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Creating a Quality-Driven Culture

The most successful companies are not those that simply have a quality program; they have a quality culture. They go beyond merely producing quality work—most firms do that—to exuding quality in every facet of their operations. It’s a value that underlies everything they do, not something imposed upon a reluctant staff.

How can you create a quality culture in your firm? It’s not easy, but it is possible. Some suggestions:

u Really listen to your clients and focus your efforts on satisfying them. And don’t ignore internal customers. You depend on them to satisfy your external customers.

u Establish a communication system to exchange ideas. It should facilitate the free flow of information across organizational lines. A combination of media is best, including email forums, bulletin boards, newsletters, and periodic meetings.

u Change your reward system to promote continuous improvement. What gets rewarded is what gets done. Many firms do not adequately tie individual employee goals to corporate goals like quality.

u Involve every employee, but lead from the top. One of the quickest ways to undermine your quality efforts is to let employees see lukewarm commitment to it on the part of their managers. Senior managers are often the least enthusiastic about continuous improvement. Therefore, start building support for it here.

u Talk about quality constantly. Chances are the most important issues to management—like business development or profitability—are the ones most often discussed. Weave the subject of quality into staff and project meetings.

Copyright © 1997, The Business Edge, all rights reserved (from the newsletter The Consultant Communicator)

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