Need Quality Manager advice.

[FloridaST]

Hey everybody, I've been in a Quality Manager role for about 2.5 years now. I was massaged into this after the previous QM left and I wasn't experienced at all in the quality realm. I agreed to take it over because I saw the value in the opportunity to learn new things. After a few years, I've grown to enjoy it but where I work is a bit dysfunctional. I've kept our QMS going and kept us in ISO certificates but I'm from the production side of things and I'm admittedly weak on the process management side of things.

We recently hired a very experienced Quality Engineer and he's very strong in Six Sigma, processes, etc. whereas I'm stronger in interacting with the customer and bridging the gap between quality and production management. He doesn't need any supervision really so I'm just here to make sure he has what he needs to do his job.

Anyway, I feel like I'm flailing and not being effective anymore. Almost 20 years in manufacturing... maybe it's time to move on.

 

[Johnny Quality]

FloridaST,

After a few years, I've grown to enjoy it but where I work is a bit dysfunctional.

Why is it dysfunctional?

I've kept our QMS going and kept us in ISO certificates but I'm from the production side of things and I'm admittedly weak on the process management side of things.

Then there's an area for you to improve if you'd like and see value in it.

We recently hired a very experienced Quality Engineer and he's very strong in Six Sigma, processes, etc. whereas I'm stronger in interacting with the customer and bridging the gap between quality and production management. He doesn't need any supervision really so I'm just here to make sure he has what he needs to do his job.

Be very thankful you have someone so strong to rely on and not a floundering hack. Learn from them and let them learn from you. The ones that don't need supervision are the best in my opinion, you can let just let them work.

Anyway, I feel like I'm flailing and not being effective anymore.

Why are you flailing?

 

[tonyyang.yyc]

In all honesty, if your direct report is doing their job right, you're kind of expected as the manager to not have to do much supervision--So it should be a good thing. Perhaps consider taking or adding on more responsibility or other roles.

I'm curious as to why you are flailing and why where you work is dysfunctional as well.

 

[optomist1]

Lee Iaccoca very loosely quoted..."always hire experts who are smarter than you are...rely on them their abilities, manage, get out of their way..."

 

[Mike S.]

The OP never added to the thread. Wonder if they indeed moved on?

 

[John Predmore]

Maybe you provide value by focusing on long-term concerns and allow your very-capable quality engineer to focus on day-to-day activities. That is a good division of labor efforts. There is a need in a QMS to do planning, monitoring external/internal environment, auditing, risk assessment, and identify areas of need for continuous improvement that no one else is looking at. Sometimes people who are good at the day-to-day stuff don't have time or the perspective for the longer term stuff.

 

[John Broomfield]

Quality Managers typically help everyone else to deliver quality services and products without doing it for them.

This can be very challenging, esp if you’re tempted to plug any gaps yourself instead of attending to the system.

Kindly define your “floundering” as you would a system nonconformity:

A. What is the requirement you feel you are not fulfilling?
B. Please describe the evidence.
C. Please describe the consequences.

We may then be even more helpful.