Does your company imbed quality into its culture and performance, or does it simply look for quality control?
In March 1987, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) released ISO 9001 to the world. This standard has become ISO’s most successful standard (1) with over one million companies in over 170 countries (2) registered as ISO 9001 certified, and many others use it as a baseline for their quality management systems (QMS). But if adherence to ISO 9001 is so widespread, why do so many companies struggle to improve their quality of products, processes and services? Why do we still hear of catastrophic failures like the Boeing 737 MAX, Deep Water Horizon and Space Shuttle Challenger? Or demoralized quality professionals? I believe the answer lies with leadership and the culture of the companies that leaders help to create. This article will look into three key aspects related to corporate leadership and quality’s involvement in operational improvement.