To all my colleagues and fellow executives,
If you have not made a New Year’s resolution, here is my humble advice for one, from a cohort who also has a company to run:
To all my colleagues and fellow executives,
If you have not made a New Year’s resolution, here is my humble advice for one, from a cohort who also has a company to run:
As a Quality consultant, I see companies spending a great deal of time and effort building their Quality Management Systems. Many people get involved in the beginning; all try their best to achieve their certification. However what happens after certification, and the level of long term Executive, involvement are what makes the real difference in the success of the Quality Management System in propelling satisfaction and improvement.
We Executives already have round-the-clock jobs that can make it hard to consciously and consistently do everything defined by ISO or API. But from one Executive to another, I have to say, we cannot compromise! We must not merely provide lip service that Quality is important and demand that other employees use the tools that we may have underutilized. We must sincerely follow our own processes and use the Quality Management System that we have helped establish to guide the success of our organization.
1. Align Objectives. To ensure we are customer-focused and quality-driven, our Company and Department Quality Objectives should be the same as, or in line with, our overall Company Objectives. Is this true for your organization?Ask yourself:
If these answers ring true, it is time to act this New Year! We must either change our Quality Objectives to those that are crucial to company success or refocus our current company objectives to align with our Quality Objectives.
2. Use the CIP or Corrective Action Program. Use issues and problems within the Quality Management System to drive improvement.
Ask yourself:
If the answer is “last management review”, then we are not using the best improvement tool in our company. This New Year we must become familiar with our CIP or corrective action process and demand that CIPs be created for those issues. We must also follow up! This proves our Executive commitment to the Quality Management System and that we value it as a tool for company success.
3. Follow our own established procedures.
Ask yourself:
This year we must promote the use of standard procedures throughout our organizations. The steps of identifying consistent methods, reviewing, and improving on those methods, should lead to consistent, professional interactions with prospects and customers alike in any department or division within our companies.
I know we are busy. I know we have various important tasks to accomplish as we lead our organizations. But if we truly believe in our Quality Management Systems, if we truly believe in Quality, then we must stop compromising, stop making excuses and start leading the implementation of our Quality Management Systems ourselves.
And last but not least, where I mentioned Quality, you can substitute information security, environmental, or safety. The same premises apply to any kind of management system (e.g., information security management system, environmental management system, safety management system, etc.)