QUALITY BEYOND PRODUCTS, SERVING PEOPLE

In his blog "A view from the Q", Paul Borawski, ASQ CEO makes us reflect on the findings from the article  “Answering The Conference Board CEO Challenge 2012”, which states:

"For some organizations, the quality is still simply a set of tools and techniques associated with quality control. For others, the quality has become a strategic partner, aligned with the business model and execution of business strategy . "

Within that context, Paul asks: What success have you had in moving quality beyond product?

Let's look at this question from two perspectives:

First product is the result of a process, and processes are managed by people, then  if we are going to achieve quality products, we must first work on the quality of the people. Peter Drucker said it clearly: "Companies are built or destroyed by the quality of its people"

Every product has a very important component, which is service, and this can only be delivered by people, so when we put emphasis on this component, the organization  can gain a strategic advantage. Whether we are selling tools, or selling a hotel room there is always an intangible component that is service.

The real quality is therefore reached when we have people motivated to serve others with the best of their knowledge and experience.

With this in mind, and thinking about the question of Paul Borawski, my main role as a consultant and the more difficult one, has been to bring the concepts of quality to the players that generate quality. Driving techniques and statistical concepts is very important, but if there is no commitment to the people the results are very poor or short term.

When analyzing management principles found in ISO 9000, we see that they are focused on achieving the commitment of the people, if not understood and adopted first principles is very difficult to implement any methodology, as follows:

a) Customer focus: Organizations depend on their customers and therefore everyone in the organization should strive to exceed your expectations.

b) Leadership: That implies a commitment to the people who make the quality and receiving quality.

c) Involvement of people: People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the benefit of the organization.

d) Process approach: The processes are the result of the people who run the best resources when it is committed to do it.

e) System approach: Everything is linked from beginning to end, and the people is the core of the system, which contributes to the effectiveness and efficiency.

f) Continuous improvement: Continuous improvement of overall organizational performance is only achieved with the commitment of the people.

g) Factual approach to decision making: Effective decisions are based on analysis of data and information. This information is managed by people.

h) Mutually beneficial supplier relationships: An organization and its suppliers are interdependent and we must take quality to the  people that manage the organizations of our suppliers.

 

When we have an approach like this and focus our strategy on people, we can ensure the growth of organizations and constant innovation, the company will create a brand and reputation in a global market.

Therefore, the product quality (which is measured by the customer) can only result of focusing on developing quality human beings in our organizations.

César Díaz