It is said that "the past is not what it used to be," and I
think the same is true of the future. This book is an attempt to place
quality management in its proper perspective so those who understand it
can use it to their advantage. The 21st century is not going to be as
forgiving to those who manage carelessly as in the 20th . We now live in a
world economy and instead of a couple of companies competing with us we
have hundreds, in every field. We must become competitive in a complete
way, that is why I call the book Completeness. It contains some
complex cases in order to show what the management challenge will be about
it the next century. There will be routine communication assists that are
considered far out today or not even thought about. One of the cases deals
with "virtual reality" used by a company Board of Directors to
tour a remote facility. Management will have to be a lot smarter and hard
working than is necessary today.
The Successful Employee
A lecture to an MBA school by a successful executive in which he relates
how difficult it was to be considered good at his job and how he found a
company that made things clear and helped him succeed. The key point he
emphasized was having clear policies on how people were to be treated, how
the company would operate, and what would be expected of everyone.
Education programs had to be constant and management had to make certain
it was communicating the proper information and attitudes. He went back to
his company to find that one of the key executives had taken it on herself
to violate policies because she didn't know about them. She had skipped
orientation.
The Successful Customer
A customer is someone we do something for, on purpose. Conventionally this
is assumed to be someone who gives us an order and pays for it when
received in some form of money. But there are other customers to whom we
give our work. The boss is a customer, as is the family, the person at the
next desk, we need to broaden our view. The chapter deals with Making It
Clear; with Keep In Touch, with Customers Need Help, and other areas of
relationships.
The Successful Supplier
If the Centurion manages properly, everything used in the organization
work life will be supplied by someone outside the company. They will
provide maximum service, minimum price, and assistance with using the
material or service properly. This means that relationships with suppliers
must be done with deliberation, not just by picking the cheapest bid. This
chapter deals in detail with determining what should be purchased; what
policies are necessary in order to work with suppliers most effectively;
how we keep inventory at the absolute minimum; and how educational
arrangements should be made.
The Completeness Grid
When we think about running an organization we become aware that there
are many management styles from which to select. The grid here lists five:
Third Reich; Banana Republic; Constitutional Monarchy; American Republic;
and 21st Century Completeness. The subject they are applied to manage are:
Organizational Policy (in the Third Reich the boss just makes it up as
he/she goes along); Requirements Definitions (The Banana Republic
leadership makes certain that no one knows for sure); Education (it is
available by class in a Constitutional Monarchy); Performance Measurement
(American Republic leaders require that requirements be met); and Purpose
of Organization (which is "to make citizens successful" in the
21st century completeness type).
The "My Way" Management
This is a case history of the arrogant manager. All the business
failures I know about resulted from arrogance on the part of the
leadership which was then translated to the employees in many cases. Here
the principle is the problem. Mr. Wills has all the negative attributes of
management packaged inside him. He is a fictional version of some really
bad executives I have seen. In this case he appears in my fantasy and
invites me to come see the "real world" through his eyes. The
reader will find bad bosses past inside his character. But it isn't funny,
he is around and could be one of us if we are not careful about our
management values.
The Age Of The Centurion
Instead of being resourceful, which refers to being able to scramble out
of situations with innovative solutions, the Centurion is going to have to
be smart, thorough, and well informed. I used the cash flow problems of
PCA in 1982 as an example of management losing sight of its objectives.
Other cases are detailed in order to help the reader relate to the
destructive nature of management when it does not recognize the age in
which it is living.
Making The Principles Of Completeness Fit: Reality And Shoefast
This is the story of a company with an innovative product but a
disengaged management. During a breakout session the management team is
led through a completeness exercise by a facilitator. By examining what
would make their employees, suppliers, and customers successful the team
realizes that they have to use their resources better. They find that they
do not have agreed ways of training, purchasing, financial management and
other important aspects of running an organization that will be eternally
successful.
Reality And Quality
Here the boss is dissatisfied with the company's approach to quality. They
have been doing all the traditional things such as TQM and applying for
the Baldrige award but nothing is getting better. He requests that they
all get together and determine what they understand and what they do not
know. After discussions with their Quality VP, the consultant, and senior
management they come to the conclusion that reality is not what they are
doing. The discussion in this chapter will serve the reader well in
understanding just what quality management is in an organization. The
conventional systems of quality management, including definitions such as
"delighting the customer" are not pragmatic. Many management
teams assume that everyone else understands all this stuff and will
install it in their company for them. Not so. As one of the participants
says in the story "This is a case of the Emperor not having any
clothes."
The Life Of The Centurion: Communicating
Bringing the internal communication system of a company into current
reality is not an easy task because it requires introducing management to
new technology and changing their personal way of operating. In this story
a consulting company learns that it is falling behind the competition and
disappointing its customers at the same time. Some of the young people
show them what can be done and how to use technology available at that
time. The Chairman rethinks a solution he developed as an intern and
realizes that the obvious is still all around us.
The Life Of The Centurion: Educating Management
Continuing the story begun in the previous chapter using "virtual
reality" among other approaches. A study of the individuals on the
Board of Directors is helpful to understand the way executives view
things.
The Life Of The Centurion: "Non-profit" Policy
The application of Competitiveness principles to volunteer
organizations. Much of the discussion is about the need for policy and
direction. Here a young family director is trying to change the ways of a
charitable foundation that is using a "shotgun" approach. She
finds herself having to alter the thinking of those who have done little
of it.
Practicing Completeness: The Situation
Elizabeth Commons, the President of the U.S. is speaking to the Congress
about Completeness. (The reader might remember her from the Leading
book). In the process she relates the story of what has been happening in
the world to bring it to its current state. The situation in the chapter
refers to an invention that will change the way things work. Those
involved have not revealed it to the President or anyone else. The
computer in the basement of the White House helps them figure out how to
use it properly, once she becomes involved.
Practicing Completeness: The Product
The invention is nuclear cold flow packaged into a unit the size of a
basketball. This energy source can virtually eliminate the need for
petroleum products. The way this is all examined and discussed and then
applied can be very useful to the reader.
Completeness In Personal Life
This chapter originated when I was making a commencement speech at the
University of Findlay, Ohio. I was cautioned by one of the students that
commencement speakers always, but always, speak too long. The result was a
"secret of success" speech that listed five items. I use this
brief list at the end of every presentation I make.
