:nope: Does anyone have any advice as to how to get top management's support on implementing TS-16949 documentation?!

The CEO and all Division Managers and myself had a meeting back in June to formalize a due date for completion of THEIR documentation for our quality manual (operating instructions, work instructions, forms etc). Here it is now August and I still can't get anything from them! Either they're too busy or just don't seem to care that our certification for QS-9000 expires on August 18th!

I'm at the end of my rope and any advice would be greatly appreciated. :bonk:

http://elsmar.com/Forums/images/smilies/no.gif Does anyone have any advice as to how to get top management's support on implementing TS-16949 documentation?!

The CEO and all Division Managers and myself had a meeting back in June to formalize a due date for completion of THEIR documentation for our quality manual (operating instructions, work instructions, forms etc). Here it is now August and I still can't get anything from them! Either they're too busy or just don't seem to care that our certification for QS-9000 expires on August 18th!

I'm at the end of my rope and any advice would be greatly appreciated. http://elsmar.com/Forums/images/smilies/bonk.gif
If you can't proceed until someone else does something, make sure you put what needs to be done in writing, send it to them (everyone affected), and tell them that your registration expires next week. Then go do something else.

Yep, email with a return receipt if possible.

OR, you could do it for them and ask them to approve. Depends on their commitment and yours. I done it a couple times. At least you know it's done right and will be acceptable. Just my 2 cents FWIW

I don't know what your workload is like, but sometimes the hold up is that the managers don't know how to get started.

Try scheduling meetings with each key group that owes you something and guide them through the getting started process. I'm assuming that because you are QS certified that you aren't starting from scratch with documentation, but just need to tweak it. A department Gap Analysis might be a helpful tool to get them going, if that hasn't been done already.

Be sure at the end of the meeting you have an action plan with what needs to be done, who is responsible for doing it, and a due date. Then be persistant about following up on the due dates.

The only other thing you can do is to schedule your TS audit and use the resulting corrective actions to drive management forward. Do they clearly understand what's at stake if they don't stay certified?

Hey KIDDO! I feel your pain. In fact I'm feeling it right now, the follow up to our stage 2 assessment (To Verify Corrective Actions) is Friday Aug. 12. It's been made clear to me that the auditors better not have to come back. It was also made clear to me that MYcorrective actions better be effective. Thats pretty funny since non of the NCRs were written against things for which I am directly responsible. Wait now thats not entirely true since I had to write the documentation the week before stage one for the very same reason you may have to. Action Plans with responsibilities, Time lines with clear ownership and endless presistance only served to use up what little time I was actully given to implement our TS system. I'm afraid if the culture at your plant is the same as here, you will be doing it all yourself. Joe Bramsky: (GM Quality Guy) wrote a great artical on this very thing called "Caught in the middle" If I can find it, I'll attach it.
All I can say is good luck:
If you need anything specific, I would be glad to help

:nope: Does anyone have any advice as to how to get top management's support on implementing TS-16949 documentation?!

The CEO and all Division Managers and myself had a meeting back in June to formalize a due date for completion of THEIR documentation for our quality manual (operating instructions, work instructions, forms etc). Here it is now August and I still can't get anything from them! Either they're too busy or just don't seem to care that our certification for QS-9000 expires on August 18th!

I'm at the end of my rope and any advice would be greatly appreciated. :bonk:

Hey Kiddo, (Welcome to the Cove)

I had the same problem recently. I wrote a Quality Business plan 2 years ago and none of it was implemented. My area was reduced from 3 people to one yet I still had to do all of the documentation and audits etc. The audits and everything fell behind so this time when the registrar came around I just told him what was happening (No Audits etc) and he gave us a few NCs and a please fix in 3 mths letter. The GM soon found a new fondness for quality when he thought he was going to lose his certification. They have now adopted everything in the Business plan and have started implementing it. They have given me 4 new auditors and established a Quality Steering Committee. It was a large gamble but my registrar told them (and had proof - stacks of memos and action plans) that I had been warning them for years that it would come to this. They love quality now so much so that they are trying to get me back from my new role in Logistics. (fat chance)

Hey KIDDO! I feel your pain. In fact I'm feeling it right now, the follow up to our stage 2 assessment (To Verify Corrective Actions) is Friday Aug. 12. It's been made clear to me that the auditors better not have to come back. It was also made clear to me that MYcorrective actions better be effective. Thats pretty funny since non of the NCRs were written against things for which I am directly responsible. Wait now thats not entirely true since I had to write the documentation the week before stage one for the very same reason you may have to. Action Plans with responsibilities, Time lines with clear ownership and endless presistance only served to use up what little time I was actully given to implement our TS system. I'm afraid if the culture at your plant is the same as here, you will be doing it all yourself. Joe Bramsky: (GM Quality Guy) wrote a great artical on this very thing called "Caught in the middle" If I can find it, I'll attach it.
All I can say is good luck:
If you need anything specific, I would be glad to help

Yes, i think the culture here is the same as what is at your plant. Unfortunately our Quality Manager, who is also the Lead Auditor, is the worse. Doesn't set a very good example for the rest of the Managers. I would like to be able to do this stuff myself but I'm new to this! If you do find the article, I would be interested in reading it. :frust:

Thanks for the response!

I don't know what your workload is like, but sometimes the hold up is that the managers don't know how to get started.

Try scheduling meetings with each key group that owes you something and guide them through the getting started process. I'm assuming that because you are QS certified that you aren't starting from scratch with documentation, but just need to tweak it. A department Gap Analysis might be a helpful tool to get them going, if that hasn't been done already.

Be sure at the end of the meeting you have an action plan with what needs to be done, who is responsible for doing it, and a due date. Then be persistant about following up on the due dates.

The only other thing you can do is to schedule your TS audit and use the resulting corrective actions to drive management forward. Do they clearly understand what's at stake if they don't stay certified?

Rosie;

Been there and done that too but emails and plans have been put on the bottom of their piles on their desks! As far as understanding what's at stake, who knows?! Unless they know something that I don't (customer gave a "grace" period) then I dont' know. What's the worse case scenario for an expired certificate (from QS-9000)? :mg:

It's tough to be stuck in the middle trying to make things happen. If you aren't getting support from the QA Manager, then I don't think your prospects are great for resolving this. He/she needs to be the lead person.

If it were me, I would communicate with the top management team one more time that their certificate expires shortly. Outline the consequences, if you know them. Like: which customers mandate the certification, how much business does that represent to your company, and what happens to customer trust if you conceal this. We, in The Cove, know that the true value of quality management systems goes way beyond lost business, but top management needs to know the bottom line impact and the customer business they stand to lose.

A good book about being in the middle is "Getting Things Done When You're Not in Charge" by Geoffrey Bellman. While this book dates from the early 90s, but my husband just attented a class on this topic at our local community college and they used this book as the guide, so I think it's still good info. It helped me back in the day.

Good luck...keep us posted on what happens.

to answer your original question, "how to get top management support", THERE IS NONE UNLESS THERE IS A GUN (audit) TO ITS HEAD....(and this would be a very short term support until the gun disappears).......sad but true. :(

Been there. I'm actually there right now. Only advice I can offer is what people have already said: CYB (cover your butt). Make sure you have proof (emails, letters, etc) that the people involved were informed so when the hammer falls you can redirect it. Sometimes it's just too late to do anything but that.

Been there. I'm actually there right now. Only advice I can offer is what people have already said: CYB (cover your butt). Make sure you have proof (emails, letters, etc) that the people involved were informed so when the hammer falls you can redirect it. Sometimes it's just too late to do anything but that.

Don't forget..you can always send out resumes on the internet :)

Don't forget..you can always send out resumes on the internet :)

;) Started that yesterday! After being here 10 years, I just can't see me fighting with management for the next 10 :bonk: Something has to give..

They only way I have found to get top brass to pay attention is to put a price tag on it! I know we had at least 14 customers send us reminders that they would no longer accept QS to be on their ASL. I put some sale figures to each customer and gave them a very conservatve 10% estimate (loss of 10% of revenue). I didn't try to tell them that we would lose all business but by showing the $$$ was enough. I did not have the last minute issues you are having.

I agree that most don't know where to start and even if there are just minor changes to existing processes, those can be even harder.

What I suggest, above the CYOA and dusting off the resume, I would get the dept heads or supervisors together and make the adjustments. Give it to the approval authorities and run with it.

Don't forget the Quality Systems Managers motto - It's easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission.

Take note that if the current registration expires prior to transitioning to another standard....you WILL have to do the whole ball of wax as if you've never been registered AND all the initial fees apply!!! YEEOUCH!
It is extremely costly to let a registration expire. Shouldn't that be a fire-starter?

Another thing that worked for me was to sit down and get their processes out of their heads and onto paper - write for them but in their words while ensuring the requirements are met. I do this a lot and I am greatly respected for it. This way, it is still their process and they remember and follow it with minor revisions found during internal audits.

Good luck!