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View Full Version : How to Improve the Quality Culture in a Company


quality.shesha
11th February 2009, 06:06 AM
Hi,

Just wanted to know, what are the different methods you all had used OR are using to improve the Quality Culture in a organisation , mean to say to change the mindset of the people in a organisation towards implementation of process and Quality related stuff.

Thanks & Rgds, Shesha

Stijloor
11th February 2009, 06:44 AM
Hi,

Just wanted to know, what are the different methods you all had used OR are using to improve the Quality Culture in a organisation , mean to say to change the mindset of the people in a organisation towards implementation of process and Quality related stuff.

Thanks & Rgds, Shesha

Shesha,

There are many great methods. If you search The Cove Forums, you'll find lots of them. However, none of these methods will work very well, unless Top Management takes the lead by showing their unwavering support and active involvement before, during and after implementation. But you knew this already, right? ;)

Stijloor.

quality.shesha
11th February 2009, 06:54 AM
Thanks Stijloor!

A few tags please???
You were right in telling that, I know without the top management support nothing is possible.;)
Our org has gone thru AS9100, CMMi and other audits and have achieved them, however due to tremendously increasing customer and their demands, it is becoming day by day difficult to handle them with the same mindset. Out of box thing is needed and a different approach as well.
So planning to drive some intiatives to change the mindset of people and drive-in a culture of Quality.

Jennifer Kirley
11th February 2009, 07:06 AM
Thanks Stijloor!

A few tags please???
You were right in telling that, I know without the top management support nothing is possible.;)
Our org has gone thru AS9100, CMMi and other audits and have achieved them, however due to tremendously increasing customer and their demands, it is becoming day by day difficult to handle them with the same mindset. Out of box thing is needed and a different approach as well.
So planning to drive some intiatives to change the mindset of people and drive-in a culture of Quality.Look at the bottom of this screen and you will see related threads you can look through right now.

Bob Bonville
11th February 2009, 01:30 PM
shesha, Stigloor stated the key, it must be a tops down initiative. More over it must be "continuous and sincere" in order to truely attempt to change the overall culture.

I have personally been involved with company leaders and owners that clearly didn't get it! and wouldn't put forth the effort and commit to changing the culture. In those cases I chose not to support them because it was an effort in futility.

It's like the classic example of the difference between commitment and involvement. When looking at a plate of bacon and eggs, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.

Bob

Jennifer Kirley
11th February 2009, 02:46 PM
It's like the classic example of the difference between commitment and involvement. When looking at a plate of bacon and eggs, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.

BobThat was the most succinct metaphor I have seen for this application - ever! :applause:

DanteCaspian
11th February 2009, 05:57 PM
There are a number of good texts on this very thing. Many that I am familiar with revolve around the realm of lean, but weather your quality quest involves lean methodologies or not, I find the lean gurus, both Japanese and American have great insight on this.

Going back to the roots of Juran, Deming and Crosby, comprehending there style of communication can help.

The basic elements of physiology and human behavior are important to understand.

Charisma, ability to inspire/win hearts and mind, experience and creative thinking will take you the rest of the way. Oh and prayer... I resort to that mostly these days.

Jennifer Kirley
11th February 2009, 06:17 PM
What you are describing is sometimes called a sea change, and can take a long time. It's a cultural shift that must take place starting at the very top. If top management doesn't "walk the talk," then the quality culture is actually more like craftsmanship - the individuals or teams taking pride in doing their work well.

Dr. W. Edwards Deming lived to an old age and turned rather bitter trying to get top management to understand that improving quality culture is a result of their own metamorphoses, and not a project.

Top management that "gets it" surrounds itself with spirited leaders - not managers - who also "get it." This group identifies a set of principles and proceeds to define, resource, execute, and evaluate the organization's activities to meet or exceed them. When that happens, it's much easier to establish a quality culture among the workers. Until it happens the workers, who generally have well-tuned senses for nonsense, will more likely do the minimum than do their best.

Leadership is critical. Without it, the culture will not change much, any.
:2cents:

DanteCaspian
11th February 2009, 06:24 PM
Well said Jennifer!

Bob Bonville
11th February 2009, 07:39 PM
Jennifer, thank you!
Someplace I actually have a picture of a plate of bacon and eggs that I have used with top management to drill home this point. It opens their eyes because many of them think mere involvement is sufficient.

Bob

quality.shesha
12th February 2009, 12:56 AM
here in my case, as of now I see that there is top management support, however I need to tame some (not all) individuals. I need to change their mindset in terms of Quality, they feel that following process is not really worth it, and they do not follow, and they are against documentation. However, if things get screwed up they come running to Quality team to help them in making a root-cause analysis and submitting it to the customer. However they do not fix the problem. Analysis done is just to eye-wash the customer.
How do we tackle such a situation? I am sure this is to do with the individual!

quality.shesha
12th February 2009, 01:44 AM
Look at the bottom of this screen and you will see related threads you can look through right now.

Not that much useful!:(:confused:

JaneB
12th February 2009, 02:02 AM
Not that much useful!:(:confused:

I'm surprised at this, because a number of people (in my opinion) offered a number of helpful suggestions and experience in the threads to which Jennifer directed you.

You may not necessarily have found information that is 100% exactly, and precisely targeted to your exact individual need. But I'd be very surprised if there wasn't information that you could take the underlying principles from and apply in some way.

But if that is the case, then you need to do your part. In order to get useful information, you need to first give useful information: to be as clear as you can about what you need or would like. You do this by explaining rather more about what your situation is, what the context is, and what the various symptoms are.

There are many, many people who help on the Cove. The better the information you provide, the more likely it is you'll get good help.

If you don't do that, people such as me only have a few words to go on, and thus cannot offer more helpful advice. If it's missing, then we would be reduced to simply guessing in the dark. And apart from that being not effective, it's often just frustrating on both sides and thus not an effective use of time.

sowmya
12th February 2009, 03:05 AM
First, is it possible to talk with your people and make them understand what is required and why?.
Second, How is your quality team?. Are they really understanding what is there role and what is required?
In my opinion, if top management is supportive, you document everything in procedures and hold production to follow that. During development of procedures, involve them as well and get their opinions. By this they will also be responsible for following that.If soft dealing is not working out, have check and balance and hold them.

Good luck!
Sowmya

harry
12th February 2009, 03:11 AM
A favorite saying when talking about change management is: If you don't know where you are now, you can never get to where you are going. So, if we don't now where you are now, how can we possibly give you directions on where you should go?

Even if you can discribe it well, there is still the interpretation part which had to be carried out against the background of the culture and practices in your organization and region/country. In other words, it is not so simple. The 'how to' part is simple and can be found in any change management book.

Execution is the 'Art' part and it involves doing the right thing or choosing the right method against the current background. No body can help you here. You need to read and understand and then carry it out. Don't be disappointed if you fail because not everybody can be a 'change agent'.

Tim Folkerts
12th February 2009, 09:28 AM
This would work better in the USA, but you could post the following around your company ...



"Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on advice of my counsel, I respectfully decline to answer your questions based on the protections afforded me under the U.S. Constitution,"
- Steve Parnell, owner of Peanut Corporation of America, testifying to the US Congress



Of course, it might get you fired, too! :mg:

Tim

Jennifer Kirley
12th February 2009, 10:07 AM
here in my case, as of now I see that there is top management support, however I need to tame some (not all) individuals. I need to change their mindset in terms of Quality, they feel that following process is not really worth it, and they do not follow, and they are against documentation. However, if things get screwed up they come running to Quality team to help them in making a root-cause analysis and submitting it to the customer. However they do not fix the problem. Analysis done is just to eye-wash the customer.
How do we tackle such a situation? I am sure this is to do with the individual!You need to tame them? :whip: What is your position there? What are their positions relative to yours? What influence would you have that their own managers do not?

There's the rub: the idea that establishing, resourcing, promoting and upholding a quality-focused culture is not top leadership's job; that it's someone else's job. That's simply not correct. The quality culture begins and ends at the very top.

What you can do is facilitate. Right now I am taking a post graduate class in Leading Change. Two of its texts are excellent: Our Iceberg Is Melting and Leading Change by Kotter. A third, The Heart of Change, is another great supporting book. You can see them here (http://www.amazon.com/Our-Iceberg-Melting-Succeeding-Conditions/dp/031236198X). I suggest you read these books - they are spot on.

Jennifer Kirley
12th February 2009, 10:11 AM
Not that much useful!:(:confused:Those links do not provide the formula for a medicine to cure an organizational illness because no such medication exists. They do describe many quality professionals' viewpoints and experiences with resistance to cultural shifts at various levels in the organization. The books I referred you to do give an 8-step description of how to get organizational change done. But be warned: success requires more than tacit management support. It requires tangible support. I hope you have that.

Stijloor
12th February 2009, 10:30 AM
Those links do not provide the formula for a medicine to cure an organizational illness because no such medication exists. They do describe many quality professionals' viewpoints and experiences with resistance to cultural shifts at various levels in the organization. The books I referred you to do give an 8-step description of how to get organizational change done. But be warned: success requires more than tacit management support. It requires tangible support. I hope you have that.

Right on Jennifer!! :agree1:

Stijloor.

Bob Bonville
12th February 2009, 03:59 PM
shesha, even if you manage to win over top management, you are going to experience tough nuts in your organization that will do just as you have indicated. They will oppose you, and when something goes wrong they will immediately say "IT'S A QUALITY PROBLEM".

Within the opposition there will be certain power brokers. I would focus my efforts on trying to win them over, or at least attempt to make them somewhat passive. The immediate desire may be to hammer these people and report their behavior and lack of cooperation to your executive management. This approach could cause a deep and lasting rift and be quite counter productive.

Try also to approach them from the standpoint of "how can I help you achieve your goals?". The QMS is not going away. Together, lets make it work for all of us.

Just a couple of successful approaches I used in the past.

Best of luck

Bob

bobdoering
12th February 2009, 06:31 PM
This would work better in the USA, but you could post the following around your company ...


"Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on advice of my counsel, I respectfully decline to answer your questions based on the protections afforded me under the U.S. Constitution,"
- Steve Parnell, owner of Peanut Corporation of America, testifying to the US Congress

Of course, it might get you fired, too! :mg:


Actually, I have seen some medical companies post articles concerning FDA fines, and consumer lawsuits concerning defective products. If done correctly, the articles can be stunning. :mg:

JaneB
12th February 2009, 08:43 PM
Actually, I have seen some medical companies post articles concerning FDA fines, and consumer lawsuits concerning defective products. If done correctly, the articles can be stunning. :mg:

I can imagine this might be a very effective thing to do.

Bob the QE
13th February 2009, 12:15 AM
When I first started, I soaked up all of what I thought was the best broth in quality. I read the books, new the sayings and the quality speak and as it has been said here over and over again top management meant win or lose. It wasn't until well into my second decade in this field I realy felt I met a person with vision. Top management, nope, a quality engineer who came out of the TL industry who refused to sell who he was and what he believed to be something else. He didn't have goals of writing books, being a consultant or being top management he just wanted to do it right. BUT HOW....he won small battles like refusing to use emails, if he wanted to talk to you about something he called you or went up to you. He didn't argue requirements, they were as they were stated, you didn't meet him. He didn't blame he said OK let's see what else we can do about it. If some one refused to discuss the issue OK, lets see what your boss thinks or his boss or his boss and if those bosses said no OK. What's the next issue. My point is he never saw it as it can only happen if top management drives it. He did more to move our commitment then any speach our management could have given. Why? because he was changing the culture inhis way..I keep practicing what he made appear to be natural, because it was. And so I try the same. Maybe it works maybe it doesn't but I am sleeping alot better. Again he wasn't in the Food or Areospace industry but it made an impact on me.

pmwong
13th February 2009, 04:25 AM
Got them from one of my friends:

Quality culture at the workplace:
1.Effective Communication : People in organizations typically spend over 75% of their time in an interpersonal situation; thus it is no surprise to find that at the root of a large number of organizational problems is poor communications. Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, organizational, or external levels.
2.Changing Mindset
3.Good to better : EXAMPLE: The 1995 Annual Report of Toyota says : “We had the best car in the world. So what did we do? We changed it. We made it better.” Chinese proverb, “Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”
4.Creativity
5.Management Commitment

munagada
13th February 2009, 04:43 AM
Not that much useful!:(:confused:
A very interesting question. You know the answer well - you said it is the culture and it takes generations to change the culture. But one certain way suggested by Dr David Garvin is " ---bringing the 'quality' subject into the boardroom". If you can bring the 'quality' subject into the boardroom, your battle is half-won.

bobdoering
13th February 2009, 06:26 PM
If you want a quality culture that is data driven (which is what many people mean when they say they want a quality culture) the most important tool is the right data, in the right form, and right now.


Whoa! You mean you can't have a world class quality culture with an array of home brew spreadsheets and databases?

Hmmmmm.....that's the answer I got, too. :cool:

Ken Stage
14th February 2009, 09:20 AM
Train your key leaders on problems solving, root cause analysis, Plan-do-check-act. They think they understand, but might not!

Meet regularly with the leaders - don't berate them for their lack of knowledge, but work with them on improvement.

Teach the people making the product the "whys", not just the "hows". Too often we show someone what to do, but do not explain why it is important to do things a certain way. Until they understand why, they are not as likely to follow the instructions.

John Broomfield
14th February 2009, 11:08 AM
Hi,

Just wanted to know, what are the different methods you all had used OR are using to improve the Quality Culture in a organisation , mean to say to change the mindset of the people in a organisation towards implementation of process and Quality related stuff.

Thanks & Rgds, Shesha

Here is what I have found works well.

Rid your management system of guidelines. Include only requirements from customers, regulators, internal customers and managers. Focus on process requirements. Do not be satisfied only with product requirements.

Just in case your quality manual does not do this, prepare a presentation to describe how the organization's system can be made to work to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

Work with the top leader to organize a one-day workshop for the leaders so they can develop their employee awareness seminar materials that explain how their system for anticipates and fulfills requirements.

Keep your sense of humor.

In the morning of this workshop, explain how the system works with and without their engagement, make it clear that all they have to do is show their commitment for requirements. They do this by understanding and explaining the importance of the requirements, living themselves by the requirements, resourcing the fulfillment of requirements and monitoring the fulfillment of requirements.

In the afternoon of the workshop have the leaders prepare their own employee awareness presentation to explain why the system is important to them, its biggest obligations and its benefits. It may include two slides of what employees expect from their leaders and vice versa.

Do a dry run to edit the presentation and then have the leaders demonstrate and explain their commitment to requirements to the employees by running the employee awareness sessions.

Follow-up with structured monitoring of critical processes to ensure the operators can see and feel the commitment as managers and supervisors are asking what more they need for the system to help them to do good work.

Also ensure leaders continue to understand and nurture the new improvement processes by remaining engaged and making their best people available for training in the new skills and celebrating successes.

Always be ready at any time with the top 3 things top management must do to demonstrate their commitment.

Never blame each other for problems, blame the system instead by asking why? instead of who?.:whip:

Culture change can take 7 years unless you have a crisis so be prepared for a long haul (instead of waiting for the crisis!).

In poorly-led organizations this is a challenge that is either enjoyed or avoided by quality professionals. Only accept this challenge if you enjoy it otherwise seek a job in a well-led organization.

Enjoy and good luck,

John

Stijloor
14th February 2009, 11:36 AM
Friends,

To find out what really works in an organization, look at what gets rewarded. If the top brass gets bonuses and raises based on getting stuff out the door including immediate bottom line impact, quality will always play second or third fiddle. We do not have the make management "aware", they already are. Trust me, most managers have heard the quality message numerous times; they've read the quality and business books....but their mission, imposed by Wall Street and other money men, is often at conflict with doing what's right for the customer and the organization in the long term.

As long as rewards are not based on pure quality and delivery performance, I wish you good luck!

Stijloor.

Jennifer Kirley
14th February 2009, 12:28 PM
Right now I am writing #6 in the Stealth Quality Series, titled Valentines Day in the Workplace. I hope it gives you some of the insights you seek - though there are some very fine responses in this thread so far! :applause:

quality.shesha
17th February 2009, 01:05 AM
I'm surprised at this, because a number of people (in my opinion) offered a number of helpful suggestions and experience in the threads to which Jennifer directed you.

..............

Sorry I am a bit late here.
Thanks Jane! I got you.

Ours is a decade old organisation in Engineering Services and we have gone thru the CMMi Level 3 apparisal a week ago and we are also AS9100 certified. I have seen that many of the Project Leads (PL's) do follow the process (PMP - Project Management Process) and do document the stuffs, however there are some PL's who refuse to follow process, and they think following the process and documenting doesn't pay off. And also it has got proved time and again, that not following the process leads to crisis in some projects. And then too they do not want to follow process. How do we tame these PL's was my query. And if they do follow, they do it for the sake of doing.

And no doubt, as I have said earlier, there is a good support from the top management and my immediate boss as of now.

Hope I have tried to be more clear this time.:)

quality.shesha
17th February 2009, 01:10 AM
Sowmya,
Yes, we have had training classes for the PL's.
Yes, we (Quality) do know what we are supposed to do.
Also, please go thru my reply before this, to get more info about the prevailing situation.
Thanks!
Shesha:)

quality.shesha
17th February 2009, 01:49 AM
You need to tame them? :whip: What is your position there? What are their positions relative to yours? What influence would you have that their own managers do not?
............
Thanks!

Quality-Black Belt, and theirs is Project Lead. As said in my previous post, I have a good support from my boss and top management. However, I do not like to escalate things and get it done, however; would like to be a part of the team and get it done. If I escalate, the things will be done in no time.

Also see my previous posts to better understand my situation!

quality.shesha
17th February 2009, 01:59 AM
shesha, even if you manage to win over top management, you are going to experience tough nuts in your organization that will do just as you have indicated. They will oppose you, and when something goes wrong they will immediately say "IT'S A QUALITY PROBLEM".

Within the opposition there will be certain power brokers. I would focus my efforts on trying to win them over, or at least attempt to make them somewhat passive. The immediate desire may be to hammer these people and report their behavior and lack of cooperation to your executive management. This approach could cause a deep and lasting rift and be quite counter productive.

Try also to approach them from the standpoint of "how can I help you achieve your goals?". The QMS is not going away. Together, lets make it work for all of us.

Just a couple of successful approaches I used in the past.

Best of luck

Bob

:agree:Same situation here, I would like to be part of team and get it done, rather than escalating to the top management and getting it done. Can do it the later way and get things done, however it will spoil the team morale I feel. So a bit cautious here!!!
And thats the reason why trying to understand a better way of imporving Quality Culture in a organisation, would like to target a particular team here, and if there are good learnings and good practices, would like to use it across the organisation! Just trying to understand everyones view.
Thanks!

quality.shesha
17th February 2009, 02:17 AM
Train your key leaders on problems solving, root cause analysis, Plan-do-check-act. They think they understand, but might not!

Meet regularly with the leaders - don't berate them for their lack of knowledge, but work with them on improvement.

Teach the people making the product the "whys", not just the "hows". Too often we show someone what to do, but do not explain why it is important to do things a certain way. Until they understand why, they are not as likely to follow the instructions.

Thanks! I do these for most of the teams as they invite me to facilitate the workout... for e.g.QFD, Risk Management... however the team which sits next to them are least bothered of these things.... inspite of giving them training on the importance of doing this.... struggling to make them understand the importance of this!:( and in a few days I may go to a stage of :mad:

sowmya
17th February 2009, 03:19 AM
Your point is very correct Sheha. We are not here for mere escalating. Then there is no point in our presence. I like the attitude.

Can you incorporate quality sign off / approval kind of things in the process?. If you can, When they do not follow the process you can put hold or you can refuse to approve, so that the subsequent process will not take place. Anyway, they are answerable and accountable for their working. So, they will also come to your way. This is like, making a rule and making everybody to follow. This can be done, when you are left with no options of making the people understand things.

When they follow something continuously, that will become practised. When they practice that, they will understand the fruit out of it. When they taste the fruit, then there is no need for police man job. that will happen automatically.

John Broomfield
17th February 2009, 08:55 AM
..............

Sorry I am a bit late here.
Thanks Jane! I got you.

Ours is a decade old organisation in Engineering Services and we have gone thru the CMMi Level 3 apparisal a week ago and we are also AS9100 certified. I have seen that many of the Project Leads (PL's) do follow the process (PMP - Project Management Process) and do document the stuffs, however there are some PL's who refuse to follow process, and they think following the process and documenting doesn't pay off. And also it has got proved time and again, that not following the process leads to crisis in some projects. And then too they do not want to follow process. How do we tame these PL's was my query. And if they do follow, they do it for the sake of doing.

And no doubt, as I have said earlier, there is a good support from the top management and my immediate boss as of now.

Hope I have tried to be more clear this time.:)

You are not the boss of the the PLs, correct? Why is quality trying to do the boss's job of holding the PLs accountable for using and improving the system? Is quality nannying the PLs? If so, quality is due many years of frustration before the PLs grow-up or leave to work elsewhere.

Perhaps the free-spirited PLs know better ways of running processes but no one is asking them to improve the system? Taming them is not the objective but playing to their strengths is. Have their contributions to process design been ignored or not even requested?

Still we have insufficient information to advise but taming them to follow the requirements of the "we know best department" is unlikely to succeed. :whip:

John

JaneB
18th February 2009, 02:38 AM
I agree with John:

Still we have insufficient information to advise but taming them to follow the requirements of the "we know best department" is unlikely to succeed. :whip:


But we're getting a bit closer. Now we know we're dealing with project managers (and it's in the nature of that particular beast to be a problem solver and a 'get it done' person), but the distinct question is the one John's also asked: why is 'quality' apparently supposed to be holding them accountable?

And why is the process/system not being followed?

What happens when it isn't? OK, the projects get in trouble... but what gets rewarded? Just getting it done... or getting it done and doing it within the system???

Can the system be simplified/made easier? Do the PMs have any input into this? etc etc More info needed.

JCVP1969
27th February 2009, 11:44 AM
Totally agree - support from the top is essential for it to work. Work on the boss first and then slowly but surely your problems will get smaller - in some instances as they leave the company!

You have to show the value of having quality or some cases the cost of not having it! Justify this and how can he argue! I know some people when they are having similar problems put a dollar/ pound value on each CAPA, do not hold back put in all the costs, wages, material, etc.

masterx
23rd April 2009, 11:21 AM
My opinion about what is quality culture:

Quality Culture: there is a genuine commitment to quality excellence and continuous improvement, the responsibility for which is shared by ALL

Regards

Bonehead
23rd April 2009, 02:47 PM
Grass is always greener somewhere else. It is not about quality being powerless but rather how to get people involved. I have not only quality hat but also alot of management power over my team. Still the same problem with people who dont want to follow the rules. So first they use stick notes and someday later fill a form to follow a procedure. How to make them understand that they need to fill a form not because their supervisor said so?

RJFisher
23rd April 2009, 03:04 PM
same problem here... No one can see that following the quality system is the easiest and most effective way to accomplish something. There are always "secret" meetings :nono:where QA should have been involved but were excluded... then we are left picking up the pieces and trying to get them to catch up the paperwork when it's time for audit.:mg: No support from top management. But, we (QA) feel pressured to catch up all the paperwork to ensure compliance because we have one customer that represents 93% of our business and they require their suppliers to be ISO certified. Really crazy, I know... but we are stuck in this never ending spiral. Quality is always the bad guys, our numbers make our company look bad (president of the company actually said this once).... UGH:frust:

I honestly don't know how we have stayed certified for the last 8 years... :nope:

JCVP1969
24th April 2009, 06:31 AM
take everyone for lots of drinks and get them to trust you!

JaneB
24th April 2009, 10:04 PM
take everyone for lots of drinks and get them to trust you!


Trust in my opinion is earned. I don't trust someone just because they take me for 'lots of drinks'. I trust people who have shown themselves to be trustworthy, by acting in ways that are congruent with what they say, keeping their word, acting on a set of principles, etc.

Jim Wynne
24th April 2009, 10:40 PM
Trust in my opinion is earned. I don't trust someone just because they take me for 'lots of drinks'. I trust people who have shown themselves to be trustworthy, by acting in ways that are congruent with what they say, keeping their word, acting on a set of principles, etc.
That's all in addition to lots of drinks, right? :tg:

JCVP1969
25th April 2009, 02:20 AM
I did not realise there was no room for irony on here!

Jennifer Kirley
25th April 2009, 09:06 AM
We have a sarcasm emoticon to help make it clear when we are expressing irony: :sarcasm: With such a diverse group, it is easy to be misinterpreted from time to time.

Stijloor
25th April 2009, 05:09 PM
Friends,

Going back to the title of this thread, and in reference to my earlier comments (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=297041&postcount=2), I would like to add, that unless the quality culture gets recognized and rewarded, not a damn thing will change.

Stijloor.

JaneB
26th April 2009, 08:33 PM
That's all in addition to lots of drinks, right? :tg:

But of course it is Jim. ;) Thanks for reminding me I didn't spell it out. :lol:

JaneB
26th April 2009, 08:34 PM
... unless the quality culture gets recognized and rewarded, not a damn thing will change.

How right you are.

Raffy
27th April 2009, 02:18 AM
Quality Culture cannot be learned or taught on a short notice instead, it should be practice by each one of us (not only those involved in quality) ---> all employees in the organization should practice a quality culture and this can only be possible if Management will manage to make their own commitment in doing this kind of practice.
Raffy

Manix
24th June 2009, 10:45 AM
It's like the classic example of the difference between commitment and involvement. When looking at a plate of bacon and eggs, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.

Bob

Wow, that's a great metaphor. Can I have permission to use that in a presentation I am preparing to use within my company? I will of course cite you!

Manix
24th June 2009, 11:09 AM
Those links do not provide the formula for a medicine to cure an organizational illness because no such medication exists.

Crosby (1984) Quality without Tears. If you've read this book, you might believe there really is a quality Serum! That is exactly how he describes his steps to quality improvement, as a medicine made up of a number of different concepts and principals.

Many people disregard these seminal works as dated, me included until recently, but they really do lay some critical foundations that much of the quality improvement and business excellence models are based on. I recommend Crosby, Deming, Juran etc.... Some more recent work dilutes their work and makes it very difficult to visualise the fundamentals of quality improvement.

Another thing is to review the EFQM or Baldridge models, especially the People based criteria. They highlight some useful areas for you to consider, such as how reward and recognition of people is carried out, how you communicate, how you do indeed involve them and how you set out their tasks etc...If your orientation on any of these fronts is flawed, you will struggle to create a commitment to quality improvement, and more important their interest in fulfilling the aims of the organisation will wain!

These models also address leadership, resources, policy and strategy and your process, all of which will have a baring on your culture. Link that all with you results and you've got an excellent approach to follow. Creating a culture that achieves your results is important. You may have the best behaved and most improvement conscious employees in the world, but what does it mean if it doesn't align with what the org wants to achieve? Not much if that then means it all goes bust!!

Hope that helps!

Bob Bonville
25th June 2009, 01:42 PM
Manix, I learned this example years ago regarding the difference between "Commitment" and "Involvement", from an associate with the State of Florida. Not sure where he got it.

I use it along with a presentation where we come to the issue of Management responsibility and support. I put up a close up picture of a plate of bacon and eggs (typically available on free photo clip art sites on the internet), then I explain that this picture accurately describes why Management involvement is not enough by explaining the contribution of the pig and the chicken.

Anyway, the message is clear. That is, unless Management is totally committed, the program doesn't have much of a chance of long term success. The commitment must be continuously demonstrated and reinforced as necessary. The management review actions by the management representative should point out when this is in need of shoring up or greater emphasis.

Glad you find it useful.
Good Luck

Bob Bonville