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People and Processes: United Quality Transformation

In my role as an ISO 9001 auditor, I work with a lot of different organizational cultures and systems. I recently worked with a solar energy company, who presented with a set of challenges that piqued my interest in the importance of the connection between the system and the people.

As I was progressing with the audit, a pattern started to appear, there was a notable disconnect between the employees' understanding of the quality management system and the practical application of it within daily operations. Despite the evident leadership commitment to quality and having a dedicated Quality Implementer named Alex, several issues were evident:

1. Knowledge Silos: Many teams were operating in silos with a limited grasp of the interaction of the systems they used. They recognized Alex as a ‘quality person’ in the business but didn’t fully understand how to use the system for the benefit of the work they conducted.
2. Lack of Advocacy: There were no clear internal advocates for the quality management system (outside of leadership). Without champions, the benefits of the system were not being communicated effectively, leading to missed opportunities for engagement and improvement.
3. Inconsistent Awareness: Across the board, employees' awareness of quality initiatives was inconsistent. Some departments were well-informed, while others lacked even basic knowledge of the quality management processes in place.
4. Visibility Gaps: Alex, while knowledgeable and capable, was not sufficiently visible to all departments. There were employees and teams that were aware of the ISO system's principles and intent, yet they were unaware of Alex's role in facilitating and driving these standards within the company.

These challenges pose significant barriers to achieving a truly integrated quality management system. It was clear that for the business to realize its full potential leveraging off the quality management system, that a structured approach was needed to bridge these gaps.

This is a reminder that the path to quality conformance and high-performance is not just about adhering to standards but also about creating an environment where those standards can be understood, appreciated, and championed by everyone involved.

Planning my recent European multi-country tour reminded me a lot of the situation at the solar energy company I audited. Booking the trip through a travel agent, I realized how important it was for them to get every detail right.

The central point of contact – the travel agent for me played a pivotal role. They were the ones who made sense of the itinerary and when I had questions or when something in my itinerary needed changing, a clear and quick response from my agent was what I expected. Each part of my trip – flights, hotels, local tours – had to be planned and aligned. It wasn't just about having a plan; it was about ensuring that every element of the plan worked well together, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable holiday.

This experience made me think, whether it's planning a holiday or running a company like the solar energy firm, the key to success lies in clear communication, understanding each part's role within the larger system, and ensuring that everything works together smoothly. It's a reminder of the importance of not just having a system in place but making sure that it's understood, embraced, and effectively executed by everyone involved.

Shape a future where people and processes work in perfect harmony and become a more confident and effective quality manager.

I like to think that the implementation of a quality management system can be considered to be or to be a part of organizational transformation. In the Harvard Business Review (HBR) article 6 Key Levers of a Successful Organizational Transformation, it is stated that transformation is fraught with risk as in 1995 it was found that 70% of organizational transformations fail, and nearly 3 decades later, not much has changed. 67% of leaders shared that they had experienced at least one underperforming transformation in the last five years. Not surprisingly, some of the key levers we can relate to in what we have uncovered in this article, which are:

• A shared vision
• A shared sense of ownership over the outcome
• A culture of trust
• Balance of execution and exploration

Quality Connections Model

It's clear that the key to successful quality management lies in bridging the gap between knowledge and application. The Quality Connections model emerges as a core solution as it is designed to move individuals from a state of unawareness to active engagement with both the quality system and the Quality Implementer.

Educate (Know You + Don't Know the System): Suggests a need to educate those within the organization who know the Quality Implementer but are not familiar with the ISO 9001 system. The goal here is to provide training and resources to these individuals to enhance their understanding of quality standards and processes.

Strategy: Develop training programs, workshops, or informational sessions specifically tailored to different departments to raise their understanding of the ISO 9001 system and its benefits.

Champion (Know You + Know the System): Represents individuals who are aware of both the Quality Implementer and the ISO 9001 system. These can be advocates for the system within the organization.

Strategy: Leverage these individuals as champions to promote the importance of quality management. Encourage them to share success stories and facilitate peer-to-peer learning.

Awareness (Don't Know You + Don't Know the System): Focus is on individuals who are not aware of either the Quality Implementer or the ISO 9001 system. This is the quadrant where there is the most work to do in terms of raising awareness.

Strategy: Implement a communication plan to introduce the Quality Implementer and the ISO 9001 system to these employees. Use internal communication channels, such as newsletters, intranet, and company meetings, to share information about quality initiatives and the role of the Quality Implementer.

Visibility (Don't Know You + Know the System): People are familiar with the ISO system but not with the Quality Implementer. The goal here is to make the role of the Quality Implementer more visible to these individuals.

Strategy: Increase the visibility of the Quality Implementer through regular updates on quality initiatives, participation in cross-departmental meetings, and by providing support to teams in implementing quality measures.

To close the gaps or take advantage of the situation, the Quality Implementer should aim to move individuals from the lower quadrants to the upper ones, by increasing both the awareness of their role and the understanding of the ISO system throughout the organization. This can be done through a combination of education, increasing visibility, and leveraging champions within the company.

Your Next Steps to Success

1. Educate Stakeholders: Roll out targeted training to connect team members with the ISO system and the Quality Implementer.
2. Empower Advocates: Encourage those well-versed in the system to champion quality practices.
3. Boost Awareness and Visibility: Share key quality initiatives and the role of the Quality Implementer through regular communication.
4. Collaborate with Experts: Partner with quality management experts to refine strategies and ensure alignment with industry best practices.
5. Work with an Expert: Book a Discovery Call with a seasoned expert today and map out your path to quality excellence. Book Now.

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