义。当被问及为什么抢劫银行时，臭名昭著的银行抢匪威尔萨顿说：“因为那是放钱的地方”。
Managers control the resources of time, money, personnel and equipment. They are where the action is—setting direction, goals and objectives—and if you want to be in on that action, you need to do far more than regard managers as a distant end-user of your services.
经理们掌控时间、金钱、人员和设备等资源。他们是行动的主导者（确立方向，任务和目标）， 如果你想要参与其中，仅把经理当做是你服务的终端用户的想法是不够的。
The idealistic motive comes from the convergence of your vocational ideals and values with theirs. Managers are responsible not only for the day-to-day running of the business, but also for improving the way work gets done. Like the best statisticians, the best managers want to help people succeed. They want to see process performance improve and data based approaches and scientific management really work. In realizing those goals for the organization, managers want to fulfill their personal goals.
理想主义的动机出自你与他们的职业理想和价值的整合。经理人们不仅负责着公司的日常商业经营，还有责任改善工作方法。和优秀的统计学家一样，优秀的经理人也很乐意帮助人们成功。过程行为的改善、数据的基本方法和实际工作中的科学管理方法都是他们很希望看到的。在实现组织目标的同时，经理人们也希望实现着他们各自的人生目标。
How do you create opportunities to work more closely with managers? Think marketing. Like a veteran marketer, you must first identify your customers and their needs. Where is the value you can add to make the most difference—in manufacturing, supply chain and distribution, or in a particular division, department or discipline? Which managers in the area you have identified possess the requisite resources and authority to bring you on to a project?
怎样创造与经理人更接近的工作机会呢？想想市场营销吧。假设你是一位资深的销售人员， 你首先要做的就是确定你的客户群以及他们的购买需求。在哪一环节（ 生产、供应链、分销或者部门或者采购倾向）加入附加值以形成最大差别？这些你已经确定的领域中，哪些掌权的经理人有必要的资源的权力让你参与到项目中来？
But before you propose to help, determine exactly what needs those managers and departments have in terms of critical issues and operational, financial and corporate objectives.
在提出帮助之前，务必要搞清楚这些经理人和他们的部门需要解决哪些关键问题和可操作的、财务方面的及共同的目标。
You can do this by interviewing managers about their goals and the challenges that keep them awake at night. Also, interview the managers' colleagues for their perspectives. This intelligence, combined with your knowledge of the company's objectives, should enable you to see a clear picture of the needs of potential partners.
通过交谈从经理人口中了解到他们的目标和让他们寝食难安的难题等不难做到这点。也可以和这些经理人的同事交谈获知他们的预期。有了这些信息，再结合你对这个公司的整体目标进行的了解，你应该会对这个潜在客户的需求有清晰的认识。
Once you understand a potential partner's needs, then you can (again, like a marketer) create your value proposition, which details the benefits you can deliver at what cost. In creating your value proposition, be sure you can deliver what you say you can. In fact, you should underpromise and overdeliver.
一旦了解了潜在客户的需求，你（还是把自己假象成销售人员）就能够架构自己的价值主张，用以详细描述你所能够提供的价格优势。在架构价值主张的时，要确保你所描述的一定属实。实际上，应该少说大话。
For example, based on your background in finance, you might realize your company is not getting the best possible return relative to the risk it is taking when investing in a particular portfolio. Rather than lecture people on the use of statistics, you are more likely to succeed if you develop an overall value proposition that quantifies the types of returns that should be possible, relative to the risk appetite of the business.
举个例子，基于金融方面的背景，你可能意识到你的公司最有可能获得的收益与正投资于一个特定领域所承担的风险不成正比。相对于指导使用统计工具的人们你更接近成功，还是开发一种针对投资风险回报的全面价值预估工具更容易取得成功。
Once you get people's attention with this high level analysis, you could then develop a more detailed business case—tailored to a specific manager—outlining a conservative estimate of the increased returns, level of effort and resources that would be required, and the general timeframe of implementation and financial return.
一旦抓住了人们这种高层次分析的需求， 你就能够推出更详尽的商业方案（针对特定的经理人），内容要包括：概述增加收益的保守估计、所需投入的精力和资源的水准，以及大致的执行和财务回报的时间表。
It would be most effective to couch this analysis and recommendations in the standard terminology and metrics of the business, such as return on investment. Simply put, the value proposition and business case enable the manager to decide whether your services are worth it.
用标准术语和商业数据来表达这一分析和建议应该是最有效的，比如投资收益。简单地说，价值方案和商业案例让经理人决定你的服务是否物有所值。
Working with managers
与经理人合作
Not all managers are alike. In seeking out managers to ally yourself with on proposals or projects, you will find at least four common types:
经理人的风格也是千差万别的。在寻找经理人加盟自己的方案或者项目时，你会发现至少四种常见类型：
1. Low-risk managers think small, avoid outside help to keep the budget down and avoid rocking the boat at all costs.
保守型经理人。思想狭隘，排斥外部援助来降低财政支出，并不会孤注一掷把所有预算都投在一个项目里。
2. The resisters come up with infinite reasons why your proposal won't work, always know a better way and don't really want help.
推脱型经理人，总是有说不完的理由来否认你的提案，有更好的主意但就是不愿提供帮助。
3. The do-it-yourselfers gladly accept all the help they can get and take all the credit they can.
随意型经理人，对所有的帮助欣然接受，对所有的收益来者不拒。
4. The collaborators want help, appreciate everyone's contribution and will challenge and reward you throughout the course of a project.
合作型经理人，愿意提供帮助，对每个人的贡献表示感谢，在整个项目过程中勇于挑战并激励你。
During your career, you will likely work with all four types at one time or another. It goes without saying that the collaborator is the most desirable type to work with. But even beyond the collegiality of the collaborator, the ideal manager will have some additional attributes:
在你的职业生涯中，上述四种类型的经理人你都会有可能接触到。不用说，合作型的经理人无疑是最理想的合作伙伴。但是除了乐于合作之外，理想的经理人还具备以下几点特点：
• A significant need for your help.
• 非常需要你的协助
• Adequate funding and a willingness to spend it.
• 有充分的资金并且愿意投入
• An appetite for leading change.
• 有主导变革的意愿
• A desire for a win-win relationship.
• 期待双赢的合作
In addition, the ideal manager will exhibit the qualities of loyalty, trustworthiness and high integrity that inspire everyone on the team.
除此之外，理想的经理人还会以自身极高的忠诚度、可靠性和高素质去感染团队中的每一个人。
Unfortunately, not all managers are ideal or even collaborative. Further, not only are all managers different, but they are also not equal—some have more power than others. Therefore, to find your way to the most beneficial alliance—for you and the organization—you should thoroughly understand where real power resides. Who are the movers and shakers with influence to command resources (including you) and to lead or initiate the kind of projects to which you can add value? Such knowledge of the real dynamics of the organization is power, but it also can mean making hard choices: working with a credit hogging do-it-yourselfer manager with real power versus a collaborator manager with little leverage in the organization. See the sidebar "Click With Managers," for tips on making your relationships with the managers succeed.
遗憾的是，不是所有经理人都是理想型，甚至都不是合作型的。而且，经理人之间不仅风格各异，其权力也不平等——一些人拥有比其他人更多的权力。然而，为了达到最有益的平衡（对你和组织来说），你应该透彻地了解到实权在谁的手中。谁是呼风唤雨者，其能掌握资源分配（包括你）并且主导或者启动你能为其增加价值的项目?对组织的实施动态的了解是很有用的，但同时也可能意味着艰难的抉择：到底是倾向于一个掌握实权的随意型经理人还是合作型但是权利较小一点的经理人呢？看看边上的“点击经理人”的标题栏，这是为让你与经理人的关系获得成功所作的提示。
Working with teams
与团队合作
Of course, most significant projects involve not just one-on-one relationships with managers, but also entail work with teams. If your role has been primarily consultative in the past, then working as an integral part of a team outside your department might be a relatively unfamiliar experience. Like work with managers, teamwork requires some skills beyond purely technical statistical ability.1, 2
当然，涉入大多数出色的项目不仅要处理好与经理人之间的直接关系，还要注意保持与整个团队的协作。如果你过去一直是处于顾问式角色，那么作为你所在部门之外的团队的不可分割得一个部分工作可能会是相对陌生的经历。正如与经理人合作一样，与团队合作同样也需要单纯统计技术之外的一些技能。
Your statistical expertise, however, is part of what got you on the team. You have the opportunity to help the team put statistical thinking to work and to make sure the team gets the maximum value from data and statistical techniques.3
你的统计知识知识你在团队中立足的一部分条件。你有机会帮助团队将统计思维用于工作，还可以确保团队从数据和统计技术上发掘出最大价值。
You should therefore promote a standard problem solving approach, such as define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) that systematically structures data-driven techniques.4 Simply resorting to data in an ad hoc fashion greatly the power of statistical methods and the value you can bring to the team. By contrast, frameworks like DMAIC enable the team to build successively on each stage of its work, use statistical methods to get at the root causes of problems and solve them once and for all.
你应该掌握一种标准的解决问题的方法，比如定义、度量、分析、改进和控制（DMAIC）——系统化地构建数据驱动技术，。简单的数据筛选这一特定方式会大大削弱统计方法的威力以及你能给团队打来的价值。相比之下，DMACI之类的框架使团队在的每一个阶段的工作成功地完成，并利用分析方法找出问题的根本原因，然后一劳永逸地解决问题。
During a project, there might be teachable moments. These times are when you can educate the group about precisely how statistical thinking can solve the problem at hand and similar problems that might arise in the future. But don't play the role of expert witness or use statistical jargon to intimidate or dominate other team members.
项目中可能还会出现教学活动。这正是你可以给团队伙伴们传授统计思想的时候，以帮助他们解决当前的和将来可能会出现的问题。 但是千万不要企图扮演专家证人的角色或者使用统计学术语恐吓或支配其他团队成员。
Remember, too, that you are trying to help the team find the best business solution, not the best statistical solution. Certainly, as the team's primary interpreter of data, you are in a position of power, but you should use that power responsibly and diplomatically.
还要记住，你正在帮团队找到最好的商务方案，而不是统计方案。当然，作为组内的主要数据解释人员，你是有权力的，但应当负责任地、委婉地使用权力。
Participation as an equal team member also requires additional skills.5-7 You will need an understanding of group dynamics and the ability to facilitate and manage team meetings. You should also be able to teach statistical principles to nonstatisticians in a way they can understand and put to practical use.
作为一名平等的组成员参与也需要很多其他技能的。你需要了解小组动态，要有能力去帮助和管理团队会议。你还应该能够用他们能够理解并且可以投入实际应用得方式为没有统计学基础的团队伙伴们讲授受统计原理。
You should possess general business understanding, especially of finance, as well as a specific understanding of your company's business: its markets, customers, strategic objectives and key success factors.
你应该掌握基本的商务理念，特别是财务方面的，也特别要对你公司的商务领域有特别透彻的了解：包括公司的市场、客户、战略目标和关键的成功因素。
As you acquire or exercise these skills and gain additional trust and authority from managers and teammates, look for opportunities to assume broader, more consequential roles, such as project or initiative leadership.
当你掌握或者熟悉这些技能并且得到了经理人和团队成员的信任和认可时，你就可以找机会去扮演更广泛、更重要的角色了，比如项目或者新计划的领导者。
In summary, successful collaboration with managers and teams results when you:
总之， 成功地与经理人和团队合作的结果，就是你能做到以下几点：
• Learn about the subject, issues and business of the client group.
• 充分研究该客户团队的主观想法、问题和具体经营等。
• Focus on helping people be successful by delivering results and positive financial impact for the organization.
• 着重体现项目的成果和对整体财务的积极影响以帮助团队成员实现成功。
• Provide the best business solution, which might not be the optimal statistical solution.
• 提供最有利于客户经营的方案，而非过分考虑统计的完美。
• Promote the scientific method and the effective use of the right data.
• 推广科学方法和对正确数据的高效使用。
• Move from a consulting mind-set to a collaborative, leadership mind-set.
• 冲破原有的咨询者的定势，具备合作、领导的思维。
Insofar as you put these principles to work, you will succeed in transforming yourself from a merely nice-to-have resource to a valuable must-have colleague, thought leader and change agent.
只要把以上几点融入工作中，你将成功地从可有可无的角色转型为团队中不可或缺的一员，或者思想领导者甚至变革决策者。
Click with managers
与经理人合拍
It is unlikely you will match well with every manager. Personal chemistry with a colleague is mysterious. Nevertheless, once you have made a compelling case for your participation in a project, there are some useful principles you can adopt to help the relationship with the manager succeed:
与每一位经理人都配合默契对你来说不太可能。同事间的相处是非常微妙的。但是，你一旦参与了一个项目，以下有几点可以用来帮助你与经理人的成功相处的有用准则：
The manager is the boss. In all likelihood, you sought out the manager, not the other way around. And even though you might have been included on a project because you proposed it or demonstrated how you could add value to an existing activity, that doesn't mean you are in charge. Even the most collegial managers will expect to call the shots, because they are ultimately held accountable for results.
经理人就是老板。在所有可能的情况下，你都必须要服从经理人，而不是经理人听从你。即使你参与的这个项目是因为其出自你的提案或者是你在现有的基础上增加了附加值，也并不意味着你可以主宰一切。就算再温和的经理人也希望掌握全局，因为他们才是项目结果的最终承担者。
Money is the language of management. You must be able to help translate process and operational improvements into financial results. What will shorter cycle times, the eradication of root causes of problems or a reduction in process variation mean in terms of faster speed to market, increased equipment uptime and higher productivity? And what will those improvements mean to the top or bottom lines?
金钱是管理语言。你必须有能力帮助把所有的过程和具体的改善都转化成财务结果。影响周期缩短的因素有哪些？消除问题的根本原因或者减少过程变异意味着更快的市场推广，增加设备正常运行的时间和提高生产效率？这些改善意味着上线或者下线呢？
Deliver useful results and information. Advertisers long ago figured out that consumers are interested in the benefits of a product, not its features, no matter how impressive. Similarly, managers don't care about the complexities or technicalities of your statistical analysis; they just want information they can use to be successful.
提交有用的结果和信息。广告人很早之前就知道：无论多么令人印象深刻，消费者更关注商品带来的益处而非其本身多有特色。同样的，经理人也不会在乎你的统计分析到底多么的复杂或者高技术含量， 他们只需可以用以帮组他们成功的信息。
Focus on their needs, not your brilliance. That means developing your skills clearly and concisely presenting statistical studies to managers.1
关注他们的需求，而不是炫耀你的才华。那就意味着开发你的技能以明确而简洁地给经理人提出统计研究。
Challenge, don't attack. Think of yourself as a thought leader who has a unique perspective. Adding that perspective might involve disagreeing with the manager, but do it dispassionately and in a spirit of mutual inquiry. Be especially on guard against trying to dominate or win by high-handedly invoking statistical arcana that only you understand.
挑战，但不要攻击。将自己假设成一个有独特视角的领导。加上这个观点可能遇到不同意见的经理人，但你需要冷静而且本着相互咨询的原则去做。特别注意不要去试着支配或者通过专横地调用那些仅仅只有你理解的统计奥秘来取胜。
Get to know the managers. Understand their issues and concerns and the unique pressures of their jobs. For example, senior managers have different needs than middle managers. They are typically more focused on business results and less on operational specifics.
去了解经理人。理解他们的问题和担忧，理解他们需要承担的独特工作压力。例如，高级经理人就有着不同于中级经理人的需求，他们通常更关注经营结果而具体的操作细节。
Middle managers have the toughest jobs of all. They must balance direction from above with the realities of getting the work done. Remember, too, that managers are complex people, and you should try to get to know them from those perspectives as well.
在经理人当中，中中级经理人承担着最繁重的工作。在工作的顺利完成过程中，他们必需要平衡好上述各个方面。还有，不要忘记，这类经理人也是复杂的，你也需要试着从各方面对他们进行了解。
Deliver bad news thoughtfully. Because of the predictive and analytical power of statistics, it often falls to the statistician to be the first to understand that something won't work or isn't working as planned. In delivering bad news, take care not to give the manager ammunition to shoot the messenger and ignore the message.
周虑地汇报坏消息。因为统计科学的预测性和分析能力，统计学家们往往是最先明白一些将要或者正在不按计划进行的事情。 在汇报这些坏消息时，要确保经理人接收到并且足够注意这些问题。
Always review your conclusions with the manager before presenting them to a wider audience. Be sure your conclusions are based on rock solid, clearly articulated analysis. Don't merely present the problem, but whenever possible offer a potential solution.
在公布任何结论之前必须交由经理人审核。要确保所作结论实事求是并且经过缜密的分析。 不要仅仅给出问题，而是在任何可能的时候都要给出潜在的解决方案。
Fulfill the opportunity. Focus on solutions and results, not on methods. The idea is to make a difference, not showcase a discipline. Always strive to deliver results in scope, on time and within budget.
抓住机会。要注重方案和结果而非方法。其思想就是要做出区别，而不是展示纪律。总是准时而且不超预算地在范围内完成任务。
Share the success story together. Join managers in publicizing the results of a successful project, inside and outside the organization. Invite managers to co-author articles and speak at meetings and conferences.
共同分享成功的经历。在发布一个成功项目的成果时，联合组织内部和外部的经理人。邀请经理人合著文章，在会议和研讨会中发言。
Help the manager succeed beyond the scope of the project. Little things mean a lot. For example, you can pass along articles and books relevant to the manager's needs and interests.
帮助经理人取得超越项目本身的成功。小举动可能有大成效。例如，你可以根据经理人的需求和喜好提供些文章、书籍等。
You can provide the manager with useful intelligence about your discipline and the organization. Big things mean even more: suggesting high-performing job candidates, performing above and beyond the call of duty, and identifying additional opportunities. —R.S., R.H. and A.P.
你可以为经理人提供你们关于纪律和组织方面的有用知识。大动作意味着更大的成效：举荐些能力出众的人才，做些超出你职责范围外的工作，争取额外机会。—R.S., R.H. and A.P.
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