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| qualityg says ... |
| Comments on the state of affairs in business, organizations, academics, process improvement, quality, education, government, etc... It\\\\\\\'s about the message, not the messenger. It\\\\\\\'s about asking questions, and by what method you came up with for your conclusion. |
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| How to "GROW" a Planning Session |
| 2008-07-03 15:03:00 |
“GROW” - Partnership Coaching/Planning
The following guidelines can be used by a manager, team leader, or group, for conducting a coaching or planning session.
G = Goals
1) What would we like to accomplish in the time we have available?
2) What would make this time well spent?
3) What would ultimate success look like to you ?
R = Current Reality - describes as accurately as possible the...
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| Team Goals and Objectives |
| 2008-07-01 00:24:00 |
Recently I have been getting a number of requests about employee objectives (see post ) . However, please remember that employee objectives must be derived from a corporate http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2008/01/employees-goals-and-objectives-2008.html) objective that is aligned with departmental objectives, then team objectives and then employee objectives.
Below is a slide of my Process &...
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| Why Should A School Change? |
| 2008-06-25 09:47:00 |
Determining how to change a school once all involved understand and accept the why and the what. This final stage involves:
• How to create a strategic, collaborative plan
• How to manage change
Unfortunately, like business many schools begin their improvement efforts in the reverse order — by first deciding how to do things differently. That is, they find a “solution” without defining the need...
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| Our Educational System needs more "Systems Thinking" |
| 2008-06-21 10:27:00 |
In the past few weeks I have had numerous conversations with many people about the complexity of our educational system. At times I have been frustrated of not being able to correctly articulate, or communicate the importance of “Systems Thinking” in solving complex process/system problems.
"Everything is simpler than you think and at the same time more complex than you imagine."- Johann...
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| Quality Tool/Technique: "Six Sigma - Been There, Done That" |
| 2008-06-12 11:09:00 |
Six Sigma – Been There, Done That!I recived an Email yesterday asking my views (actually help to keep it a float in a mid size company) on Six Sigma. I decided I would post a write-up I did in 2005, since my views have not changed.
I have received a number of questions about my earlier comments on quality (see Quality and Me…) and would I provide some thoughts on Six-Sigma. I thought it must be...
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| A Bus, the Big Apple and it's time for "Dreams" |
| 2008-06-07 11:25:00 |
The past three weeks have been very eventful and a time for reflection and good sense. Prudence is key and decisions like the ones I need to make can only been done in the silence of one’s own mind.
Since I retired early from what I now call my "Early" stage career I am now faced with staying in my current "Mid" career job or moving to the next chapter. I still consider this my mid stage because...
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| Leadership, Knowledge, Management & People |
| 2008-06-06 00:49:00 |
This is an on-going post that started in April of 2005.
NEWEST UPDATE - See Knowledge # 27
Within this post you will find a number of comments and statements that have been developed and adopted over the years (myself & others) on leadership, quality, management, education, government, etc... and there current state of affairs. I will add some new thoughts every so often, if you would like...
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| So what is the definition of a great leader? |
| 2008-06-05 10:04:00 |
"A great leader is one that never asks the question "What's in it for Me?" But, asks, "What's in it for all those people who are around me that
I am responsible for."
Do you think our leaders today in industry, education and politics ask this question before they make decisions? Based on the amount of work going to other countries and the health of our education system and the silliness of...
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| Process Improvement in the Sales Process |
| 2008-06-01 12:11:00 |
Over the years one of the more challenging areas to implement continuous process improvement was in the sales process. I have found many sales people to be results driven and time focused. To get them involved for an extended period of time to work on process improvement is to know what drives their behavior. Sales people continuously face rapidly moving sales targets, demanding customers,...
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| Balance is the Key to Education |
| 2008-05-25 09:09:00 |
Quality of Education is in the “Balance”
For the most part I always believed when I challenged something that was supposedly concrete in stone I was challenging “Conventional Wisdom.” I still think this true but perhaps a good majority of the time it is really challenging, “Balance.”
When people or something like a process or system reach a balance a comforting feeling sets in and all is...
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| MEMORIAL DAY – WWI – POLAR BEAR + WWII PARATROOPER + VIETNAM - MARINE |
| 2008-05-24 06:30:00 |
MEMORIAL DAY
I have reposted this post for the last couple of years. It is a good reminder fro me of the veterans in my family that served us all with distinction during troubled times (WWI, WWII and Vietnam)2008
This year I would like to add an Email my brother sent me:
It is the VETERAN,
not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN,
not the reporter, who...
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| Total Quality vs Six Sigma Six Years Ago |
| 2008-05-11 07:22:00 |
I received an Email from a friend of mine that I worked with for over 10 years. He was going through his files and he found this write-up I did in April of 2003.
He suggested that I post it on my Blog. The only changes I made was to rename the company in question with "ACME."
From: qualityg
Date: 4/14/03
I would like to start out by stating that I have been involved in the Quality Arena since...
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| I want "Quality" not "Quantity" Emails |
| 2008-05-09 06:00:00 |
For many moons I have had a love/hate relationship with E-Mail. It’s such a great way to pass on information, data and thoughts in such a short time. However, I hate E-mail because of the loss of personality.
How did it become a binding contract in the business world? You spend more time trying to explain what the message says, just pick up the phone, or better yet walk down the hall and meet...
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| Simple Process Improvement Rules |
| 2008-05-03 16:22:00 |
Processes are not unique with the types of non-conformances and communication breakdowns. In fact a vast amount of processes can be improved quickly through aggressive application of basic standardization and use of standard solutions. Basic approaches of value added flowcharting, and fast-cycling removal of non-value added activity (i.e. process steps that relate to fixing a problem or...
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| Shit Can the High School Graduation Party |
| 2008-05-02 09:27:00 |
I had a lot of time to think this past weekend since I drove to Indianapolis on Friday and returned on Saturday night. Ten hours driving alone in my car listening to talk shows in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana as I drove through these states. While most of the talk pertained to local affairs one thread that was in each state was the shape of our education system from K-16.
I also thought about...
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| Autism and the Law |
| 2008-04-29 19:58:00 |
I attended a well-known Special Education Law Conference this past week and walked away with some major thoughts and concerns.
I sat in the last row by the aisle so that I could watch and observe the interactions going on among the attendees. There was another room with about 20 exhibits from local and national vendors on all sorts of training and information on special education needs. The...
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| SIPOC + CCCC FACT SHEET - J-MAN STYLE |
| 2008-04-23 19:21:00 |
Over the past three years one of the subjects that I get the most hits on and request for more information is my SIPOC + CCCC customer improvement flows. The fact sheet below was co-developed with my quality partner for a number of years - Julio Reyes (J-Man).
Julio and I created and designed many quality worksheets like the one below. More importantly Julio utilized these sheets when he met...
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| Autistic Student --->Schools, What gives you the Right...? Updated 4/22/08 - Earth Day Project |
| 2008-04-22 17:21:00 |
I work with an Autistic High School Student who has very little reading skills and comprehension very low. If I gave her 10 pages of notes to copy she could it with no problem but would not understand anything that she wrote/copied. The mainstreamed teachers I work with rely on me to make the right decision for what is best for the student. I must also add there are a number of general ed...
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| Misc Quality - Earth Day - 4/22/08 |
| 2008-04-22 10:13:00 |
I always liked this poem by Walt Whitman - appropriate for Earth Day
Love the earth and sun and the animals,
despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
stand up for the stupid and crazy,
devote your income and labor to others,
hate tyrants, argue not concerning God,
have patience and indulgence toward the people,
take off your hat to nothing known or unknown,
or to any man or number of...
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| Quality System (QSA) Comments/Questions |
| 2008-04-18 17:13:00 |
QUALITY SYSTEM ASSESSMENT (QSA) COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
AND MANAGEMENT QUALITY SYSTEMDeveloped by qualitygThe following QSA questions go with a previous post that explained the process for conducting a Quality System Assessment in your company. The post can be found at http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/08/quality-tooltechnique-quality-system.htmlThe following comments/questions are generic in nature...
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| Arrogant and Ignorant Leaders |
| 2008-04-13 17:56:00 |
I was watching a PBS show about today’s leaders and the host (Dean from a University Business Department) was asking for examples of what it means to be a good leader.
The guest (not fair to single out one leader when there are so many that fall into this category as it pertains to this post) did not provide many concrete examples but when he did the sentences all started with “I” and it always...
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| Boycott Beijing Olympics? Nope, Boycott Big Business First! |
| 2008-04-11 15:49:00 |
I’m getting tired of the hypocrisy that continues on and on and on from protesters and countries over the human rights issues in China. It's too easy people, do something that really matters.
It's always the middle guy that gets screwed, this time it's the athletes 9again). Most of you politicians who want the boycott (Hilary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi to name a few) just want to "feature"...
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| "Quality System Assessment (QSA)" |
| 2008-04-10 12:04:00 |
Over the years I have created and developed a Quality Tool/Technique that I call "Quality System Assessment" (QSA). It was designed to be used for any industry (quality, business, education, government). The major design inputs were taken from the Deming Award, ISO 9000, Motorola, Malcom Baldridge and my own quality assessment experiences.
My hope in sharing this is for the reader to be able...
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| Leadership by Probing Around |
| 2008-04-07 19:55:00 |
I received a call from a friend recently asking me if I knew of any questions he could ask as he walked around a new department he was just assigned.
The following set of questions was designed to assist leaders in asking process analysis questions while they visit an office or department. These questions are also intended to provide a new leader some basic information about what his people do...
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| "World Autism Awareness Day" - qualityg style |
| 2008-04-03 19:44:00 |
April 2, 2008
Today first World Autism Awareness Day. It is a special day to honor to the bravery of the individuals with autism and their families.
Today I wore my favorite autism shirt to school. I often feel more people should live outside the box and take lessons from our special children.
Interestingly at school today no one was aware of Autism Day. Eight students commented to me after...
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| Grad Student Walkout and Do you want a Grad Student Teaching your Children? |
| 2008-04-01 12:54:00 |
University of Michigan graduate student instructors held a walkout last week (3/25/08) because of their pay. Currently the average salary of a grad assistant (this does not mean these instructors have a Master’s Degree) is $ 15,000 dollars for a 20-hour workweek (around $60.00 an hour) eight months of the year. The students gain a Master’s Degree at the end of their employment.
The Graduate...
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| Voice of the Customer |
| 2008-03-26 08:35:00 |
From: qualityg
Re: Voice of the Customer (VOC)
In today’s competitive environment many companies enact a number of strategies to gain market share. However, the pursuit of market share has resulted in more concern with finding new customers than with retaining existing ones. Studies and statistics show that on average, businesses (USA) spend seven times more money attracting new customers than...
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| Focusing on the Customer - Which One? |
| 2008-03-24 11:59:00 |
For years I have been educating and training on the importance of the internal customer/supplier partnership to a company’s overall quality strategy.
I developed models like the one below to graphically get my points across. Unfortunately many people have used the internal customer supplier partnership model as a means to hide defects and non-conformances of their input because they are...
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| Customer Preference as opposed to Customer Loyalty |
| 2008-03-19 09:40:00 |
I have found that using the term “customer preference” as opposed to "customer loyalty" and satisfaction seems to make the most sense for many companies. Following are some thoughts on the subject.
Often people use these terms interchangeably, thus causing more confusion. It is important to know the difference; Mark Twain said it best. “The difference between the right word and almost the right...
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| "Absolute Power" – a mayor, an instructor, and a ceo and now "the bully (updated 3/15/08) |
| 2008-03-15 13:30:00 |
3/15/08
In light of the recent chaos, circus and clown involving the Mayor of Detroit I am posting this post that I wrote in April of 2005. Three years later and one re-election the situation has only got worse.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/123035
http://www.newsweek.com/id/104993
qualityg says ... Where is Governor Granholm when you need her. She is a lame duck but refuses to act...
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| Customer Focus - 2008 & Beyond |
| 2008-02-29 19:45:00 |
What follows is an example of a letter from a Senior Officer to his/her direct reports (after a merger) that should be cascaded down through out the organization. It is written is a generic form that would require minor adjustment to fit your own company needs. Additional data from your own company on customer satisfaction levels and those of your customers also adds to the impact of this type of...
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| The only one who should be labeled Special Ed around here is ME! |
| 2008-02-19 05:45:00 |
Are they Really Special Education Material?
Conventional Wisdom says they are because they score low on aptitude tests that test conventional knowledge like reading, writing and math. Who am I talking about? I’m talking about the Shop Kids.
Yes the Shop kids who usually have their own wing of the school that is 98% and more male and where most of the thugs hang out and talk cars and welding....
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| Creating an infrastructure for Quality |
| 2008-02-06 05:35:00 |
To: Quality Director
From: qualityg --> Quality Manager
Re: Quality Positions and Responsibilities at TQG (Total qg)
Based on an Email I received earlier this week I was asked if I could provide some information on driving Lean Six Sigma throughout an organization.
I will answer this in a generic sense since there are too many different quality programs running amuck in today’s organizations....
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| Why Do Teachers Do What They Do ...? Are Shop Teachers ---> Teachers?.. see # 83 |
| 2008-02-04 10:12:00 |
I have been a Student and a Teacher/Instructor (sometimes both at the same time). During this time I have taught/trained thousands of students (K-16) and employees (Workers to Executives). I have been fortunate to be able to learn so much from so many talented people.
Over the years I have been baffled, amazed, confused or just wondering ...
"Why Do Teachers/Administrators Do What They Do...?"...
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| Process Improvement Fact Finding |
| 2008-01-18 05:32:00 |
The Diagram below shows three types of problems most frequently encountered in a normal workday. There is always a balance in fact finding and it also takes a great deal of common sense.
For example if I get in a car accident and my arm is barely attached do not conduct a Root Cause Analysis. Get me to a hospital and when it is timely conduct your process investigation. Far fetched? Not really,...
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| Employees Goals and Objectives 2008 - Concerned But Not Surprised |
| 2008-01-15 16:10:00 |
When I first wrote my post "Employee Goals & Objectives for 2008" at http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/12/quality-employee-goals-objectives-for.html I was wondering if it would get any hits. It has long been my belief that when it comes to this annual task many workers have no idea on where to start or what to write.
The amounts of hits I get daily (aprox 10) since I first posted it last October...
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| The band, Five for Fighting, donating $0.49 to Autism Speaks |
| 2008-01-05 07:15:00 |
All,
This was sent to me by my friend JB:
The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.49 to Autism Speaks for *each time* this video is viewed.
The funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure for autism. When you have a moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your loved ones.
They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help...
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| Call Center Measurements |
| 2008-01-04 11:31:00 |
Basic Call Center Quality Measures
For a number of years I worked on Process Improvements for Call Centers. I received an Email last week asking me about quality measures in a Call Center -- Below is my response ...
In order to set up basic call center meausre you first begin identifying measurement criteria for call centers that will assist in providing process measures for operational...
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