A Quality Scenario LO19435 -Your Perspectives?

Andrew Wong Hee Sing (andreww@petronas.com.my)
Thu, 8 Oct 1998 07:41:37 +0800

Replying to LO19384 --

Thanks Bruce's contribution that inspires me to code
another object, with an imaginary context to show
a perspective (which may not be the situation as per Bruce's).
It is hoped that others can benefit from the Internet
Knowedgebase, which object is deposited, as per
Outsights http://www.outsights.com

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Goal: How much and effective can an external consultant (or human resource
department) help an organisation?

Fact: Total Quality Management
Fact: Improvement through Education
Fact: Intimate and meaningful relationship

Symptom: An executive joined the Quality department for more than half a year.

Symptom: The organisation though embarks on TQM for many years, still does not
know how to go about TQM

Symptom: The organisation does not know what to expect from TQM department,
hence there is hardly anything to do for the new executive.

Symptom: In spite of much coaching and counselling from his superior to practice
soft skills on influencing people towards a new culture, the executive still
prefers to do nothing.

Symptom: The executive complains that the management is most inconsiderate
towards him: requesting him to change office 6 times in two years due to
movement of other staff.

Symptom: The executive claims that he is most disturbed and feels frustrated
when asked to change his office again.

Symptom: There was intensive discussion on what strategies, what next steps!

Symptom: A consultant or in-house human resource department is of the theory
"Improvement through Education"- Not only of the company but the executive.

Symptom: The consultant or in-house human resource department is of the view
that the organisation is without commitment - start a project to improve then
abandon it, leaving the executive in a lost world.

Symptom: The fact that the executive is being moved around so much shows a sign
of two things: a) The company has no real leadership, b) The Quality department
has no power.
Symptom: The consultant or in-house human resource department makes proposal to
resolve the problems.
Symptom: 1) Determine the level of knowledge the executive has of Total Quality
Improvement
Symptom: 2) Determine the level of commitment from the company.
Symptom: 3) Remove the executive from the position if he shows no willingness to
DO the job.
Symptom: 4) Start an education drive at the management level about Total Quality
Improvement.
Symptom: 5) Survey the employees of the company about what they want.
Symptom: 6) Present the findings to management with solutions and agenda about
fixing the problems.

Change: No change in the pattern of consultant's or in-house human resource
department approach.

Cause: Consultant or in-house human resource department role is to sell a
package (theory, methodology and solution) for a fee (or human resource
personnel job requirement) over a time frame.

Cause: External consultant or in-house human resource department cannot play the
role of Change Agent - with inter-personal relationship with the organisation
personnel.

Cause: Limitation of the role of external consultant or in-house human resource
department to effect profound change

Fix: External consultant gives theory, problems identification and solution

Fix: Every approach / solution offered, implies the dependence on the consultant
or in-house human resource department. For example:

"Everyone needs Consultant / HR package, because there is no commitment, Company
has leadership, Quality Department no power."

"Determine levels of commitment of company / executive" - thereby the need of
consultant or HR to conduct the study.

"Remove the executive if Not willing" - but not remove the management if survey
shows no commitment. (Note: Management has to pay the consultant fee or
determine HR personnel career)

"Training on Consultant / HR package to management" - main source of consultant
income or HR job.

"Survey company staff needs - Present survey result to management with solution
for problems fixing" - implying management has the ultimate power to change or
fix things, that management is the ultimate judge and problem fixers.

Fix: But the above described scenario is typical of many organisations who have
gone through manage consultant packages : TQM, ISO 9000, Benchmarking, Just in
Time, Zero Defects, 7-Habits, Learning Organisation, etc.

Fix: An effective parents with good children upbringing never use the approach
like that of the external consultant or human resource department : offering
theory, solution but no intimate and meaningful relationship with the children.

Source: <a href="mailto:andrewwhs@hotmail.com">Andrew Wong</a>, <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621" target="_blank">Web Page</a>

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Andrew Wong
Organisation Observer and Thinker
Personal Coach & Organisation Coach
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621 An associate of Outsights
http://www.outsights.com

-- 


andreww@petronas.com.my (Andrew Wong Hee Sing)


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