Chapter-02
Leadership
Leadership is the act of inspiring and guiding others towards shared goals,
shaping values, and promoting motivation and ethical conduct, ultimately
enabling individuals and the organization to achieve what they thought was
impossible.
Characteristics of Quality Leaders
Successful quality leaders exhibit 12 key behaviors:
1. Prioritize and understand the needs of both external and internal
customers.
2. Empower subordinates, trusting their abilities and providing necessary
resources.
3. Focus on continuous improvement rather than settling for the status
quo.
4. Emphasize prevention of problems while maintaining a balance
between perfection and progress.
5. Encourage collaboration among teams and departments instead of
fostering competition.
6. Train and coach employees to enhance their skills and performance.
7. View problems as opportunities to learn and prevent future
occurrences.
8. Strive to improve communication, making TQM efforts transparent
and involving all stakeholders.
9. Demonstrate unwavering commitment to quality through actions, not
just words.
10.
Select suppliers based on quality rather than sole price, involving
them in projects.
11.
Establish organizational systems, such as quality councils and
work groups, to support quality initiatives.
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12.
Encourage and recognize team efforts, appreciating and
rewarding individuals and teams for their contributions.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, as described by Stephen R. Covey,
are principles for achieving success. They are based on the character ethic,
which emphasizes qualities like integrity and humility. Covey believes that
our character and values are more important than superficial traits like
personality or communication skills.
A paradigm is the way we see and interpret the world. To be effective, we
must be open to changing our paradigms. Many scientific breakthroughs
come from paradigm shifts. Habits are formed through a combination of
knowledge, skill, and desire. The 7 Habits focus on moving from
dependency to independence to interdependence. The first three habits
relate to personal growth, while the next three focus on teamwork and
communication. The seventh habit is about self-renewal.
Covey introduces the concept of the "P/PC Balance," which refers to
balancing production and production capacity. For example, maintaining a
lawnmower is important to ensure it can continue to mow the lawn
effectively. This balance applies to various aspects of life, including
physical, financial, and human resources.
1. Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 1 is about being proactive and taking responsibility for our lives.
We should make choices based on our values, rather than reacting to
circumstances. Our language reflects our behavior, and proactive
people focus on what they can do, while reactive people blame external
factors.
2. Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
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Habit 2 is about beginning with the end in mind. It involves
envisioning the desired outcomes and creating a personal philosophy
or creed. By aligning our lives with correct principles, we establish a
solid foundation for success.
3. Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 3 is about prioritizing and managing our time effectively. It
requires us to identify our key roles and objectives and schedule time
accordingly. The goal is to spend most of our time on activities that
contribute to our mission and values.
4. Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 4 is about seeking win-win solutions in all interactions. It
involves considering the needs and perspectives of others and finding
mutually beneficial outcomes. Building trust and maintaining positive
relationships are essential for win-win agreements. To obtain WinWin, a four-step process is needed: (1) see the problem from the other
viewpoint; (2) identify the key issues and concerns; (3) determine
acceptable results; and (4) seek possible new options to achieve those
results.
5. Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 5 is about listening empathetically and seeking to understand
others before seeking to be understood. It involves developing strong
communication skills and showing genuine interest in others'
perspectives.
6. Habit 6: Synergy
Habit 6 is about synergy, which means that we can achieve more
together than individually. By embracing teamwork and creative
cooperation, we can find innovative solutions that surpass what we
could achieve alone.
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7. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw (Renewal)
Habit 7 is about self-renewal and taking care of our physical, spiritual,
mental, and social/emotional well-being. It involves regularly
engaging in activities that enhance these dimensions of our lives.
Covey believes that these habits are based on natural laws and that living
by them leads to personal growth and fulfillment. He suggests that
following our conscience and aligning with correct principles will help us
rise above mere animal existence.
The Deming Philosophy
The Deming Philosophy, developed by W. Edwards Deming, is a set of
principles aimed at improving the quality and productivity of organizations.
Here are the key points explained in simple words:
1. Create and Publish the Aims and Purposes of the Organization:
Management should define and communicate the organization's purpose,
involving investors, customers, suppliers, employees, and the
community. Long-term goals should be set, and resources allocated for
research, training, and innovation.
2. Learn the New Philosophy: Everyone in the organization, including top
management, needs to adopt a mindset of continuous improvement.
Customer satisfaction should be the top priority, and the focus should be
on preventing defects rather than detecting them. Suppliers should be
helped to improve quality.
3. Understand the Purpose of Inspection: Inspection should be used to
improve processes and reduce costs. Mass inspection is costly and
unreliable, and statistical techniques should be used for continuous
improvement. Acceptance sampling should be minimized or eliminated.
4. Stop Awarding Business Based on Price Alone: Choosing suppliers
based solely on low prices is not effective. Long-term relationships with
single suppliers should be developed to improve products and services.
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Purchasing agents should be trained in statistical methods and monitor
quality.
5. Improve Constantly and Forever the System: Management should take
responsibility for solving problems and improving quality, productivity,
and cost reduction. Problems should be prevented before they occur, and
control charts can be used to reduce variation. Teams should be assigned
to improve processes.
6. Institute Training: Every employee should be trained to perform their job
effectively. Training should include statistical methods, and the need for
further training should be monitored using those methods.
7. Teach and Institute Leadership: Supervisors should be trained in
statistical methods and the Deming Philosophy. They should create a
positive work environment that promotes pride in workmanship. Clear
communication should flow from top management to supervisors to
operators.
8. Drive Out Fear, Create Trust, and Create a Climate for Innovation: Open
communication, teamwork, and trust should be encouraged.
Management should eliminate fear by providing training, good
supervision, and a safe working environment. When people feel valued,
they contribute ideas for improvement.
9. Optimize the Efforts of Teams, Groups, and Staff Areas: Barriers
between different levels of management, departments, and shifts should
be broken down. Attitudes should be changed, communication channels
opened, and teamwork promoted. Multifunctional teams can be used for
better collaboration.
10. Eliminate Exhortations for the Work Force: Setting goals without
providing specific methods for improvement can hinder progress.
Achievable goals should be set and committed to the long-term success
of the organization. Tools and methods should be available for making
improvements.
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11. Eliminate numerical quotas and management by objective: Quotas and
numerical goals focus on quantity rather than quality. Instead, methods
for improvement should be implemented, and management should
understand the capabilities of processes.
12. Remove Barriers That Rob People of Pride of Workmanship: Barriers
to pride in workmanship include workers not understanding the
organization's mission, being blamed for system problems, poor designs,
inadequate training, punitive supervision, and inadequate equipment.
Management should provide clear job descriptions, proper tools, and
materials to restore pride.
13. Encourage Education and Self-Improvement for Everyone:
Continuous education and training are essential for the organization's
success. Management should commit to training and retraining
employees based on the organization's goals and the changing
environment.
14. Take Action to Accomplish the Transformation: Management bears the
primary responsibility for continuous improvement. They should create
a corporate structure to implement the philosophy, embrace a new
culture, and be committed, involved, and accessible. Examples of
successful implementation can be seen in companies like Hillerich &
Bradsby Co.
By following these principles, organizations can improve their overall
performance, quality, and customer satisfaction.
Quality Councill
A quality council is a group of people within an organization who are
responsible for directing and driving quality improvement efforts. The
council is made up of key individuals, including the CEO and senior
managers from various functional areas like design, marketing, finance,
production, and quality. They may also include a coordinator or consultant,
and sometimes a representative from a union if applicable.
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The coordinator plays a crucial role in the council. They help build trust,
communicate team needs to the council, share council expectations with the
teams, and provide progress updates to the council. The coordinator also
ensures that teams are empowered and aware of their responsibilities. They
assist team leaders, facilitate knowledge sharing among teams, and hold
regular meetings with leaders.
The specific duties of a quality council typically include:
1. Developing core values, vision statement, mission statement, and
quality policy statement with input from all employees.
2. Creating a long-term strategic plan with goals and an annual quality
improvement program with objectives.
3. Designing a comprehensive education and training plan for
employees.
4. Determining and monitoring the cost of poor quality.
5. Establishing performance measures for the organization and its
functional areas, and monitoring them.
6. Identifying projects that improve processes and enhance customer
satisfaction.
7. Establishing and monitoring the progress of multifunctional project
teams and departmental or work group teams.
8. Establishing or revising a recognition and reward system to align
with the organization's new approach to quality.
In larger organizations, quality councils may also be formed at lower levels
of the corporation to focus on specific areas. Over time, as the organization's
quality improvement program becomes ingrained in its culture, the
activities of the quality council may become a regular part of executive
meetings. At this stage, a separate quality council may no longer be
necessary, as quality becomes an integral part of the executive agenda.
Assumptions of a Quality Council:
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1. Quality-oriented culture.
2. Role as a driver for Total Quality Management (TQM).
3. Inclusion of key stakeholders.
4. Importance of two-way communication and trust.
5. Continuous improvement mindset.
6. Strategic planning and goal setting.
7. Performance measurement and monitoring.
8. Cross-functional collaboration.
9. Recognition and reward system.
10. Integration with executive meetings.
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