Tag Archives: Management styles

Mar 8 2015

Customer Focus – Quality Principle

Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and
strive to exceed customer expectations.
• Increased revenue and market share obtained through flexible and fast  responses to market          opportunities

• Increased effectiveness in the use of the organization’s resources to enhance
customer satisfaction
• Improved customer loyalty leading to repeat business.
• Researching and understanding customer needs and expectations
• Ensuring that the objectives of the organization are linked to customer needs and expectations
• Communicating customer needs and expectationscustomer
throughout the organization
• Measuring customer satisfaction and acting
on the results
• Systematically managing customer relationships
• Ensuring a balanced approach between satisfying customers and other interested parties (such as owners, employees, suppliers, financiers, local
communities and society as a whole).

http://www.iso.org

Reklama
Gru 9 2014

Understanding Change in a Quality Culture

Clock with time for change written on itIn any improvement process, managing the influence of change and the anti-change culture that will continually try to raise its head will be one of the most ardent tasks. Learn to deal with this as effectively as you do the project management itself. There are many well-written books on the subject of change in every category of change that you could imagine. Below is a compiled list of items about change that are relevant to implementing process change.

When examining change it is necessary to understand the stages of change that have been identified. It is interesting to note that these stages take place in varying degrees in different people, but are exactly the same whether the change is a different process in the workplace or the death of someone close. You should be able to identify and deal with the levels of acceptance encountered. Here are the stages and some tips on how to deal with them.

Denial

A wonderful self-preservation response. It is characterised by minimising the situation, and saying (or thinking) things like „This isn’t happening”, „It won’t help”, and „There’s no problem.” You may find the person will avoid talking about the situation, or even make up excuses for not attending meetings.

  • Explain the denial to commitment process that you went through to get where you are.
  • Present the situation openly and allow a lot of time for questions and answers.
  • Have a training session on change management.
  • Present a caring and understanding front. Though this may not be your normal attitude, during this process it will be invaluable.
  • Be a broken record with memos, thank you emails, posters, or anything else that presents your platform in a positive light.

Resistance

It is at this stage that you may see the active signs of sabotage. They may be passive, as in „I’ll just do it my way anyway”, along with a lot of whining-crabbing about the new systems. Or they may manifest in physical methods of sabotage depending on the character of the person. Be aware that these are real threats to the success of any project. But for the most part, those who fall into this category will show a lack of interest and a lot of time spent on finding reasons it won’t work.

  • Listen! And I mean listen. You can hear more in the tone and inflection of what is being said as well as the body language than you can imagine.
  • Solicit Response. People love to know that they are being heard and even more that their suggestions are valid. Many of them are. These are the people who will make or break the installation, let them know they have input to the outcome.
  • Acknowledge Feelings. Let them know you went through a similar process in getting where you are. Validate that they are not alone.

Exploration

People will begin to see some of the good that may occur in the situation, and will generally vacillate between thinking that it might be ok and that it is still a bad idea. But, the up side is that you are beginning to get them on your side and they will begin to make effort to get the changes in place.

  • Facilitate. People are more open at this point. Take advantage of it. Be your own commercial! Challenge people to find a better way within the new system. It gets them thinking about the next round of change and off the current.
  • Reward forward thinking with mounds of compliments. Praise the desired behaviour.
  • Seek out new possibilities. Have brainstorming sessions. It does wonders for everyone’s moral.

Commitment

You’ve got buy-in and will see productivity through the changes. People can see the bigger picture and the opportunity that the change affords.

When dealing with this from a management point of view, it is important to remember several things. These feelings are very real and they happen at different times for different areas of the organisation. Do not expect to spend several months agonising over the commitment to purchase expensive software only to turn around and expect everyone else to do a Tarzan swing from denial to commitment in a week. Remember the process you had to get through in order to accept the change. Others will require the same; allow the process to manifest itself in others. You can facilitate the process by understanding it and helping others to get through.

  • Recognise and acknowledge those who get there. Give them more opportunity to improve the process and celebrate their victories.
  • Inspire people to get others on board. Teach them about the process and how to recognise the people in various stages and how to move them along.
  • CELEBRATE!!!!! Most important. When you have achieved goals, let everyone know and celebrate, celebrate, celebrate. When people know their efforts will be recognised and appreciated, you will have fewer problems in future change.

Remember that we have a tremendous amount of information to process every day. There is more information in a single daily paper today than a person in the 15th century processed in a lifetime. Change takes form in one of three types; that which we cannot control, that which we can, and that which we can influence. Being positive and trying to move things from cannot control to can influence helps in the ability to manage the changes that occur. But, there will always be those things you cannot control and acceptance of that fact is the only road to remaining sane.

Source: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk ,  John W. Wright III
Gru 5 2014

Key: Quality Management Plan

The Quality Management Plan defines the acceptable level of quality, which is typically defined by the customer, and describes how the project will ensure this level of quality in its deliverables and work processes. Quality management activities ensure that:

  • Products are built to meet agreed- upon standards and requirements
  • Work processes are performed efficiently and as documented
  • Non-conformances found are identified and appropriate corrective action is taken

quality

Quality Management plans apply to project deliverables and project work processes. Quality control activities monitor and verify that project deliverables meet defined quality standards. Quality assurance activities monitor and verify that the processes used to manage and create the deliverables are followed and are effective.

Quality Plan Components
The Quality Management Plan describes the following quality management components:

  • Quality objectives
  • Key project deliverables and processes to be reviewed for satisfactory quality level
  • Quality standards
  • Quality control and assurance activities
  • Quality roles and responsibilities
  • Quality tools
  • Plan for reporting q uality control and assurance problems

Rationale/Purpose
The purpose of developing a quality plan at the Stage 3 level is to elicit the customer’s expectations in terms of quality and prepare a proactive quality management plan to meet those expectations.

The Quality Management Plan helps the project manager determine if deliverables are being produced to an acceptable quality level and if the project processes used to manage and create the deliverables are effective and properly applied.

Who is involved
Project Manager
Project Team
Customer
Project Sponsor

Result
Quality Management Plan segment of the Project Plan

Gru 4 2014

Management Strategy

Managers and employees alike need to earn the respect of team members, colleagues and company leaders. As we all know, respect is not something that comes automatically with a job title – it must be earned. And it’s not only for the management team; every employee will achieve more success and have more confidence at work when they know they have earned the respect of their colleagues.

consulting

Here are a few guiding principles to earn respect, and build success, at work.

Listen to Your Inner Voice – Each of us makes decisions based on our personal compass of what is good or bad, right or wrong, fair or unfair. Particularly while practicing Human Resources, it seems like there are so many rules, there must be one for every situation! But more often than not, we are interpreting the law and also doing the right thing. This is where a strong moral compass is one of the best tools in your management belt.

Wait 24 Hours… Sometimes – Today we are so connected through technology and our work demands quick responses. When considering options or weighty decisions, remember you (and others impacted) will have to live with the decision much longer than it takes to make it. Although we all have to be ready to turn on a dime sometimes, do not underestimate the power of thoughtfulness.

Pick Your Battles – When working in a team environment, the decision does not always need to go your way. Respectfully agreeing with a leader or the group shows that you can successfully manage change while demonstrating adaptability.

Bring Something To The Table –Be the best you can at what you do, and don’t be afraid to speak up when you have a good idea. Make sure that you are delivering expertise the company will always value. Think constantly about your contribution to the organization and your team.

Keep Your Word – If you commit to a deliverable or a deadline, stick to it. A key element of keeping your word is proactively renegotiating a deadline in advance if you realize you will not be able to reach it. You will gain the respect of all your colleagues due to your reliability. If you come through for others, they will usually come through for you.

Be a Supportive Teammate – Managers should be develop and support their teams. Colleagues should also champion and congratulate one another on accomplishments. You will foster trust and loyalty through your own generosity.

Give Second Chances (Including to Yourself!) – Every employee – including the boss – is going to have a few missteps. When a member of the team is asked to put themselves out on a limb or try something new, they also need to feel there will be a safety net of forgiveness backing them up. Just be candid and admit when one of your teammates, or you, made a mistake, move on, and don’t let it happen too frequently.

source: http://hrservices.sharedhr.com

List 25 2014

Leader Standard Work?

Leader standard work? Is it valuable?

Leader standard work as being fundamental to any company that is committed to continuous improvement and culture change. Leader standard work is part of what is included in third principle of manufacturing excellence, i.e., it is the disciplined use of an authorized formal system.

Typically, manufacturing companies are meticulous about creating standard work for machine operators, e.g., job instructions. The job instructions for a particular process are very detailed and represent the required behavior to produce products that meet the customer specification. I hope we always collect the operators’ input before an engineer or technician retires to the office to formalize the instructions.

 But once the job instructions have been committed to the formal system, then we don’t vote anymore about how to do this work. We expect the instructions to always be followed until and unless someone comes up with a better idea to be vetted and tested before changing the standard work and retraining the affected people.

On the other hand, the closest thing many companies have to leader standard work is the position description. Even a very well-thought-out and written position description is far too general to be used on the day-to-day responsibilities.

Leader standard work requires the commitment to detail the important responsibilities of a leader, some of which do not happen from the comfort of the office.

Leader standard work, in the case of the first line supervisor, involves having a daily plan of what the leader’s key duties are. Those might specify, for example, at least three gemba walks and dialog with each person in the area each day.

As we go up the ladder, the plan could become weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc., depending on the level in the organization. For example, a plant manager might commit to a daily gemba walk to touch base with the value stream managers, supervisors and a few hourly associates in each area just to understand how the plant is running each day, what the issues are and, yes, to be visible to everyone.

The plant manager also is behaving in a way that serves to coach people along the way. If the manager sees a potentially unsafe condition, does she walk on by or stop and engage the issue? The leader’s response will speak volumes to all those who are watching to see what happens next.

It’s a teachable moment if handled properly and helps to reinforce the new culture that would expect operators, material handlers, etc., to step up themselves rather than wait on a member of management to respond. Hourly folks typically see these things first, and we want to help them know what to do and feel confident enough to speak up and help keep their teammates safe as well as themselves.

The same kind of coaching opportunity could occur on a quality issue, schedule issue, maintenance, whatever. This important work cannot be done from the office.

The plant manager might also plan and execute a monthly “state of the business” meeting for everyone once a month. The VP of manufacturing/operations might do it quarterly along with a gemba walk. The CEO might do a video for companywide viewing on full-year results and expectations for the new year.

These opportunities to be visible and interactive provide the means to ensure that leadership’s expectations are clear for the results and behaviors that we seek.

source: http://www.industryweek.com

List 17 2014

Manufacturing Trends in 2015

Manufacturing Trends that will Shape the Market in 2015

Greater automation and investment driven by accelerated production cycles, advanced technology and changing labor demographics will continue to revolutionize the industry

manufacturing-trends

As 2015 approaches it’s time to look ahead at emerging trends that will impact 21stcentury manufacturing around the globe.

The entire supply chain ecosystem — encompassing manufacturers, distributors and retailers — is undergoing a business transformation. This is in response to changing dynamics involving shifting consumer expectations, time to market and intense global competition that is being dictated by the rising Internet and mobile economies.

Advances in technology — coupled with changing labor demographics — are proving to be the lynchpin shaping this new business model. To remain economically viable, retailers must sell products faster and at competitive prices which sends a ripple effect down the supply chain. For example, manufacturers must accelerate production cycles and distributors must shorten delivery times.

Stakeholders throughout the supply chain have no choice but to adjust their business models to meet consumer demand and increase profits. However, technology is helping businesses stay relevant in these changing times. Let’s take a look at five manufacturing trends that will impact the industry in 2015:

  1. ‚SMAC Stack’ adoption to gain speed.A manufacturing comeback is being driven by SMAC — social, mobile, analytics and cloud. The SMAC Stack is becoming an essential technology tool kit for enterprises and represents the next wave for driving higher customer engagement and growth opportunities. The need to innovate is forcing cultural change within a historically conservative „if it’s not broke don’t fix it” industry, and SMAC is helping early adopters in the manufacturing market increase efficiencies and change.
  2. Social media to further impact business model innovation. According to an IDC white paper, „The Future of Manufacturing,” sponsored by Infor, social media is forcing manufacturers to become more customer-centric. The traditional business-to-business model is becoming outdated because today’s connected consumers are better informed and expect products on-demand. Consumers compare, select or buy multiple products with a tap of their smartphone or tablet, and social media has become their preferred communication platform. This consumer purchasing style is not only having an impact on brand-oriented value chains, but is transforming traditional B2B to B2B2C models.
  3. Internet of Things (IoT) will increase automation and job opportunities.A renewed focus on science and engineering education is cultivating a manufacturing workforce that can manage highly technical systems and allow for greater automation. This frees up employees to put their talents to work on R&D which is helping to redefine what it means to have a career in manufacturing. In addition, IoT allows for condition-based maintenance which is driving efficiencies as businesses save on labor and service costs.
  4. Greater capital investment.Though the slow economic recovery continues to hinder expansion and growth opportunities, recent government and industry reports show an uptick in capital investment funding. As manufacturers become focused on capturing value through innovation, original design and speed to market, they are increasing spend for upgrading plant, equipment and technologies.
  5. The emergence of „Next-Shoring.”The rise of a more technical labor force to manage supply chain operations — combined with rising wages in Asia, higher shipping costs and the need to accelerate time to market to meet retailer and consumer demands — has led to more companies shifting their manufacturing strategies from outsourcing overseas to developing products closer to where they will be sold. „Next-shoring,” as this tactic has been dubbed, allows manufacturers to increase the speed at which product is replenished on store shelves. The faster inventory can be moved to the consumer, the sooner the costs to warehouse, ship and dock goods can be freed up.

These are a few of the game-changing trends expected to impact manufacturing in 2015 and it will be exciting to watch which take off as the industry continues to evolve.

source: http://www.industryweek.com

List 13 2014

Global management standards

The ISO 9001 family – Global management standards (International Organization for Standardization).

 This video from the International Organization for Standardization, explores the worldwide impact on business of the ISO 9000 family of international management standards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq1Zi_V4KyE

Mar 24 2014

Main Steps to Improve Manufacturing Quality

There is no better cost to eliminate than the cost of poor quality.

stairs

Good managers seek to contain costs in the manufacturing environment. There is no better cost to eliminate than the cost of poor quality. Scrap material and lost labor hours add no value to the operation.

In order to best eliminate these wastes, a strategic approach to quality improvement is essential. By following these five steps, quality can be improved in a meaningful, sustainable way.

Use a team mindset

Quality won’t be sustainably improved by individuals. To really make lasting and meaningful change in manufacturing processes, it will take a team-based approach. By involving multiple disciplines in the search for improved quality, a variety of perspectives is obtained. Also of importance is knowledge of process history. Why is the process the way it is today? There must be a reason or cause, and that reason should be considered so as not to repeat a problem of days gone by. By considering history and group perspective, solid improvements can be obtained.

Define quality from the customer perspective

Too often, staff within a manufacturing environment want to make a product “better” but don’t really know what better means. With additional cost, we almost always can make a product better. But is additional cost desirable by the customer even if it means better product life? Someone in the organization should serve as the customer advocate. Typically this voice can come from the sales or marketing departments. Use the customers’ perspective to define what the best-in-class product would be and meet those requirements while minimizing cost.

Develop understanding of the Cost of Quality

The cost to fix a defect in the field once it reaches a customer is dramatically higher than the cost to fix the source of the problem before it is created. It is essential that the manufacturing staff be trained to understand the cost multipliers involved with warranty repair or replacement and cost of damaged reputation. Once the staff take this perspective, a desire to find root cause for problem solving is inherently developed.

Solve problems completely

All too often, manufacturing quality improvements fix the symptoms of failure rather than the root cause. This can be done by adding quality inspection steps or rework stations that make it more efficient to fix defects. Instead, a true understanding of root cause should be developed within the teams. When teams develop the ability (through Ishikawa, fault tree, or five-why analysis) to ascertain root cause of defects in the manufacturing process along with a “killer test” that verifies the ability to turn-on and turn-off the problem in the manufacturing process, true solutions to problems will be created that will not allow the return of the issue.

Employ strong process discipline

Throughout the quality improvement process, it is essential that strong process discipline is employed. Depending on the product that is being manufactured, deviation without proper team cooperation and anticipation of the change could have dire quality repercussions. While the organization should avoid cumbersome bureaucracy that inhibits innovation, it is essential that some structure be employed to maintain consistency and an understanding of the way the product is produced during that time period so that root cause can also be identified later if new problems arise as a consequence of the change.

By following these above steps, good management teams can develop great quality programs within their organizations.

source: http://www.industryweek.com

Mar 3 2014

Involvement of People

People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization’s benefit.

Key Benefits :

Applying the principle of involvement of people typically leads to :

• Motivated, committed and involved people within the organization
• Innovation and creativity in furthering the organization’s objectives
• People being accountable for their own performance

• People eager to participate in and contribute to continual improvement.
• People understanding the importance of their contribution and role in    the organization
• People identifying constraints to their performance
• People accepting ownership of problems and their responsibility for solving them
• People evaluating their performance against their personal goals and objectives
• People actively seeking opportunities to enhance their competence, knowledge and experience
• People freely sharing knowledge and experience
• People openly discussing problems and issues.

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