Some days (and weeks and even months) are better than others and it helps to hear someone notices or at least knows the efforts we go through in the quality profession and how difficult it can be. You made my day better today =)

Hi Scott,

As usual, your article was right on target - too often, we forget the power of the one. Just because we are not getting support at the top doesn't mean that we can't make improvements where we are - we just need to find another way around it. This brings to mind a story from my corporate days:

A department was supposed to do fit and function testing for an expensive machine. The organization was slashing budgets left and right, and the funding for this machine prototype was cut. The department was told it could NOT get a prototype... and the personnel wondered - How was the department supposed to verify fit/function without the machine?

The dept manager was a positive, can-do kinda guy. He simply got the exact specs for the machine from the print - and he and his team built it out of plywood. It was a sight to behold - a full-size replica in wood - and all done for the cost of some sweat equity and two sheets of plywood (which the dept manager paid for out of his own pocket).

He wasn't willing to say "my funding was cut" or "I can't do it" - he refused to quit when the going got tough. That day/week/month, he was my hero, and I've never forgotten his attitude. I try to emulate it whenever I can...

Scott I feel you are really on the money with this one. Indeed how does the Quality officer/manager/adviser/consultant gain the recognition for the work they do? If the Quality person has performed well then they will have implanted the necessary knowledge into the organisation such that the business will be doing things their own way. Knowledge transfer is not setting the absolute law on what must happen and why it must be so. It is the imparting of the necessary knowledge such that those within with the responsibility can make their own judgement calls on how they will address the issues raised. The transfer of ownership no less. Hence the Quality Officer has a limited life. This life is geared to the knowledge transfer rate hence some organisations take longer than others.

It can now be argued that if an organisation has appointed a Quality Officer and that person has been holding the position for 2 years or more then that organisation does not have a quality system but yes it may have a certificate on the wall. Commonly referred to as TBM, tick based management.

If now the Quality Officer has done their job and coached and trained the staff in the intent of the Standard and has encouraged them to design and develop their own way of doing things. The staff will own their system as it is not a direct result of the Quality Officer giving instructions as to how things should be done but more on what needs to be done..

Over time, the knowledge transfer time, the system will become selffulfilling. There is now little need for the Quality Officer.

How then does one get the recognition for success? Usually when the certificate is granted the Quality Officer gets a pat on the back. But given that the system is tick based then the need for the Quality Officer will continue.

If now we examine a Quality System owned by the staff within the business unit, the Quality Officer having done a great job. How then do we reward, praise or even acknowledge their work?

Because the staff think they did it there is no recognition of the Quality Officers role. Yet without them there would be little success.
In my own experience I was responsible for the gaining of Accreditation and Certification for a group of some 38 laboratories. They organised a celebration event for the presentation of certificates and to acknowledge one anothers work and achievement. I was not really included. I stood at the back with a warm fuzzy feeling that all this was made possible because of the manner I had managed the process. I had indeed imparted the knowledge for success. I left them to their celebrations and returned to my office.

Some time later, much later, the CEO came in to see me with a very worried expression on his face.
What's wrong I enquired? He stood infront of me and said he was very sorry, oh he was oh so sorry. About what i asked? Well he said we did not acknowledge all the work you did in order for us to gain our certification. He stated that they could never have achieved the success they had without my participation. He shook my hand whilst profusely appologising for this lack of recognition.

I told him it was not my way of doing things to seek recognition I measured my success by observing the interaction of others and the fact that they all owned their processes. It was nice however to finally get the recognition for the work I had undertaken.

Watching others excel in their positions and be all they can be is a powerful motivator for a Quality Officer but it does not give them the recognition they deserve.

Rob Langdon
Quality Manager
Biomedical Technology Services
Brisbane
Queensland
Australia