ISO 9000 and Organizational Learning LO14556

Scott Simmerman (SquareWheels@compuserve.com)
Wed, 30 Jul 1997 11:59:12 -0400

Replying to LO14536 --

Eugene Taurman said, in LO14536, that:

>...those that behave as if only (they) can write a big enough
>book, enough instructions and a cover enough rules everything will be
>better.

>...The big books of rules and procedures have purpose but they do not
>make the difference. It is the heart and mind of the leadership. Not
>the procedure book.

I'm reminded of The Big Book of Wagon Pushing, with its 15 sections and
multiple subsections which describe, in great detail, how the Square
Wheeled wagon is to be operated with quality.

The Big Book is developed by overworked staff members, who sure enough
receive favorable feedback from management about their magnificent
accomplishments in receiving ISO9000 or QS9000 certification.

But, Punished by Rewards, the wagon pushers now find that incremental
improvements in processes and procedures may be actively resisted since it
requires more work and attention to detail to modify the Big Book to
comply with the new ideas. What is needed is a formal application
structure that Pushers can complete to document the changes, indicate the
expected costs, and to which they can become accountable for results and
successes (and probably failures and costs).

Oh, and I failed to mention the Big Book of Wagon PULLING, which documents
and details how managers must behave to fulfill expections set by the Big
Book of Wagon Pushing. You might especially be fond of the section on
employee appraisals and the rigid process determined by Personnel, normed
on the Average Curve, so that managers can justify NOT giving incentives!

Right.

Thus does Continuous Improvement become an oxymoron.

What we need to do is balance this documentation approach so that we get
continuous continuous improvement,

-- 
For the FUN of It!

Scott Simmerman Performance Management Company 3 Old Oak Drive, Taylors, SC 29687 (USA) 864-292-8700 fax 292-6222 SquareWheels@compuserve.com

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