Sustaining Excellence for the Long Term

Here are few ideas around how to sustain excellence for the long term.

Sustaining Excellence is synonymous with Sustainable Change Management. The Change Management foundation hinges on Enlightened Leadership, Great Project Management, and Excellent Talent Management. The Change Management Model calls for 1). Determine the need for change, 2). Prepare and plan for change, 3). Implement the change, and 4). Sustain the change. World-wide organizations have adopted Eight Stages of Change Management from Prof. John Kotter, a professor emeritus from Harvard Business School.

Sustaining excellence is the responsibility of leadership to steer the organization in a right direction and be there along with your people throughout the excellence journey. Now this is a tall order. This will require leaders who clearly communicate need for change and coach people to remain on the mission to implement change.

To implement the change successfully, there is a need for great project management. Nearly 70% of change initiatives fail. The main reason for this failure rate is lack of good project management. One needs to implement aggregate project plan to inventory all the projects in the organization pipeline, prioritize those projects according to importance to customers, and allocate proper resources to complete those selected projects/initiatives. And have periodic reviews to assess project performance and risks.

Ultimately to sustain the change, one needs to select and nurture the talent. To effectively manage human capital, leaders need to create engagement through participation, external motivation, and development initiatives. People who are sustaining the change must be recognized and rewarded.

In summary, it is a challenge to sustain excellence. The roadmap is already there, however, organizations that execute the change management well will succeed, and rest will perish.

I am eager to learn about your views on sustaining excellence for the long term. 

Quality Training

Here are my observations regarding quality training at my previous employer, AT&T Bell Laboratories:

At the Naperville, Illinois location of the AT&T Bell Labs, we had a major initiative to embark on a quality improvement journey in the Switching Systems Business Unit (SSBU) in mid 1980's. The following projects were implemented:

• Quality 101 for Executives and Employees - This involved sending a core team for crash quality management training (e.g., 3 days with Dr. Deming). The core team designed a 2-day Quality 101 course for Directors and delivered to division directors (train-the-trainer approach). Then these directors cascaded the training in their departments. The entire SSBU was trained in basics of quality. 

• Process Management Teams - This involved formation of process management teams and documenting key processes using the SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer) diagram and necessary training in the use of SIPOC Diagram. This effort required identifying key processes within SSBU, forming process management teams which received training in SIPOC use. The teams then captured their processes using a uniform SIPOC diagram approach. Understanding customer requirements led to key metrics and the continuous improvement journey started using facts and data. As a result, we received the ISO 9001 certification in one year in 1991 for the entire SSBU (6,000 employees across three countries - Netherlands, UK, and USA).. 

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) preparation classes - As I have already shared in my previous blog posts, between 1990 to 1995 around 350 colleagues enrolled in the CQE preparation classes, 200 took CQE exam, and 89 became ASQ CQEs. The pass rate was 66% as compared to average ASQ pass rate of 33% for CQEs. The number of CQEs at the Naperville Switching Design and Development location was the highest among all ATA&T Bell Labs locations including manufacturing units.

• Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award Assessment of all AT&T Divisions and necessary training in Baldrige - This initiative required each division to form a core team of directors and engineers to use the Baldrige criteria to annually assess the division. All executives received appropriate training in interpreting the Baldrige criteria. Under this initiative AT&T received three Baldrige Awards - one in Manufacturing and two in Service.

Another example I can share was with our three Medicare Contractor clients who were getting ready for ISO 9001:2004 certification. Here we organized a 1/2 day training for the Executives to provide ISO methodology and its importance. Then we trained the entire staff an Introduction to ISO Process. The teams then started mapping their key processes using the SIPOC diagram. Before the Auditor came for certification, the entire workforce was trained in the ISO Process. As a result, all three Medicare Contractors achieved their ISO 9001:2004 certification without any non-compliance.

In summary, when appropriate quality training is provided with alignment to the organization's strategy, the employees get motivated and achieve great results.

I look forward to learning about your experience in quality training.

My Certification Advice

After joining the American Society for Quality (ASQ) as a member in 1987, I decided to take the ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) exam in December 1988. At that time I was with the AT&T Bell Laboratories and already working in quality management area.

As we had embarked on a journey of quality excellence at Bell Labs in Naperville, Illinois, my Vice President (Edward Prell) in the International Switching Customer Business Unit had an expectation that I should become certified in quality discipline. Also, help prepare others at AT&T Bell Labs to get their ASQ certifications.

I enrolled in a CQE preparation class at the Oakton Community College in Des Plaines (about 30 miles from my home). There were 10, three hour sessions in the evening. One interesting thing happened in the class was to form a buddy system. I paired up with another class participant, who served as a sounding board. That buddy system helped me a great deal in clearing up my doubts and answering difficult questions. I did pass my CQE exam at the first attempt (pass rate was 33% at that time).

To follow up on my VP's expectation, I started an ASQ CQE preparation pilot in 1989 with 5-6 colleagues in the quality department at AT&T Bell Labs. Once they got their CQE, in 1990 we started offering ASQ CQE preparation classes at AT&T Bell Labs, twice a year (April-May and October-November). From 1990 through 1995, we enrolled around 350 colleagues at AT&T Bell Labs in these Prep classes. Out of 350, 200 decided to take the CQE exam, and 89 got their CQE (Our prep class passing rate was around 66%). This was one of the highest numbers of ASQ certifications among all of the AT&T locations including manufacturing sites.

Here are some tips and tricks to prepare for ASQ Certification exams:

• Have proper credentials to qualify for taking a specific ASQ certification exam.
• Have adequate preparation - either join a refresher preparation class through your local section or join a refresher class at a community college.
• Always use a buddy system - pair up with another exam candidate from your area. 
• Have good practice solving prior year exam questions (e.g. Juran & Gryna textbook).
• For an open book exam, take only relevant reference books with you. I saw several people bring bags full of books - it does not help, it wastes your valuable time.
• The certification exam needs good time management:  

          1). First answer those questions, where you know the answer.
          2). Pass on most difficult questions in round 1.
          3). Tackle difficult questions in round 2 - you may need to look up a right reference.
          4). In multiple choice questions, 2 out of 4 choices are incorrect, eliminate them.
          5). Do not leave any questions unanswered. If unsure, make an educated guess.
          6). Always check your answers at the end.

• Prior to the exam day, have a good night rest - do not cram at the last minute. It is counterproductive!
• Once prepared, focus on taking the exam and passing it at a first attempt.

If you are certified, I look forward to learning about your tricks and tips.

Social Networks and Quality Professionals

Personally, I use LinkedIn, Facebook, Tweeter, Blogs, YouTubes, and Discussion Boards for professional networking with others in quality field.

1). Joined LinkedIn in February 2007. I use this network for professional sharing and learning. I have joined several groups of like-minded quality professionals.

2). Joined Facebook in July 2011 and using it to connect with the American Society for Quality (ASQ) professionals and others. Periodically, I post interesting articles and blogs on my Facebook account. 

3). Joined Tweeter in November 2012. I use this social network as my digital library. When I read an interesting article/blog, I immediately retweet in my Tweeter account.

4). Joined ASQ Influential Voices in January 2012. I respond to official topics and add my own topics of relevance through my blog posts.

5). I have learned how to create an YouTube for special events in August 2011 and have created few YouTube videos.

6). Using Discussion Boards when I teach quality management and operations management courses in an Online setting for well over two years.

Overall, the social networks are the best ways to connect with quality professionals on a global basis. It is effective and fast. I continue to learn through these interactions and able to add my value along the way.

I would welcome your views on the use of social networks for continuous learning and sharing.

If you are on any of the social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tweeter, you are welcome to send me an invite to be socially connected! 

Quality Today: Key Challenges

The most important challenges the quality community faces in ensuring that the value of quality is fully realized for the benefit of society: 

• Engaging senior leaders to accept the critical role of quality and its impact for the benefit of their organization and the society.
• Creating a culture of quality with the help of senior leaders who lead the way.
• Creating leaders at all levels who appreciate the importance of quality and provide commitment, support, and get personally involved.
• Focusing on customers by understanding their needs and expectations to deliver superior quality products and services.
• Focusing on internal customers (employees) by engaging them through participation, motivation, and development to serve external customers.
• Using few effective measurements to manage the enterprise.
• Continually improving systems and processes to provide improved quality of products and services.
• Ensuring that all major activities of the organization are managed in a socially responsible way to protect economy, environment, and the society.

The best-in-class organizations on a global basis continue to strive and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. The national performance excellence award winners are good role models whose practices we should adept as appropriate. This is where the quality community can play a critical role as quality champions.

 
Key questions the quality community most need answered in order to advance the state of quality practice in the world:

• What are all the pain points in the organization? - Show the need
• Which are the top 3-4 pain points if tackled will create superior value to the organization? - Prioritize the need
• Who are the champions with right talents to solve the top pain points? - Create a guiding coalition
• What is the vision to tackle the top pain points? - Focus on big picture
• How do we communicate the urgency of top pain points in the organization? - Share it widely
• How do we empower our internal customers to work collaboratively in tackling key pain points? - Take actions
• How do we reinforce great work done by internal customers to keep them fully engaged in addressing key pain points? - Recognize good work
• How do we sustain the results over a long time? - Create a new quality culture

I look forward to your thoughts to fully realize the value of quality for the benefit of society.

Exponential Power of the Gift of Giving - TEDxIIT Talk

I am happy to share the talk I gave at the TEDxIIT (my alma mater, in Chicago, Illinois) on April 13, 2013.  

The live streaming link is at: 
http://new.livestream.com/tedx/events/2015174/videos/16259789. Advance the video to 6:37:40 when my intro and talk comes up. Eventually, an YouTube will be posted at the TED website.  

I am also delighted to receive the American Society for Quality (ASQ) 2013 Spencer Hutchens Medal for Social Responsibility at the ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement in Indianapolis, Indiana on May 5, 2013. You can view photos from the ASQ Award ceremony at:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107626546597576901865/albums/5877925831316739969?authkey=CKvYj-TCv-v9sAE

I am privileged to be an IIT Chicago alumnus and will be talking about the “Exponential Power of the Gift of Giving”. 

For the first quarter of my life, I have received a gift of education and it took me almost half a century to give back. 

First let me share my gratitude for the opportunities received in India and the US…..

• Both my parents were gone by the time I was six. My extended family provided great support.
• The Government of India subsidized 80% of my undergraduate education at the IIT BHU in India.
• The J. N. Tata Endowment Scholarship made it possible to come to the US for my higher education. 
• At IIT Chicago, Prof. Wasan offered me teaching assistantships for completing my graduate work. 

These acts of generosity made me realize that now it was my turn, to start giving back. And my IIT Chicago days gave me opportunities to practice the art of giving back. As we know a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. 

My giving back started in small ways….

• During 1970-1971, East Pakistani refugees had crossed the Indian border. We screened Indian movies at IIT to raise funds for the CARE International which provided blankets to thousands of refugees. 
• There were several other projects such as raising money for drinking water during a draught in India and shipping clothing for needy people over 10 years. 
• At AT&T Bell Labs, led the Save the Children Holiday Campaign for 15 years raising funds during Christmas time from coworkers. We sponsored 50 children in 20 countries globally. 
• Served as the Vice Chair of “Investing in Quality” Capital Campaign at the American Society for Quality and raised $1.75 million. 
• I began to appreciate what President John F. Kennedy said, “For of those to whom much is given, much is required.”

Now let me share my story of the exponential power of the gift of sight in India. 

• I want to take you back in time to my high school days and visualize an incident when I am playing with firecrackers during the festival of light celebrations. One of the firecrackers did not go off. When I put a puff of air, that firecracker did explode in my face, and I lost my eyesight. During that darkness, I pondered about my future without eyesight. Luckily, with help from an eye doctor, I regained my eyesight after 24 hours.
• That incident in 1959 left an indelible impression on me about the plight of blind people. The God planted a seed which would germinate 30 years later, when in 1989, the Blind Foundation for India (BFI) will be established.
• In 1988, Dr. Rajendra Vyas, an Indian lawyer by profession, but blind due to an accident visited with us. He gave a challenge to help over 15 million visually impaired people in India.
• Inspired by him, we started the BFI in 1989. The mission of BFI is to prevent and cure blindness, and educate and rehabilitate permanently blind people in India.
• Using quality principles we built a lean organization. We have only six Directors, 100 plus Advisors, an Overseas Coordinator (Kishobhai Shah), and a Field Officer in India.
• There is a massive issue of blindness in India. One out of every three blinds in the world live in India. On one hand, youngsters 4-6 year old go blind due to lack of Vitamin A in their diet. On the other extreme, elderly people with Cataract do not get any support from their family for Cataract removal. Hence, they are needlessly staying blind.
• The Johns Hopkins University studies have shown that Vitamin A not only prevents blindness in children but also prolongs their life span. For a young child, Vitamin A doses over a two-year period cost only $1. When a child stays in school and finishes education, he/she has a lifetime earning potential of $100,000. A true exponential power of the gift of giving.
• Our medical partners examine the eyesight of students, provide glasses, Vitamin A, and in some cases free Cataract operations. Around 2-5% of students with eye problems drop out of school. Thus, they become a burden to their family and society facing destitution. So far, over 500,000 children have been examined.
• During our visits to India we saw several BFI child sight projects. Here children are gathered for morning exercise before a screening camp. Next an eye doctor is checking boy’s eye sight for lack of Vitamin A. Again children are gathered for their eyesight checkup and Gita in far right is having her eyesight examined.
• Let me explain the exponential power of the gift of restoring sight in India. It takes only $20 for a Cataract removal in India, as compared to $4,000 here in the US, a multiplier of 200. That mere $20 creates an exponential impact for elderly people to enjoy the beautiful world around them and become useful to their family and society.
• BFI has supported over one million free eyesight checkups and performed over 110,000 free Cataract operations. Here Gangaben is recovering at a hospital after a short 10 minute Cataract operation.
• We have donated 104 vans for transporting eye doctors and patients, and also provided 10,000 Braille Kits to blind children for their education.
• At BFI it was a slow and difficult journey. However, with the power of collaboration and teamwork, we were able to stretch our resources. There is an Indian saying that ‘every drop of water when collected fills up an ocean’.
• With special help from a Rotarian friend Godrej Billimoria, BFI received matching funds from the Rotary Foundation worth $500,000. And we went exponential! 
• Since 1989, the BFI Team has raised over $3.5 million to support all the projects. We have provided hope to children and elderly through the gift of sight. Watching joy on their faces is priceless.

Closing:

• Let us remember what the 18^th Century French Missionary, Etienne de Grellet said, "I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."
• Through the grace of God, I am privileged to have touched over 1.2 million lives around the world through philanthropic, academic, professional, and corporate service. 
• We all have a potential to replicate the BFI model and find low-cost solutions to social issues. To create an exponential impact, we need to engage human capital and use simple quality tools such as process mapping and problem solving.
• I want to close with a positive story. Here, after a treatment, Kamla with squint eye has much brighter future due to a simple surgery. There is a silver lining to the massive problem of blindness in India, 80% of blindness is preventable or curable.
• Finally, all of us should find a cause which touches our heart, join hands with like-minded people, and recognize donors and volunteers. Philanthropy requires three things: your gift of Time, Talent, and Treasure. You too can experience an exponential power of the gift of giving.

Thank you!

Quality Awards and Personal Experience

Let me share two Quality Awards (State and International) and my personal experience serving with them.

1). Illinois State Team Excellence Award (Chief Judge - 1993-1999):

In 1992, this award was established in the State of Illinois in the US to spur economic development among  Illinois organizations and recognize them for their outstanding achievements through teams. Major players included the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, ASQ Chicago Section, and Motorola Corporation. The award focused on team participation in manufacturing and service industries. It was based on the State of Ohio Team Excellence program and enhanced using Motorola's Total Customer Satisfaction focus.

For seven years nearly 25-30 organizations competed in 5-6 State-wide regional competition leading to final judging at the state level. Each team (5-7 members) wrote a simple summary and then made a 30 minutes presentation to the panel of judges. Winners at the state level were honored by the Governor with Gold, Silver, and Bronze trophy for their team excellence accomplishments.

It was my honor to serve as the Chief Judge during the life of the program. We also recruited well qualified judges from ASQ Sections in the Chicago area. Motorola provided Judges' training material and an instructor.

This program created a lot of buzz in the business community. However, during late 1990's, organizations were too busy with increased production demands. Therefore, this award was phased out after the 1999 ceremony.

2). Asia Pacific Global Performance Excellence Award (Board of Examiner - 2004-Present):

In the late 1990's, the Asia Pacific Quality Award was established to recognize best-of-the-best organizations which have already won their national quality award among 44 countries surrounding the Asia Pacific rim. In 2011, the award name was changed to Global Performance Excellence Award in line with the name change for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to Baldrige Performance Excellence Award. The Global Performance Excellence Award uses the Baldrige Performance Excellence criteria for  judging applications.

I am serving on the Board of Examiners from 2004 to present time. Every year, I judge 5-6 national winner entries and provide scores with valuable feedback to the participating organizations. Winners in various categories get global recognition at the annual Asia Pacific Quality Conference. For more information about the 2013 conference, visit: http://apqo.org/files/19thAPQO/19thapqoBali,Indonesia_r3.pdf.

From my personal experience serving on a State and International Award program, I have seen number of best practices implemented globally leading to better economic development and prosperity for people in various parts of the world.

I would welcome your thoughts on other national and international quality awards.