Jonathan Leahey, May 21, 2011

Get On or be Left Behind! The metaphor of "being on the bus" may sound overused, made famous by Jim Collins and perhaps not applicable to you. We have no intention to insult the seriousness of Quality, but we find merit in our thematic approach to this site.

We want to inject some fun into arid topics surrounding our profession. Some inspiration comes from Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters.

The greatest road trip in American history took place by bus in 1964. Kesey and his colleagues started a new movement as a way to explore this country in a carefree manner. The passengers on the trip embraced a laisser-faire attitude, posing a problem for Kesey. When the bus needed to stop, some of the Merry Pranksters would wander off. So, Kesey would just abandon the lost souls.

Kesey defined his action this way: "You're either on the bus or off the bus." This phrase came to have significant meaning beyond the trip. The Merry Pranksters were into group consciousness while respecting individual differences. This allowed them to work as an effective group. Those who were "well attuned" were accepted and those who weren't were labeled "off the bus." Kinda groovy, yes?

We see a common vision in everyone's goal to embrace continuous improvement as a guiding principle in business-that's our "bus." While there will be debates over one methodology over another, the intent is the same.

• Rules of Queensberry, March 12 2011.