Quality Manager's Role?

The quality managers have unwittingly set themselves up for elimination from the quality CI processes. QM's have made their function almost unnecessary to Quality management in general as, we are moving to (In this century) a team type of Kaizen CI environment, it's clear that the QM function has been taken away from the QM and passed on to the process owners.

And that's exactly how it should be.

In the case you cite Wallace quality and improvement are built into each process, it's the organisation of the future - and I like it! But let's not make the poor old Quality Manager redundant just yet; instead let's use this opportunity to redefine the QM's role.

This raises an interesting question:

In the organisation of the future which jobs will Quality Managers retain and what new responsibilities will they take on?

Come on let's use this opportunity to make Quality Manager's sexy.

Regards,
Simon

Quality managers shall have to develop skill sets that are integral to current and future business needs. Put simply: QM's and, all included in quality at all levels, should be supported by their respective organizations to engage in continual education.
The Quality person of this century, who chooses to be part of the evolving Quality arena, may be seen as, someone who is almost spiritually attached to quality issues.
Wallace.

I think the Quality Manager of the future should be first and foremost a Facilitator. Obviously certain tasks will always need to be managed centrally however it makes good sense to devolve wherever practicable to the process and function level. This creates a real paradox for the QM. Control quality, maintain the mystique and keep your job or devolve, demystify and risk becoming redundant. It's a real case of ‘turkey's voting for Christmas' isn't it.

Would it be too radical to suggest that some Quality Manager's may be deliberately holding their business back in terms of its quality development?

Regards,
Simon

Would it be too radical to suggest that some Quality Manager's may be deliberately holding their business back in terms of its quality development?

Not really, I guess the old school boys and girls just plod along in the proverbial job preservation mode.
The status quo group of Quality folk are those who, shall be measured against their own professional standards at the end of the day.
The professional standards I speak of are, mere system maintenance. CI tools and techniques are seen as a threat to these kind of Quality folk.
Wallace.

The Quality person of this century, who chooses to be part of the evolving Quality arena, may be seen as, someone who is almost spiritually attached to quality issues.
Wallace.

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Wallace - what do you mean by 'quality issues' in this context?

Are quality issues a subset of business issues? If so, what exactly differentiates one from the other?

rgds Jim

The Quality person of this century, who chooses to be part of the evolving Quality arena, may be seen as, someone who is almost spiritually attached to quality issues.
Wallace.

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Wallace - what do you mean by 'quality issues' in this context?
Are quality issues a subset of business issues? If so, what exactly differentiates one from the other?
rgds Jim

Hi Jim,
My use of the word "issues" should have been conflated to say, Business management issues.
Cheers
Wallace.

Come on Quality Manager's what do you think? Has/is your role changing, if so how? What direction do you see your role taking in say five years time?

Regards,
Simon

Changing - Yes

Direction - Business manager. Systems are used everywhere and business needs the systems 'nurtured'.

I currently handle H&S, Environmental, Quality, Sales and customer relations, office management, and HR. (ok we are a small company)

However my colleagues only deal with a small number of areas, but are probably more focussed on them.

I am a tool maker but training, 'jack of all trades - master of none'

When I talk with Quality Managers, two things are normally agreed:

1 You need management commitment
For really sustained and meaningful continual improvement you need real top management commitment as indicated by a high degree of living by a well-known set of management principles (see attachment).

2 You often don't have management commitment yet
Real top management commitment of that sort is still quite rare - most organisations are managed by people who don't live and breathe such principles to such a high degree. This does not mean they are not great managers. It just means that they don't yet operate in the way that the 'quality' movement teaches, and therefore cannot yet take 'quality' leadership.

So, it seems to me that the essential role of the Quality Manager (with the support of the profession) is one of leading the organisation on its quality journey while educating top management about the required principles, behaviours and tools.

rgds Jim

Puzzle,

My you are a busy bee. You have quite a lot of under your wing. No wonder you're stressed mate. I'm sure your remit is to ensure the system operates symbiotically and improves the performance of the business.

It's a big job for one bee though, sorry I mean man. I wondered to what extent you have delegated down to the process owners, managers, and supervisors in terms of management, measurement and improvement of processes.

So, it seems to me that the essential role of the Quality Manager (with the support of the profession) is one of leading the organisation on its quality journey while educating top management about the required principles, behaviours and tools.

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Jim,

I like your angle, thanks for the attachment.

So basically it's our ignorance of their ignorance and our inability to educate and influence top management that perpetuates lack of senior management commitment.

I totally agree and there could be an opportunity for a training course here.

'How to Develop Senior Management Commitment.'

I wonder what the course content would be?

Regards,
Simon

'How to Develop Senior Management Commitment.'
I wonder what the course content would be? 

Have a couple of sexy mates no doubt will get their committment

 
...there could be an opportunity for a training course here. 

'How to Develop Senior Management Commitment.'

I wonder what the course content would be? 

Funny you should say that, Simon - we are in the process right now of developing such a course!

rgds Jim

lack of senior management commitment.

Hi Simon,
It does sound awfully familiar!

I wondered to what extent you have delegated down to the process owners, managers, and supervisors in terms of management,

Simon,
I am sure the demographic and psychrographic analysis model would lent puzzle some help here.

one of leading the organisation on its quality journey while educating top management about the required principles, behaviours and tools.

Hi Jim,
I am on the same page with you that this is the ideal management model that we should be looking at. However, generally, Quality Managers are limited in management authority to do the desirable. And, to find organizations with Top Management committed to giving Q. Managers a free hand is really quite rare to come by these days.

No matter what, with the huge number of systems and standards out there, I am almost certain Q. Managers these days will be having a very hard time putting things together.

There's got to be money to be made here - Looks like I am destined to be a "System Rehabilitation Consultant" to help pick up these pieces and putting them back together.............for a fee, of course.

Charles Chew

Funny you should say that, Simon - we are in the process right now of developing such a course!

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Has the potential to be a real winner Jim, very interesting, please keep us informed.

I posted the above last night but this morning it had changed to just " ". Scary I hope it's not a sign Jim.

Regards,
Simon

Just got 50x busier after a meeting this afternoon

Spend half of this week as a salesman !! Very successfully though. Hence the increased workload.

A fair amount of the responsibilities are infact passed down the line to the supervisors. However 'lifejacket' is a word that springs to mind. :D

We are working towards the production facility to be totally responsible for their own destiny (as per TQM) however nailing my MD to get the process validated is a little difficult at present.

A QM role? I said many months ago to be a facilitator. Of what, I am a little unfocussed just now