The meat in the quality sandwich by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

GA Business and Management Consultancy
"The Real Best in Asia and Middle East"

I was working as a marketing and training director at VV Soliven Realty Corporation trying to support property brokers to solve their problems when a Japanese friend said to me: " Instead of looking at individuals, you should work on the whole organization." It was a seminal moment that started me thinking about understanding organizations and how they work. I asked myself: If we design a better system would brokers better achieve their purpose in society?"

That one throwaway comment was the catalyst for a change in my career. I went on to study intervention theory, which is focused on the question of how to intervene in a situation in order to secure desired outcomes. However, I realized very quickly that, while it was a good theory , I didn't know what to intervene on! In the end it was the work of Deming and understanding organizations as systems that became the meat in my sandwich , so to speak.

I began to understand that it's the system that governs an individual's behavior. If an organization is designed as a series of functions and managers find that their staff don't work well across functions, they mistakenly think they have a cooperation problem when actually they have a system problem.

Organizations don't have to be designed as functions. It was Deming who said: "We invented management, so we can change it". Once I understood this, my career became about managing service organizations as system instead of in conventional ways.

Early in my career , I had the good fortune of working with one chief executives at several different companies, and together we developed a method for studying and redesigning organizations as systems. Along the way I learned that because service organizations do not manufacture anything, they can change swiftly from the conventional command-and -control design into a system design, resulting in big improvements very quickly.

I also discovered that much of conventional management theory is flawed, just as Deming said it was. For example, I found that the concept of economies of scale is a myth. If you industrialize service organizations-front offices, back offices, standardized work-what this does is create failure demand, demand created by the failure to do something for your customer or the failure to do something correctly. To solve this problem you have to absorb the variety of customer demands. If you've created an industrialized , standardized design, it won't absorb that variety so it creates failure demand. Most managers don't understand that; they treat all demand as though it's work to be done.

Alongside Deming, Taiichi Ohno's work in 1950s was another source of inspiration , particularly the way in which he taught managers by getting them to study the system before sending them out to the shopfloor. He took this approach because when you study organizations as systems you learn some counter-intuitive things. In manufacturing , for example, you learn that it's folly to concentrate on unit cost because the cost is actually in manufacturing flow. Ohno understood that if you explain that to a manager they might not understand because they have been taught how to manage unit cost. However, if they study the system itself then they will understand it.

I put my experience into practice and started my own consultancy company in 1998. GA Consultancy specializes in helping service  organizations escape from the traditional command - and- control design and into a systems design. We've developed methods to help our clients study their service organizations as systems and, with that knowledge , redesign their services according to customer demand. That is a counter-intuitive step for most managers because they think if you give customers what they want  then costs are going to go up. Most managers believe that there's a trade-off between service quality and cost, but there isn't. As quality and service improves , costs will fall. When you learn to manage value, you drive costs out of the system.

My reputation's built on the success that people have had  with the GA Method, but I'm also  well- known for being critic of management fads. I'm anti the conventional command-and- control management style and I'm sad to say that ISO 9001, the business excellence model, six sigma and lean are all stuffed full of conventional management thinking. The quality profession needs simplify things by going back to Deming and understanding how to manage business as systems. People say that's what ISO standards do, but I disagree.

Another thing that I've got a reputation for is being critical of public sector reform. I first got involved after I was contacted by someone working in the public sector who had read a book of mine. He told me that his organization was suffering from all the problems that I had described in my book. His business delivered housing benefits and we went in and helped him redesign it. From there I really started learning about public-sector service.

My career has always moved this way; right from early years whenever a fad came about I would go back to find who started it, what problems they were trying to solve and the method they had used.

I've written four books on the application of systems thinking and I'm considering writing a fifth on economic thought , which will be another new area for me. Economists have a huge influence on management thinking. Economies of scale and cost management , for example, both came out of economic thinking and so I'm considering writing a book to help educate managers. I want to explain that much of traditional management thought has its roots in economic thinking and the big subject that's missing in economic thinking is the economic of value. Which brings us back to Deming again. Until the quality profession educates industry and adopts systems thinking, managers will remain focused on costs and not value.

GA Consultancy Head Office in Singapore

Quality Management: Implementing the best ideas of the gurus by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

Today's quality professional has a plethora of tools and techniques available at his or her fingertips. Quality managers can assess risk with failure mode and effects analysis , ensure processes with statistical process control or remove waste with lean, but it can become easy to get caught up with finding the right tool and forget the basic concepts that lie behind quality.

Currently we tend to find ourselves confronted with distinct quality systems based on creating , maintaining and inspecting a management system with ISO 9000 standards at its core or people-based total quality as exemplified by the Japanese approach of hoshin kanri or the use of quality circles.

These two approaches emerged from the work on quality management during the 1950s by gurus such as Juran. While one school of thought focused on codifying those principles into more prescriptive requirements for inspection , the other supported a wider approach focusing on people and how to manage them. During 1975-1985, there was a struggle between the two schools of thought with the inspection focused approach ultimately becoming more widely accepted.

The people-based approach , with its roots in post-war Japan, was not as widely understood and had few advocates , despite the fact that its most powerful supporters included Deming, Juran , Ishikawa and Crosby. At the European Organization for Quality conference in Stockholm in 1966, Juran warned his contemporaries of the potential economic power of Japanese people-based total quality , when he said:" The way the Japanese are now working, they will become the world leaders in quality 20 years from now, if we in the west are not doing anything. There is no doubt about it!"

The audience he addressed , however was largely made up of engineering inspectors who were more comfortable with the standardized approach to quality. These inspectors made up part of a vast group that had been growing since the development of so- called scientific management at the turn of the 20th century.

Scientific management was the theory  developed by Frederick Taylor of managing work flows to achieve cost efficiency and productive labor. Prior to the industrial revolution inspectors were unheard of, because a craftsman does not need to have his work inspected.

Craft-made products as a hand-thrown pottery plate, a Chippendale chair or an intricately woven rug, encapsulated the pride, dignity, self respect and hours of painstaking work of their creators, all made with loving care to be enjoyed by their users. Unfortunately the craftsmanship system proved unsustainable in the modern world. The global population explosion demanded the high-volume manufacture of mass -produced products where perfection was ignored in order to produce the bulk required. Techniques were developed to take the skill out of the work and reduce operations to their most meaningless detail. This development elevated to the US the most powerful industrialized country in the planet and everyone else follow suit.

The deskilling of work resulted in the need for the work of the unskilled person to be inspected by others and caused the emergence of engineering inspector as an appendage to the production process, but not a part of it. The inspector was a powerful and not-always -friendly policeman, and as mass production increased so did the number of inspectors.

By the time Juran made his speech in Stockholm, the number of inspectors around the world was substantial and growing. Attention was by then being diverted to inspecting the means by which the products were made rather than the product itself, and the quality assurance was born.

Inspection and engagement
As the quality assurance movement developed , as exemplified by the creation of the International Organization for Standardization and the adoption of voluntary standards, at no point did inspectors challenge the scientific management approach itself as being the fundamental cause of the problems they hoped to inspect out. They ignored the fact that if people do not really care, if they just do their job accordingly to instructions, if they are not particularly inspired to do good work, then no amount of inspection-whether it be of the system or the product- is going to achieve the required results. Essentially they forgot the work of the quality gurus such as Crosby who argued that to be externally successful a company must ensure that "people do things right routinely" and that "people are proud to work there".

The system management audit concept marched on, resourced by a vast number of inspectors now elevated to the role of auditor. As a consequence , progress towards the publication of ISO 9001 gathered momentum.

Advocates of the standard approach claim that it is the most successful management concept ever created. This is undeniable. Its searching and probing touches every aspect of human life, but critics argue that it hasn't inspired people to embrace quality nor enabled companies to reach pinnacle of success. As a standard , ISO 9001 can only ever set the minimum acceptable requirements for business practices, because you cannot create a standard for best practice. If you tried , it would require constant revision because people can always find better ways of doing things.

Neither can auditing against a standard highlight every problem. For example , the company at the center of the toxic waste spill in Hungary during October 2010 had been audited only weeks before. The well-publicized problems with the quality of care at the Staffordshire hospital despite a number of NHS audits and Rolls- Royce current problem with Trent 900 engines have wiped more than the 1B sterling pounds off the value of the company's shares despite intensive auditing.

Nobody can challenge the need for auditing and inspection routines. They are critically important in sectors where lives are risk, such as nuclear energy, aerospace, defense and health care. But even in these situations, we would sleep more soundly in our beds if we knew that those responsible for these activities loved their work and took pride in their achievements. Audits and inspections should be supplementary to quality and not its driving force.

In Japan there have never been the same number of inspectors as in the west. At the point in history when this might have occurred , Ishikawa argued against it, saying the division -of -labor approach being implemented was alien to their culture. He postulated that it might be possible to create a new system that contained all the advantages of the western system with those of the now abandoned craftsmanship approach , but without either of their disadvantages. He concluded that it might be possible to introduce craftsmanship back to groups of people rather than simply to individuals.

In a speech to mark the 1,000th quality circle convention in Japan in 1981, he explained:" I first considered how best to get grassroots workers to understand and practice quality control. The idea was to educate all people working at factories throughout the country but this was asking too much. Therefore, I thought of educating factory foreman or on-the -spot leaders in the first place.

His concept was proven and spread rapidly throughout Japanese industry. This combined with total quality learned from Juran in 1954, and the overarching benefit of hoshin-style policy planning , policy deployment and policy control  proved irresistible in the companies that applied it and soon they were moving to market domination throughout the world.

A people- based approach should embrace process auditing, but only when it is carried out in a supportive manner as a part of the process and not as a policing activity parallel to production. The quality function must be supportive of quality, not responsible for it.

Back to basics
Fundamental to future progress is the simple premise of recognizing that each person is the expert in his or her own job- a basic quality principle defined by Ishikawa in the 1950s. By galvanizing the collective thinking power and job knowledge of all of your people. Ishikawa and Crosby believed that you can make your organization the best in its business. Perhaps one of today's most famous icons, Bill Gates, call it "corporate IQ". People have infinite capabilities and it is our job as quality professionals to draw out those capabilities. This is the only way to ensure fewer environmental disasters and an improvement in quality of life both in and out of work.

It was through the intensive application of Japanese total quality control and hoshin kanri that Toyota went from insignificance in the 1950s to surpassing General Motors in the late 2000s as the world's car manufacturer. Once such success was achieved , it was sadly easy for the organization to become complacent and forget what propelled it there in the first place, resulting in million of cars being recalled due to quality issues and substantial damage being caused to the Toyota brand.

Another back-to basics lesson from the quality gurus is to never give up. When you have nearly achieved your goals set new ones. This commitment to continuous improvement is at the heart of total quality and hoshin kanri as well as the core principle behind the Shewhart wheel, which is now known as plan-do-check-act cycle.

The quality profession has reached a crossroads and it needs to look back toward its founding fathers and the basics of quality to move forward. As profession we need to ensure quality is exciting, enriching, rewarding, innovative and creative, to engage with our colleagues. Without this approach quality is in danger of becoming hidden behind standardization, conformance, compliance, documentation and procedures.

Jolito Ortizo Padilla explains what emotional intelligence is all about...

Emotional Intelligence: Putting Things in Proper Perspectives sold 10,000 copies worldwide and 2,300 subscriptions at  IPad,Samsung Galaxy e-book, Kindle 3G tablet reader, Sharp Galapagos tablet, Toshiba Libretto e-reader, and Acer Iconia W500tablet. Thank you very much...

Organizations are about people; they exist because of people; they are run by people; they are run for people, and they are owned by people. But there is a perception that, in organizations, people must somehow strive to be emotionless, to be logical , and to function in a stereotypically "business-like"way. In business , notions such as "scientific management", "economic man", "command and control", and "management by objectives" become central.

The modern concept of emotional intelligence is controversial, but blunt behavioral models don't actually reflect our experience at work. People are still people, even when they are working. Basically, being aware of yourself and of others in the workplace is an ability that most managers need; and self awareness is the first essential building block of emotional intelligence. Self awareness , and in particular an awareness of one's emotional state, is linked to long term success in a variety of areas, including business. Ideas of self awareness among senior leaders are becoming more firmly embedded;competencies such as communication, development focus and even humility are starting to emerge as key attributes. Once you are aware of your own and others' emotional states, and realize that beneath the veneer of rationality all sorts of emotions , motivations, thoughts , beliefs, and values are shaping behavior , you are ready to move on to emotional management. But managing one's emotions is not the same as suppressing them.

In most organizations, it is particularly important to be aware of the needs of customers. Organizations have customers, and we expend "emotional labor" in serving their needs. This is a prime example of not just managing emotions in the everyday course of one's work. This may, of course, have a cost and be difficult emotional labor. However, keeping emotions suppressed is generally bad for us (as in the classic studies of the "Type A personality" that associate increased risk of heart attack with keeping angry feelings bottled up). On the other hand if you feel as though you are using your emotions positively-for instance , helping your customers solve problems; making the lives of your co-workers easier; helping the organization to hit its quarterly targets comfortably; earning a bonus for your team-and are enjoying your work , then actively utilizing your emotions in the work context become a positive experience.

Managing emotions is easy when the job is routine or "scripted"; where both sides of an encounter know how to behave; and when there is little pressure or stress present. But how might one cope if things aren't going so well? There are organizational level issues here; a supportive environment can help in difficult circumstances. However, on an individual level , resilience becomes important. Resilience means that even though there has been force or pressure applied, and some stress , there is a bouncing back , a rebound. Resilient individuals tend to have a positive outlook on life in general .They have a history where they have overcome past problems and difficulties; they have a sense of self efficacy and a belief in being able to succeed .They tend not to view setbacks as catastrophes; a setback is simply a bump on the road.

Everyone is subject to stress; resilient individuals seem to be able to cope better; they will have overcome past adversity and tend not to find life threatening. Crucially they add their own meaning and understanding to what has happened and believe that they are able to influence and control their destiny , rather than being subject to external forces over which they have little control.

So far so theoretical; what are the practical implications of all this? How can we manage our emotions and even increase our resilience?

In this context it is helpful to know that, physiologically, it's actually impossible to feel the same emotion forever;habituation steps in and intensity necessarily varies. Additionally, there are cognitive behavioral strategies. These use realistic  self talk. for example: "That wasn't the best deal I've done but it wasn't the worst; at least it keeps cash flow and liquidity high". Or realizing when they're " awfulizing" or creating unrealistic expectations-and then challenging such thoughts. The physiological evidence is also clear on the benefits of good sleep, nutrition and exercise; attending to these in time of difficulty is important.

We can adopt deliberate strategies , even when it may feel as though there is little we can do. As we have seen , resilient people tend to have a realistic confidence and belief in their ability , based on past success. They act rather than remain passive and have internal and external resources. They will stay in touch with reality, and are able to problem solve and are self aware; externally they utilize social support through people that they trust and to whom they can talk -resilient people are rarely long-suffering. This may also be the time when they call in favors, or perhaps draw on some of the credit they have gained in their organization or networks. By contributing in good times, for instance by being a good organizational citizen, they are on credit and so have something to call on. Even during times of stress they seek balance in their lives, do things they enjoy and seek equilibrium.

Most people will survive problematic circumstances.However, There are degrees of coping , some people cope better because they have better strategies for coping with difficulties. Other people , sometimes with a history of depression, or physical illness, may find things harder and need more support.This is another aspect of emotional intelligence-perceiving others' emotional states and responding appropriately to them.

People and emotions are simply part of social and organizational reality ; managing those emotions and becoming resilient in difficult times is a skill that can be learned. Human beings are uniquely skilled at learning and learning about one's own and other emotions in organizations is part of what we are uniquely good at. So suspend rationality for a second and engage with the emotional world of people and organizations.

BRIC-The New Economic Power by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

The economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China continue to grow , but can they deliver the quality we need? Jolito Ortizo Padilla investigates.

A new power has slowly been creeping up in the world. Made up of four components, each with its own skills and resources, this superpower could well overtake the world's most developed economies in only a matter of decades. The collective is known by the  acronym BRIC -Brazil, Russia, India, China and the economists believe it will be at the center of global business in the future.

The origin of the title BRIC -Brazil, Russia, India, China- and the reason behind the countries' grouping comes from Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Niel who first coined the phrase in research in 2001.Goldman Sachs continues to argue that by 2050 these four economies combined could eclipse the combined richest countries - and most would agree. The term has become recognized globally as the future business , although there are questions as to whether Brazil and Russia deserve their position in the group.

Taking the four individually, China undoubtedly holds the strongest position , taking the lead in labor force, exports and imports. India has perhaps the biggest potential for growth, but needs to overcome significant challenges in terms of governance. On the weaker side Brazil's economy has been growing much less quickly in the last decade than the other BRIC countries and Russia depends heavily on oil production suffered considerably during the recession. Its economy shrank by 9% in 2009, raising further questions about its position to the group. However, the International Monetary Fund predicts that Russia could quickly return to pre-financial crisis level with the growth of 3.6% in 2010.

The rest of the world-not least the UK with its declining manufacturing base and the threat of future skills shortages-needs to sit up and take note of the BRIC countries. According to Goldman Sachs between 2000 and 2008 the group contributed almost 30% to global growth, compared to 16% in the previous decade. And since the start of recession in 2007, 45% of global growth has come from the four countries. The BRIC economies are now stiff competition in many key industry areas and more, such as finance, and engineering , look set follow. The existing richest countries have long been aware of the potential of these countries as suppliers of cheap labor and low value goods, but businesses are now looking for much more.

But while the growth and future potential of all these countries is undeniable , as well as opportunities for savvy entrepreneurs and organizations looking to expand into new markets, there are associated risks. Can, for example , the BRIC economies' infrastructure cope with such sudden growth? Are their regulations and standards sturdy enough to provide the quality goods and services that developed countries are now used to? And what about their governance structures and employment practices?

The People challenge
As every quality professionals knows, building a sustainable and successful business requires more than cheap resources and new market opportunities. The main driver of success is people and this is a concept that BRIC economies need to learn. Countries such as UK have a wealth of talent to draw upon, from skilled graduates to managers with years of experience and CEOs with a lifetime of knowledge to draw upon. While BRIC economies don't yet have this talent bank , some are becoming aware that they need to develop one.

However, the situation is improving as Andrew Gould, chairman and CEO of Schlumberger, confirmed at a recent Goldman Sachs BRIC conference. He discussed the large number of employees the company has drawn from the BRIC economies , particularly Russia and India due to acquired services in these countries. He said: "The quality of graduates that we hire can match, if not surpass, anything the West can produce"

This certainly wasn't the case a decade ago. Skilled people from BRIC economies used to seek out work in developed countries, but this trend is now changing. And as UK has introduced a new points-based system for immigration, this could create a greater impetus for keeping skills in developing economies and, conversely a bar to the UK's ability to attract talent and skills from BRIC countries.

India has the lead in terms of a skilled workforce among the BRIC nations. In the last decade the country has seen huge growth in the number of young people educated to degree level and who are increasingly staying put in the country. Although it is widely accepted that India is only just leaving the first stage of economic development, it has a hub of call center activity for decades, plus it will soon have workers with longer term industry experience bringing more specialized skills. Indeed, other countries are already approaching India for its skills in computer technology and healthcare. The Indian government also understands that improvement in education standards is a condition of continued growth and is currently hoping to attract help from foreign universities to educate its hungry-to -learn population.

But the skills story is very different for the rest of the BRIC family in Brazil,the quality of education is extremely poor. and securing a skilled workforce is a challenge. Similarly, Russia is high dependence on oil means that it needs to diversify and address its manufacturing skills base in order to become the superpower it could be. In terms of manpower, Russia is also facing the challenge of steep population decline: according to Sergei Zakharov of the Institute of Demography at Moscow's Higher School of Economics the numbers are "frightening in terms of the country's future."

Futher of workforce challenges come in the shape of people management and employee satisfaction. These concepts are relatively new to BRIC economies and often their political infrastructures don't necessarily allow for the flexibility that growing industries need. For example, a recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development report entitled Talent Development in the BRIC Countries states:" "Part of the problem in the Brazilian workplace is that legal, regulatory, and cultural barriers act against incentivising good performnce. Hiring and firing is complex, with labor law frozen in the 1940s model and based on large scale manufacturing." Building service industries is therefore challenging in Brazil, although some organizations are still going ahead to introduce performance management policies and appraisals.

There are also difficulties in China according to CIPD report, with only 4% of the workforce composed of skilled technicians ,managers and salespeople, whereas the country needs almost 20% to possess these skills.  And although  China has a huge pool of labor on which to draw, employees are frequently found working in bad conditions with poor pay in a very controlling environment. The number of suicides in iPhone factories has been in the news recently, alongside riots in China over poor labor conditions and these are just two examples. Productivity is therefore nowhere near as high as it could be and neither is product quality. The country has also been attracting undesirable attention from around the world in terms of ethical supply chains.

Doing business
People aside, BRIC countries have many other quality challenges. The last decade of extreme growth has caused businesses worldwide to flock abroad to seek out investment opportunities and low-cost manufacturing. But while the BRIC nations provide opportunities , caution is wise.

On the positive side , the automotive sector in the BRIC countries is a good example of the global manufacturing industry's changing fortunes. During the recession the car industry has suffered significantly , particularly in countries such as UK and US, and is yet to recover. In marked contrast, according to a report by the Boston Consulting Group, in 2009 Brazil's automotive market grew by 11% , India's by 13% and China by a giant 42% . Russia is perhaps the BRIC exception, although its car market is expected to grow by 15% through 2014.

There is evidence, however, that traditional models and methods of production are not suitable for all of the BRIC economies. Different customer requirements from each country can drive up the cost of production. According to the Boston Consulting Group, in contrast to Western markets, Brazilians refer hatchbacks, Indians want low-cost mini cars and the Chinese luxury models. Sourcing parts is therefore not as cheap as might be assumed and it is only in Brazil that global car makers save on manufacturing . Add to the higher quality assurance costs that the more developed markets require of suppliers and an automotive manufacturer would probably pay more for car made in BRIC countries.

This brings us to outsourcing and the supply chain. We have already mentioned China's poorly paid workforce, the possibility of substandard goods, and the risk of becoming entangled in unethical supply chain and these problems face the other three countries too, with outsourcing and procurement presenting extra challenges. Another significant barrier to trade for BRIC is the problem of international standards.

To take international standards first , the problem here lies with different countries' expectations. While ISO standards are indeed international , some BRIC countries-alongside others the world over -still maintain their own standards and organizations are often required to conform to several for different customers.This is a particular problem in Russia , a country that is extremely reluctant to accept international standards in preference to its own, particularly in the oil and gas sector. But unless it does decide to accept such standards, it could hugely limit its scope for international trade.

There are many other regulatory quality challenges for the BRIC economies, such as intellectual property management and information security, but energy management is very topical. As any economy grows, so does its energy consumption and so far the BRICs have a poor record of sustainability awareness. Collectively their emissions are set to beat that of the rich nations by 2030 and last year China overtook the US as the world's largest energy consumer. India is not far behind and little has been done so far to reduce emissions in either country. However, despite reports that its environment is still deteriorating. China has announced that it is hoping to enter an era of environmental enforcement and perhaps fellow BRIC nations will follow its lead.

Beyond BRIC
Despite the quality challenges , there is no doubt that the BRIC economies are on the up, but they might not be alone for long. There are a number of key players to watch, with South Korea, Mexico and Vietnam among the fastest growing economies.

South Korea has urban population levels that rival those of G8 countries and it has an exteremely high level of employment. Coupled with this is its own central bank's estimate that exports will by 11.9% this year , with capital investment up by 13.4% . As well as its giant corporation such as Samsung and  Hyundai. south Korea has strong ties with China , meaning that as long as China grows, South Korea benefits.

At the same time Mexico has been enjoying similar strong growth. According to the International Business Report , it now has the edge on Brazil in opportunities for investment and development. The country's economy has been extremely stable for the last few years and has scored highly in terms of ease of doing business and economic freedom. Mexico is also a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement and , being liked to the US just as South Korea is linked to China, is in strong position.

Perhaps a more surprising candidate is Vietnam . But Vietnam GDP is second only to China in Asia , it joined the World Trade Organization in 2006 and has started up a free-trade negotiations with the European Union . Globally , more supply chains are shifting from China to Vietnam, as it is often now the cheaper option. The country has attracted significant foreign investment and many global organizations are starting production in the country. With 60% of the population under the age of 30 and a strong education ethos, Vietnam certainly looks set to be a major competitor in the future.

But this potential ne "BRIC" economies face similar challenges to the current four. Growing industry means increasing emissions and although these countries enjoy a fairly urban population , there is still significant inequality and high numbers of very unskilled workers across each country. As with any developing economy, much of what is involved in doing business is also still unknown., which presents significant risks both for those doing business in those countries or looking to outsource. if you are considering for opportunities abroad, take the time to plan, consider the risks and really understand the culture or you might just find yourself coming up against the BRIC wall.

Thank you  NTU for the Awards

Ask and start to understand by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

                  
                       

" When you get negative feedback don't respond defensively. This is really valuable information that reflects the cracks in your systems"

Gathering , analyzing and creating information from data with which we can make decisions at the operational or strategic level is critical to the role of the quality professional. Often such data relates to employee or customer satisfaction. Accepting the information can be the most important aspect in this process. There is often the danger of an ego being bruised or gut instinct overriding reality , ignoring the information and either doing nothing or doing the opposite.

For example, an anonymous employee satisfaction survey was carried out in an organization. Employees were asked to think about issues that they wanted to share with the leadership team in the weeks leading up to the launch of the survey, giving plenty of detail about how the team could improve. When the surveys were completed frustration was let loose. Leaders said: "How could these ungrateful good -for-nothing do this to us? This is a great company, don't they appreciate the benefits, the fitness suite and everything else?" Meanwhile one manager started trying to work out who wrote the negative survey comments by the style and phrasing and began interrogations.

In this situation it is better to save money and keep morale where it is, wherever that may be. If you don't intend to use the data and if you don't want to hear the potential bad news, then don't ask. By not carrying out the survey you will save money, you don't lose productive time by having your staff completing the survey and you don't raise expectations and go on to kill morale with your frustration. All that employees completing surveys, especially 360-degree feedback, fervently wish is that their scores will not be traced back to them. How honest about their boss will be if that sort of fear exists?

In another example, the teams spent weeks creating a detailed analysis for their department's strategic planning. But at the off-site strategic planning event, none of that data was asked for. The President simply said. " Let's go around the room and hear from each of you the number you think we should produce next year. After all, planning is somewhat like throwing darts at a dartboard." So much for planning, time, effort, enthusiasm and the rest of the day.

Using a final example, one foreman couldn't care less about his job while another was very proud of his work and his team. The work was outdoors in all weather and covered fields , bogs and mountains. Every so often the CEO came out to inspect the work of both crews. The crew that really cared always did twice the work in the same time as the other while at a high standard, but the CEO never mentioned anything to either about their performance.

So what drove the better crew to continually improve? The answer is that the employees respected their foreman , appreciated how he looked after them and, because they were the best, had pride in their work. They couldn't have cared less about their boss and his attitude, although he wasn't aware of that.

So do you believe that your team, department or organization provides outstanding service or quality of product? What is this belief based on? When you get negative feedback don't respond defensively, even if such feedback is small percentage of responses. This is the really valuable information that reflects the cracks in your systems that can be responded to before they become widespread. No organization or process is perfect so be open to ideas and opportunities for improvement. Don't dismiss them or fewer people will tell you the truth and the cracks will tell you the truth without you knowing. Ask yourself three questions:
  - Do you know how your employees feel?
  - Do you conduct surveys? If not then the answer to the first question is no.
  - Do you rationalize away negative feedback that you receive from surveys?
When you have honestly answered these questions then you can start to understand how motivated your workforce really is.

Mind Mapping by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

Now Available in all Virgin Megastore Worldwide , Jarir Bookstore-Qatar, Jarir -Dammam, Jarir-Egypt, Jarir-Jeddah and Jarir Riyadh and NOW AT ACER ICONIA W500 TABLET

I participated a learning programme  during my stint in one of the colleges in the Middle East with the topic "Teaching Methodology". I felt I was in a kindergarten classroom with the way the trainor was conducting the learning process  and the materials used were not updated.

A poor experience in training can be hugely demotivating for staff. It is also a waste of money for business and a waste of time for all involved ; particularly if the trainor don't have the ability to connect with the trainee and failed to form an association of thoughts and ideas.

Mind mapping isn't new, but are people being given the opportunity to learn using this technique in order to help them solve problems and make decisions? How many times you have been on a learning programme which is instantly forgettable? That's because learning isn't a "one size fits all" solution. Different people need different types of training- some respond best to the traditional lecture, some think in pictures, others like to put it down in words. Mind mapping is a recognized technique to help people think more creatively and incisively, using their own preferred style of learning.

Mind maps are an excellent way to improve learning and retain information. This makes them ideal in assisting people to learn new management approaches , or improve problem-solving and decision- making skills.

Business practices have changed beyond recognition over recent years.Today's business leaders look for innovative training and development solutions that will engage , empower and challenge their employees. Mind mapping can engage employees by teaching them to think and learn effectively.

Types of Learner

In training people prefer different styles; also when it comes to learning and applying new knowledge -people prefer to learn in different ways. That is why mind maps are so useful- they can be drawn in different ways , to suit the individual. The most memorable mind map is the one each person draws for himslef; but they can also be developed by a group in a classroom, or prepared in advance , then discussed with the group and or used as a revision aid.

In a learning context , mind maps have a real value for the learner; they are a dynamic tool. The conversations the group have in the development of a mind map mirrors or "maps" how they came to understand the ideas. It doesn't matter that the drawing itself is a little scrappy -a mess even -it's a growing picture , with which the group can recall the discussions. 

There are four basic types of learner:

- Aural-: well served by traditional lecturing, "chalked-and talk" type teaching. These people are likely to be natural listeners, happy to experience the more traditional whiteboard , flipchart or PowerPoint presentation. ( But note, nowadays there is less tolerance for PowerPoint, which often bores the listener by subjecting them to an information overload.)

- Visual: people who doodle generally think in pictures and are comfortable with illustrations of abstracts ideas, processess and organizations.

- Intellectual: these are comfortable with the abstract models but they need to see the "big picture" first. They have less tolerance for being drip-fed information; they like to "see the wood as well as the trees."

- Kinaesthetic:these people prefer"hands on", tactile learning experiences. They tend to be active ; this type is well represented among senior managers. The worst thing you can do to this kind of learner is to make them sit behind a desk for long periods and ask them to listen -they prefer to learn through trial and error.

Most of us have one preferred or dominant style for learning, but we also have secondary styles as well. The best approach when designing a mind mapping session is to assume that all four types of learner will be present, and to coach in a way that will appeal to each type.

Most of us use the visual mode of learning as either our primary or secondary preferred style;mind maps work well with this. The "intellectuals" values  the "see -it-all-at-once-joined-up" aspects of mind maps. The "kinaesthetics" appreciate the drive of mind maps and the "aurals" really want to talk them through.

Recall

When trying to maximize the effectiveness and appeal of any learning experience , one important area is often neglected; the need to help the learner manage their recall. Most of us never really forget experiences , but are often unable to recall them. The brain is likely to be able to recall information when it is strongly associated with a key image., a mnemonic or other word, which is probably why mind maps work so well.

Basically, all management theory is a sort of mental grid, against which we interpret reality. The power of mind maps is that they immediately show these grids in a concrete , visual way.

Results

There is a simple test of the effectiveness of a business investing in mind mapping-results. This can work in several ways to help businesses get control and become more effective. Just as people learn in different ways, so they can use mind mapping in different ways: to plan meetings or to encourage people to put forward their ideas and suggestions. When a group of people needs to come up with ideas quickly, these can be easily captured on the map; this has added benefit of people feeling included in the thinking process. Above all , mind maps can help people orientate themselves in a chaotic , confusing business environment ;this helps to clarify and strengthn a business.





Sustainable Integrated Management System by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

GA Business and Management Consultancy
The Real Best in Asia

Whether an organization is a global company or a small- or medium- sized enterprise , the effective management of environment ,health and safety and quality performance is key to an organization's sustained success. However, managing these system can be a resource -thirsty task. Improving informationa management practices is therefore at the heart of the drive toward sustainability.

One solution for organizations is to use the internet and internet-based technology to improve their information management practices and ultimately improve the performance of their management systems and .business as a whole. The top 2,500 global companies spend , on average 56m sterling pounds on all aspects of environmental management -and up to three times that for environmental , health, and safety and quality management. Of this, as much as 64% relates solely to the costs of information management. Consequently, for every pound spent on environmental, health and safety and quality management , another 1.75 sterling pounds is spent managing information behind it. Environmental , health and safety and quality managers spend two-thirds of their time gathering , analyzing, storing and sharing information -and little of this time is value added.

A study involving more than 300 EHSQ managers at top industrial companies indicated that the costs  of EHSQ information management are incurred in four areas.
    These are;
1. Ad-hoc and duplicate processes to support EHSQ information management.
2. Informal , individual, independent and non-standardised EHSQ information systems.
3. Diversity and complexity of EHSQ information.
4. Rework due to lack of quality control and quality assurance applied to EHSQ management processes.

The Internet solution
Web technology continues to change the way that companies operate. Organizations are adopting technologies -for corporate -wide communication or online EHSQ management- and are becoming much more efficient , more responsive and, ultimately, more sustainable. One particularly effective way of improving EHSQ performance is through the use of the web and /or a corporate intranet for standard EHSQ management system applications. An effective solution would:
 - Be a client server application whereby users (client PC) would connect to a single, central server' where the application and data are all stored.
 - Be accessed in real- time and allow multiple users to simultaneously access and use a common and single application.
- Provide a common framework for template for site-specific and independent ESHQ management system development while simultaneously providing areas for shared and corporate-wide resources.
- Provide the ability to link to other web and /or intranet-based applications and information.
To meet these needs, it is important to consider whether a tool or application should be;
- A web and /or intranet application accessed using a traditional browser.
- Modular so as to enable integration and streamlining of any combination of environmental, quality and /or health and safety management system components
-Scalable to the extent that new sites and users could be added as and when required.

Benefits for the organization
Two of the most significant benefits of using web-based solution are the reduction in time and cost system implementation. By providing a standard system framework and a management system template for each office , the time required for system implementation can be reduced substantially. Additionally, when using a networked solution, all management systems are 'connected' because they are all contained within the same application and data is generally stored in the same databases. So it is possible to cut , paste and modify management system information from one company site to another.

Local Implementation
Consequently, local EHSQ managers can quickly and easily develop their own EHSQ management system by either copying and modifying an example EHSQ management system information  developed by the organization for implementation purposes, or by copying and  modifying EHSQ management system information  already developed by others in the wider organization. As a senior manager of a single multi-site business stated: "If you consider the work instructions required by a single management system at a single site, it would take approximately five days to write the 20 or so work instructions required . Using our intranet -based EHSQ solution with functional instructions sites, this now takes about five minutes."

Whether it is managing documents , tracking overdue action items, preparing reports or any other system maintenance tasks, traditional methods of EHSQ system maintenance can be particularly time-intensive. However, with electronic and networked EHSQ system solutions , virtually all traditional system maintenance is either done automatically (for example. document control and versioning) or done in real-time at the press of button (for example, tracking and reporting).

By taking the potentially repetitive and time-consuming actions out of the equation, EHSQ managers can spend less time managing the EHSQ system itself and more time managing environmental , health, and safety and quality improvements. Furthermore, as such a system is electronic ; it is possible to reduce or altogether avoid the costs of document printing and distribution.

Reporting
If an EHSQ management system is electronic and in a web or intranet environment with integrated system modules, all system information is contained in the same location( typically in a single database) . Reporting all or any EHSQ management  information simply becomes an attribute of the application rather than a management task. As a result, users can instantly report system information and be guaranteed that any reports generated include the very latest information in the system.

Additionally, if system information is contained within a single database , new and /or custom reports are simply a matter of redefining and presenting data correlations between the existing data sets. Whether sub-categorising , combining, consolidating or re-grouping information , tasks such as data interrogation or root cause analysis reporting become a query rather than a job description.

With a solution housed in a single database , management system information only ever needs to be entered once for subsequent use by other users of the management system. This prevents data entry duplication and avoids the time wasted on duplication efforts.

Additionally, as all system data is stored centrally, users can automatically track and report overdue action plans, responsibilities, active non-conformances and overdue audits. As a result much more time can be spent improving performance rather than tracking and reporting. If users are able to run reports instantly and in real-time based on the efforts of others who have entered that data , there is no need to waste time collecting, collating and re-presenting information already collected.

Knowledge retention
With web and/or intranet -based systems , all system data is stored in one location. As such, all information vital to ongoing system management and performance improvement, for example action plans, procedures and work instructions , is retained within the system and not with people who operate it. This retention of knowledge enables everyone in the organization to have indefinite access to a continually growing knowledge base of information developed from years of management experience. Conversely, if the intellect of a management system is not recorded and accessible , when those who have access to that information leave, that experience and knowledge also leaves with them.

With traditional management systems, system information is often in the form of ring binders on a shelf or in a folder in a site's computer network. In these cases, for users to tend to the management tasks allocated to them, they have first find and then browse through those binders or folders to locate the documents and information that are relevant to them.Whether a user needs full access to key performance indicator information or read-only privileges for the site's health and safety management system, with a browser -based solution access and privileges can be tailored quickly and easily to streamline operations or even completely change a user's view of the system.

Benefits for the larger organization
Given the networkability of web technology , there are a number of additional benefits that can be realized by a multi-site organization when developing , implementing or maintaining an EHSQ management system.

One clear benefit of a single networked application is the multi-site consistency and comparability of site specific management system data. All sites work within an identical framework but are able to enter management data specific to their own site and circumstance, so it is possible to present effective and meaningful comparisons across any number of sites within the organization.

Common understanding
All users of this type of system share a common understanding of the management system components, terminology, methodology and practices of EHSQ management. When a complete understanding of the system is common across all sites, an organization can transfer people between sites either temporarily or permanently with little or no disruption to either the system or the people. By using a web and /or intranet based EHSQ template common to all sites, all sites understand each other , can help each other , can report and compare results easily and can, ultimately speed and streamline the process of management system development and administration.

In addition to being able to compare management system components (such as action plans, objectives and targets and non-conformances, across sites, when using a networked application that provide a common framework for all users , it is also possible to establish and set requirements for the monitoring of key performance indicators across organization. Standard KPIs provide the basis for a regular, systematic and consistent approach to data collection and presentation and improve the credibility and usefulness of KPI data.

By stipulating and setting corporate KPI parameters such as units of measure, frequencies of measurement, reporting intervals, benchmark values and indeed performance indicators themselves, while simultaneously providing a mechanism for sites to quickly and easily enter performance data, there is increased quality , comprehensiveness, comparability and confidence in the information. It also gives managers a greater ability to implement effective performance improvement both at a site and across the organization.

Increased communication
Although a networked solution enables EHSQ managers to communicate quickly and easily at the site level , the true power of such application lies on the ability to communicate on a broader scale. Managers will be able to facilitate easy and instant communication between sites and people , whether it is sharing of best practices , providing consultancy support , or chasing an individual's overdue action items.

In addition to the superior reporting capabilities inherent in computer based solution , if the solution is networked , corporate reporting across any number of sites becomes a very powerful management tool. As networked solutions allow instant reporting and data interrogation , such applications eliminate the administration involved in regularly tracking and reporting audit findings and non-conformances.

As stated by  a senior -level manager of a multi- site organization :"Our intranet based EHSQ system provides a method of finding answers quickly and easily. The numerous report that the package includes means that we can rapidly assess where we are on any number of issues."

"The biggest time savings are to be had with the tracking of non-conformances and the communication module, which allows easy access to people with specific duties related to them. To prepare a report of all active non-conformances between any two dates would normally take a minimum of 30 minutes. Using the intranet-based EHSQ system this same task now takes less than seven seconds".

Supplies and Auditors
With a central data store, data is only ever entered once, which avoids duplication while simultaneously enabling other users (with suitable access privileges) to instantly view information entered. Whether it is a corporate -wide information for all to access or independent site-specific information , it is possible to provide remote access to anyone connected to the network anywhere in the world. So multi-site managers , auditors, external certifiers or corporate representatives are able to view the system information wherever they are and can significantly reduce the time, costs and environmental impacts of travel by simply logging on to the network to view, review , audit , assess or simply browse for management system information.

If a site or corporation uses a web and/ or intranet EHSQ solution, not only will it improve the way it does business but they are able to allow others who interact with their EHSQ system to improve theirs. Whether it is suppliers completing their own online evaluations, certifiers conducting audits and assessments of sites, legislators accessing compliance status or waste hauliers completing their own waste transfer notifications with a web and /or intranet based application , extending the scope of stakeholder participation throughout your supply chain is simply a matter of issuing a new username and password.

Economies of scale
When using a paper -based or even single site PC- based management system, if an organization grows or needs to develop management systems for additional sites or business units , it is very difficult to realistically take advantage of previous system development. There will inevitably be disparaties in the system framework and content of the system developed.

In such an environment , the "duplicability" of systems is very low and the marginal effort required for new system development is considerable. On the other hand, if an organization uses and/or intranet based network solution, adding sites is often as simple as "turning them on" and importing relevant system information. The marginal effort in adding sites is low and continually decreases with the number of sites in the network. Also, if a EHSQ solution is network -enabled it is possible to link to any other network-enabled  resource, such as national legislation databases or online  material safety data sheets.

As all sites develop their management system in the same framework, it is also possible to take advantage of a number of economies of scale when providing system implementation and maintenance training and support. With a web and/or intranet-based application, access can be provided to anyone anywhere in the world (as long as they can connect to the web or your corporation intranet). Therefore, certifiers can potentially audit much of the system from a distance and audit those aspects of the system more efficiently.

Furthermore, as third- party certifiers can be guaranteed that all sites use the same application and use an identical management system framework , corporate certification  can be based on the assessment of a random sample of the organization's sites rather than an assessment of every site to be certified. Although the costs and requirement for certification vary between certifiers, by using an intranet-based EHSQ system and allowing certifiers to conduct documentation reviews from their own offices and certify the entire organization based on a random sample of 20% of sites, a large multi-site organization can significantly reduce the cost of and simultaneously improve the quality of both their initial certification audits and subsequent surveillance audits.

Driving sustainability
Without doubt, effective EHSQ management and perfromance improvement can be fundamentally underpin and support the drive towards global sustainability. In the long run, all businesses that have activities and products with environmental and safety and health impacts will be required -whether by regulation, international trade requirements or public pressure -to track report and improve EHSQ management performance. Installing a system helps EHSQ managers to spend their time on improving performance , rather than managing information.

There are huge opportunities to increase the efficiency of EHSQ management practices and ultimately improve EHSQ management performance through the use of web and intranet technology, whether it be within a larger organization or an SME . Internet-based technology  represents an unparalleled opportunity to not only improve EHSQ data management but to  actually change the management process to drive cost savings, improve performance management and ultimately increase the long-term potential for sustainable business practice.