FORK IN THE ROAD... LO18835
Cqithinks@aol.com
Tue, 11 Aug 1998 12:31:08 EDT
I am at a fork in the road as are many I suspect in trying to find
their niche in pursuing TQ and Learning Organizations.
The Japanese "dropped quality control checkers and taught the tools and
methods directly to managers and front line workers, and giving them
authority to analyze their own processes. This linking of new tools with
a new level of authority ignited an engine for continuous improvement.
(Fieldbook p.38)
Left over from the industrial era way of thinking we in the U.S. are
much more stove-piped, individualistic, and vertical in our organizations.
We did not and have not integrated quality, learning,
horizontal-orientation, process-oriented thinking as the Japanese.
Therefore, we have not ignited an engine for continuous improvement. We
must meld HR with managers and workers not have two separate entities.
In our stove-piped, individualistic organizational cultures managers
pursue results; HR or quality people pursue their quality stuff.
HR/quality people must deal generally with bosses that don't listen to
their quality advisers much because they are not schooled in a quality
philosophy.
So what do we do? If take the tack in our disjointed organizations of
HR/Quality person, the likelihood of quality playing a big part are
minimal because top leadership is not schooled and not listening. If take
the tack of manager, often not able to implement or go forward with
quality improvement because everybody else pursuing results with theory X
carrot and stick.
I am personally facing this dilemma myself because of our disjointed
siloed organizations (and lack of interest in quality for the most part).
We do not incorporate quality and ignite continuous improvement philosophy
like the Japanese. Therefore, do I go become an HR/Quality adviser and
most likely not get listened to or do I become a manager that must crisis
manage to get results-- not able to look at quality improvement because
"that's the quality dept's job" or we're not interested in that process
improvement stuff we need to focus on the task at hand.
I am 30 years old, a Duke graduate, 2 years as a Navy TQL Advisor.
Presently a middle manager in corporate America. I wish to pursue
TQ/Learning Orgs. My passion is working with managers for improvement and
secondly bottom lines. Request advice as to further education like MBA or
other or which group/career to pursue next. I also have some very
original ideas and models of applying TQ philosophy to thinking that I'm
looking to collaborate on (send e-mail address if interested in me sending
you a 5 page synopsis explaining with models--breakthru stuff). If anyone
has an opening for a passionate TQ type, I would jump at the opportunity.
For our continued growth, the future of this country and world,
Boyd
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