Yet another reason not to join the ASQ (American Society for Quality)

[Mike S.]

As a long-time member of both ASQ and the Cove, I have gotten far more benefit from the Cove than from ASQ. The only reason I am an ASQ member is because my employer pays the tab and they feel they get their $ worth because they like to say that all of their quality folks are ASQ members and they tout the certs.

But as a Q organization ASQ's management sure could use a refresher in some of the basics. If ASQ management would practice what they preach they could be a much better organization, growing instead of shrinking. Sadly, that makes ASQ management so very much like too many management groups in some failing private companies, huh? Maybe that's the ultimate in irony.

 

[Marc]

Re: Yet another reason not to join (or renew) the ASQ (American Society for Quality)

I am particularly incensed we pay Borawski over $400,000 year in salary and perquisites to be the Executive Director.

No one in the ASQ is worth that much money. I think I've made my decision not to renew when my current year expires.

 

[Doug Tropf]

Re: Yet another reason not to join (or renew) the ASQ (American Society for Quality)

No one in the ASQ is worth that much money. I think I've made my decision not to renew when my current year expires.

Same here.

 

[somerqc]

I stopped renewing a few times. I joined 12 years ago when my employer covered the bill. I stopped when it felt like the only thing I got from it was a monthly magazine that took forever to get to Canada.

I rejoined a few years ago to see if anything changed - NOPE. Stopped membership at the end of that year.

I got nothing from it and when I attended meetings it just felt like it was a bunch of barely employable people trying to beef up their resumes. That may be a local thing, but, from your posts sounds like it is more common than I thought.

I won't renew until MAJOR changes take place.

 

[beeman2236]

Hi All, Has anyone who represents ASQ ever responded to these conversations?

I feel the same way about ASQ. It feels like they want to charge for every little thing. Elsmar is by FAR a better resource. It seems, if they were smart, they would deal with Elsmar with some kind of Co-op.

my 2 cents.....

 

[David DeLong]

Somerqc:

Toronto has a pretty dynamic local chapter and I used to really like the forum that they put on in March. I am still a member of the Kitchener section.

I do agree with people about corporate ASQ. I am an over 30 year member and whenever I had to deal with Milwaukee, it wasn't good.

 

[somerqc]

Doug,

When I was a member, I did attend a number of the meetings. I found there to be very little in terms of benefit for me.

There was networking opportunities; however, most of the presentations (including job fairs) struck me advertisements for the people talking.

I realize that they are trying to get business, but, to do it under a guise of a job fair was extremely disappointing. Not one person/company was there discussing actual opportunities in their company for a quality professionals - all of the booths were literally just pamphlets and business cards of consultants or "temp agencies" that specialized in quality inspection.

That "job fair" was the final straw for me.

Like I said, I understand that people are trying to sell services, but I don't want to go to those meetings when every conversation involves selling. I would like to go and just share ideas with other professionals (i.e. Improve my skill sets and/or knowledge).

 

[Sidney Vianna]

I realize that they are trying to get business, but, to do it under a guise of a job fair was extremely disappointing. Not one person/company was there discussing actual opportunities in their company for a quality professionals - all of the booths were literally just pamphlets and business cards of consultants or "temp agencies" that specialized in quality inspection.

That "job fair" was the final straw for me.

Like I said, I understand that people are trying to sell services, but I don't want to go to those meetings when every conversation involves selling. I would like to go and just share ideas with other professionals (i.e. Improve my skill sets and/or knowledge).

Sometime ago I had posted about the two ASQ's: The good one, represented by the idealistic quality professionals, involved with the local chapters around the country and the "evil" one, in HQ.

It seems to me that some of the chapters, with dwindling membership, are very easy targets for some unscrupulous people to use the local chapter events to promote their agenda and business at the expense of the little reputation ASQ has left in the local community.

 

[somerqc]

Well, that is the first time I have ever been called idealistic!

Can somebody call my wife and tell her!

 

[Wes Bucey]

I stopped renewing a few times. I joined 12 years ago when my employer covered the bill. I stopped when it felt like the only thing I got from it was a monthly magazine that took forever to get to Canada.

I rejoined a few years ago to see if anything changed - NOPE. Stopped membership at the end of that year.

I got nothing from it and when I attended meetings it just felt like it was a bunch of barely employable people trying to beef up their resumes. That may be a local thing, but, from your posts sounds like it is more common than I thought.

I won't renew until MAJOR changes take place.

I, on the other hand, have nothing but respect and praise for the ACTIVE members in the two Sections to which I belong. We have active presentation calendars and would-be presenters have to put their bids in early to get on the agenda. Every presentation is subject to a written survey by all members of the audience (even non-member guests) for relevance to the members and quality of the presentation, itself. Poor presenters don't get back on the agenda.

Somerqc:

Toronto has a pretty dynamic local chapter and I used to really like the forum that they put on in March. I am still a member of the Kitchener section.

I do agree with people about corporate ASQ. I am an over 30 year member and whenever I had to deal with Milwaukee, it wasn't good.

If I may amend that to:
"Dealing with rank and file staff members on their narrow areas of responsibility is almost always straightforward and responsive to a member's request."

The trouble lies with dealing with the "executive suite" which can be extremely arrogant in dealing with ordinary members and expert at obfuscating the issues when dealing with members elected to unpaid posts in Sections, Regions, and Divisions. My sad experience is the unpaid officers who have been whipsawed by the entrenched bureaucracy usually decide to just serve out their time and devote their efforts to local activities.

Sometime ago I had posted about the two ASQ's: The good one, represented by the idealistic quality professionals, involved with the local chapters around the country and the "evil" one, in HQ.

It seems to me that some of the chapters, with dwindling membership, are very easy targets for some unscrupulous people to use the local chapter events to promote their agenda and business at the expense of the little reputation ASQ has left in the local community.

I suspect Sidney has experienced something openly discussed throughout the various Sections - there seem to be a large number of "consultants" and consulting firms who have managed to worm their way into the hearts and minds of the entrenched bureaucrats to get themselves and their firms "anointed" by the ASQ HQ as the "go to" consultants for big and small corporations throughout the world. The presentations at the national conferences of the ASQ and several of the Divisions in recent years have seemed to be extremely self-serving and self-promoting, to the exclusion of true learning experiences for attending members - more like being subjected to a one hour infomercial where you are strapped in a chair in front of a TV with your eyelids taped open to listen to some Yahoo spout propaganda for his consulting or for his book or just brag about his own company's accomplishments with little real insight how any other company could duplicate the success..