Role of the Quality Manager A Man of Many Hats Good Morning My name is Dan Shoudy, I am the Quality Assurance Manager for the East Coast Region.Today I would like to discuss with you the role of the Quality Manager. Some of you having lived this position for a while probably think oh boy now he is going top tell me what I already know. Well hopefully some of that is true. Hopefully I will also surprise you a bit with what this job can and should be So lets go!

What is this job all about Helping people to change the way they think, and what they think about in performing their jobs Changing the norms Changing the organizations systems and processes, to make it better able to reach its goals For example, the way they look at problems, errors and waste their attitudes toward each other, the people that report to them, suppliers and customers For example: accepted standards of behavior towards colleagues, daily work practices, how meetings are run, acceptable stands of service to customers For example : management processes such as planning and budgeting, information systems, customer feedback systems as well as key operational processes used to create and deliver products and services. This also includes establishing measurement systems that enable the organization to understand how it is improving

Scope of the Job Lets get down to specifics regarding what the QM actually does on a day to day basis.The following are typical tasks

Educates, Enlightens the Top Management Team The QM……….. And orchestrates its improvement related activities

For Example: Proposes and organizes educational activities Formal workshops (training) Guest speakers Lunch and learn activities Visits to other organizations Can anyone think of a type of workshop that would be beneficial? Team building exercises Customer visits, supplier visits etc

For Example: Organization and assessment of the status of the organization to identify strengths and shortcomings in the current approach to managing quality Read this as Audit No on second though assessment is a more accurate term. All businesses have limited resources. When we expend those resources on one project we do that at the expense of others. The assessment tool help us to define where we should or should not expend those resources. We hopefully expend them on the improvement that give us the best bang for our buck.

For Example Helps to organize the meeting schedule of the senior management team to ensure that time is allocated to planning for improvement, and for monitoring progress in implementing the plan I like the quote :”If not us who, If not now when” Again time of senior management is a resource. Make that a precious resource. Without a the continual involvement of these people any quality initiative will die.

Supports and Advises the Leader and Other Colleagues As a senior manager As a subject matter expert As a helper The QM………………….

For Example Plays an active part, like any other member of the team, in discussions and decision making regarding general issues that effect the organization - from the development of business strategy to the implementation of a no-smoking policy

For Example Provides guidance to the team on technical issues having to do with quality, such as selecting suitable strategies and methods, identifying suitable suppliers of training materials and helping management to monitor the health of early projects

For Example Acts as a considerate and discreet advisor or provides a second opinion on behavioral issues, relationships, and personnel issues. He may also be asked to provide confidential coaching to colleagues on basic management techniques such as planning or giving presentations This does happen but only when a high level of mutual trust has been developed

For Example Challenges the top management team when the evidence suggests that the process or the team’s commitment is faltering

Possible Roles of the Quality Manager Visionary Advocate Navigator Confidant Supporter Coach Subject Matter Expert Role Model

What the Quality Manager is Not!! Commander Quality Quality managers are support people; it is not their role to hand out instructions. Rather it is line management’s function to allocate responsibility and accountability

What the Quality Manager is Not!! Progress Chaser The Quality Manager may monitor progress in some areas, but progress chasing (that is chasing after others, trying to persuade them to take action) is an inappropriate role

What the Quality Manager is Not!! Spy Integrity is the Quality Manager’s most valuable asset. It is the foundation for open and honest relationships with peers and it allows the Quality Manager to earn trust. This is impossible to to achieve if the Quality Manager is perceived as the leaders spy.

Inappropriate Roles for the Quality Manager Gopher! Commander Quality! Spy! Progress Chaser! Self-promoter! Credit Taker!

The Person There is no single formula for a successful Quality Manager. They come in all shapes and sizes and they have different personalities and approaches to the job

The Person There are however, some personal characteristics that seem to be essential, and there are some key areas of knowledge, skill and experience. These fall into three main areas: Personal skill and attributes Knowledge and experience of the business Knowledge and experience of quality

Personal Skills And Attributes Believe in the job. In order to be successful the Quality Manager must identify with the aims of the change process, the underlying values and the cultural changes sought Demonstrate integrity and the ability to earn the trust and respect of this peers-as well as other people in the organization

Personal Skills And Attributes Be effective in a senior management role. This person must be able to deal with the type of issues his peers deal with (for example: more strategic than organizational) and be familiar with the way senior management thinks and works. If the individual is lacking in experience he must have the ability to step up to it quickly.

Personal Skills And Attributes Be a team player. Improving quality is a collective undertaking, not just a personal project. This individual should have a natural inclination to help others, involve others and collaborate with others at every opportunity

Personal Skills And Attributes Be competent in basic management skills, such as communication and interpersonal skills, working with groups, negotiating, planning, budgeting, project management and problem solving. Because this person will be a role model, the skill required for a participative management style are particularly important.These include listening, coaching, encouraging diversity and managing conflict

Personal Skills And Attributes Have patients, persistence, and a sense of humor. These qualities can be summed up as resilience. They are not just nice to have they are essential.

Knowledge and Experience of the Business He should be able to work with people throughout the organization in there own language and understand the types of problems they face He should have an understanding of the products or service, the marketplace and knowledge of typical customers or clients

Knowledge and Experience of the Business He should understand the formal structure and the informal networks and alliance at work in the organization He should know the key players personally - what they stand for, who carries clout and who influences opinion. In short the Quality Manager needs Familiarity with the type of business or institution Familiarity with this specific organization, its situation and its people

Knowledge and Experience of Quality This person needs to thoroughly understand quality management - which is a large field - or be willing and able to learn quickly. The knowledge required is primarily strategic (not nuts and bolts).

A Quality Manager does NOT need to be able to: Teach people about the inner workings of design of experiments, statistical process control, or quality function deployment. Conduct a benchmarking study at the drop of a hat. Determine confidence levels in an analysis of customer survey data.

In time a Quality Manager should learn to: Teach other people (especially peers) about quality, both formally and informally, in terms that make sense to them, and without making them feel ignorant or uncomfortable. Explain how methodologies such as quality function deployment or benchmarking, may or may not, be useful to the organization.

In time a Quality Manager should learn to: Act as a role model, not just in management style, but in applying the basic methods and techniques (like formal problem solving, using the seven quality control tools, conducting a process improvement project on a key management process, or applying some of the seven management tools in appropriate situation).

In time a Quality Manager should learn to: Respond convincingly and accurately (no bluffing) to most of the questions that people may bring up in their efforts to understand quality improvement, or in their efforts to demonstrate that this quality improvement stuff is silly.

In time a Quality Manager should learn to: Help the management team to understand the current status of the organization in terms of how well it is organized to improve quality, service, and productivity, and thus achieve its goals Guide the management team in the development of strategies and plans that are appropriate to the organization’s current status and needs.

Attitude is Key We can always acquire new knowledge and learn new skills to equip ourselves for any job. However, there are personal aspects that we cannot easily change - and probably don’t want to. These are our natural aptitudes, our personal preferences, our beliefs about the world. Many of these boil down to attitude!

Attitude is Key Attitude is key in this job because it is not easily changed, and it influence: The Quality Manager’s credibility and acceptability to others. The Quality Manager’s ability to perform some key tasks and to persist in the face of set backs.

The End It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely the lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones. Machiavelli “The Prince” 1513