In addition to all of of the networking and soaking up of quality knowledge that will be taking place, I’m also going to participate in the Walk the Walk Toward Results event sponsored by ASQ’s social responsibility initiative, the SRO.  In the spirit of things, I’m going to track my steps for the whole trip.  TheSRO is asking for 3000 steps for each day of the conference, so I’m curious to see how this turns out. I actually don’t have a clue how many steps I might take on an average day!

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Let’s face it, everyone has an opinion regarding government these days.  But, the difference is that we go to sleep at night with a sense of complacency.  Whether it’s a mass case of learned helpless or that we’re just too lazy to really do anything about it, overall accountability and general quality is indeed a laughing (crying) matter.  If public were private, we would be asking for a bailout about right now, which is optimistic in the face of insolvency.

The issue itself is overwhelming, but I have to believe there are small things each of us can do to affect the future of policy.  Little things…

1) Learn – As citizens, we need to spend time knowing and understanding what’s going on around us.  The government needs someone to be accountable to and “we” are it.

2) Vote – Many of us drag ourselves to the polls every four years, but we fail to get involved in the more local and smaller elections.  We should consider it our civic responsibility to make sure the right people land in public positions.  We’re counting on these people to be the champions of quality and the leaders of our nation, even on the smallest scale.

3) Talk – We shouldn’t shy away from talking about relevant issues.  The more we talk, the more awareness there is.  The more awareness there is, the more action.  The more action, the more results.  Results = Quality =

It’s because of the reasons Paul points out about government’s influence on our lives, economic security and our children’s future that we should demand government set an example. It’s not too late for us… Imagine this news headline:

“Government agency conducts root cause analysis and discovers inefficiencies.  Corrective action efforts have proven successful, with key indicators now meeting expectations.”

In his post, Paul reaches out for stories of success in the public sector.  Unfortunately, I’m at a loss trying to come up with one.  I’m sure there are isolated examples throughout the system, but it’s sad they are the exception and not the rule.  Who can I call in the government to talk about benchmarking and best practices?

“Where does an 800-pound gorilla sleep?

Anywhere it wants to.”

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The essay:

–Start planning for your retirement now.

–Save more than you spend.

–Build a cash reserve.

–Take advantage of employer benefits.

–Find happiness in your everyday life.

–Keep in touch with friends and try not work so hard that you miss what’s going on around you.

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For this particular situation, it’s Pirsig’s perspective on quality that interests me and I’m reminded of it primarily because of a recent LinkedIn ASQ discussion asking how we define quality.   In the past, I’ve noted the inability to define quality as a primary misconception in the industry and I’ve reached out to others on the Pro QC team to inquiring how they perceive it as well.  No one puts it quite as eloquently and romantic as Pirsig though…

“Quality,” or “value,” as described by Pirsig, cannot be defined because it empirically precedes any intellectual construction of it, namely due to the fact that quality (as Pirsig explicitly defines it) exists always as a perceptual experience before it is ever thought of descriptively or academically. Quality is the “knife-edge” of experience, found only in the present, known or at least potentially accessible to us all. (Plato’s Phaedrus, 258d). Equating it with the Tao, Pirsig postulates that Quality is the fundamental force in the universe stimulating everything from atoms to animals to evolve and incorporate ever greater levels of Quality. According to the MOQ, everything (including ideas, and matter) is a product and a result of Quality.”

Related posts:

Quality vs Quantity MasterControl Publishes Four Common Quality Misconceptions Top 10 Quality Quotes

Dynamic

Most of us hate being bored and thrive on being able to do different things.  It’s a win-win.  This is the small business advantage.

 Autonomy 

Most of us have opinions and appreciate the ability to express them, even if it doesn’t work out our way all of the time.   (Hint: RSA’s-Pink’s-Drive) 

Meaning

If what we’re doing doesn’t mean anything to us, why do it at all?  Happiness is easy when you end your day knowing you’ve somehow made a difference and contributed to something larger than yourself.  (Hint: Maslow)

 Respect

Enter any conversation and one of the first things to be asked is what you do.  What we do largely defines it, as it should.  Most of us spend quite a bit of time doing it. Happiness comes from feeling what we do is respected… when that question can be answered with pride and passion.

This month, Paul specifically asks us if we’re happy on the job… Truly, I couldn’t be happier.  While there are certainly frustrating components, the benefits always outweigh the costs at the end of the day.  (Hint: Equity Theory)  

The fabulous niche of marketing quality and general instruction (education) are components of myself  that I’m most proud of.  Two things drive my job happiness in a nutshell:

1. Knowing that someone or something will be better because of something I’ve communicated or done

2. Knowing that there are not many other things I would rather be doing with my time

 ”Happiness is not simply something that happens to us. It’s something that we make happen, and it results from us doing our best.”  ~Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

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Source: OnQuality

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Funny Quality Cartoons… Education & The Voice of Quality #asq

Paul Borawski talks about selling quality in his most recent View from the Q post.  He asks if there’s an “essential answer” in pitching top decision makers.  This is an excellent discussion opportunity, and I’m looking forward to hearing from the other Influential Voices here.

My tried and true suggestions are as follows:

- Walk the walk -

Consider for a moment how quick we are to notice inconsistencies in people’s words vs their actions. “Walking the walk” establishes trustworthiness, which is a key contributor to our decision making process.  We can’t expect people to buy into something we don’t back up with personal action.  Consistency is also a key component here.  We need to live and breathe quality.  We need to be passionate about it

- It’s all about the benefits -

This is really the basis of any good marketing campaign.  Rather than scaring people with the realities of poor quality, focus on the positive effects that come with doing it right.  Talk about the improvements and back up the claim that “quality costs less, not more.” Increased profits, a happier and more productive workforce, brand loyal consumers and a positive public perception are just a few of the great things that happen when you support quality initiatives.  Also, as key decision makers, it doesn’t hurt to point out the positive effects of being a steward of such fabulous benefits.

- Know your stuff - 

The key decision makers I’ve talked quality with in the past have responded positively to my ability to back up claims of benefits or disputes to common misconceptions with facts, figures and/or case studies.  Many times, resistance to quality is a faulty foundation of knowledge that has lead the individual(s) to believe ensuring quality is too complicated and not worth the effort.  Of course we know that nothing could be further from the truth, but you’ll need more than your opinion to change someone’s mind.

- All the world’s a stage - 

Paul also asks about cultural considerations when selling quality, and I’m not sure that’s how I would frame it.  I think you have to consider your audience from a broader perspective and then adjust your strategy as necessary.  I talk about quality differently depending on my audience.  Personalizing the approach in this way establishes a relationship and keeps your key decision makers engaged in the discussion.

Raising the voice of quality can certainly be considered a way of “selling” quality.  By contributing value adding content to the industry, we educate and inform key decision makers.

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Because it’s International Women’s Day,  I just happen to pull out the Essential Writings book and noticed my notes in a few of my favorites. In those moments when you find yourself smiling, you know it’s something worth sharing.  Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Solitude of Self), Virginia Wolf (A Room of One’s Own) and Margaret Fuller (Women in the 19th Century) are all voices in a history rich with ambition and determination.

The past is certainly prologue… Today, I’m inspired.  There’s a long road ahead.

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Apple is smart. U.S. consumers started getting word of conditions at Foxconn some time ago when the suicides started and we’ve followed the story through the media as they have taken us to the origins of our shiny toys and shown us what we already know. But, the media hasn’t left Apple alone, even though they are only one client of many when it comes to products manufactured by the hundreds of thousands people that call Foxconn their employer.

Organizations can learn a lot by how Apple has handled this particular situation…

1) Be proactive – Rather than go silent like Carnival Corp. recently did with the recent crash in Italy, Apple has been proactive with social audits from the beginning and disclosed their supplier information for the first time.  While Apple does not own Foxconn, they have spent a pretty penny sending in auditors to assess and apply corrective action where necessary.  Let’s keep in mind that they can’t force Foxconn to do anything.  Working together improves safety and general labor conditions, without job loss or shipment delays.

2) Don’t play the blame game – Rather than calling out the media regarding their obvious bios or even trying to otherwise turn the focus to the many other electronics companies that use Foxconn, Apple has taken the high road and has been forethcomig with activities and actions.  Remember Ford v Firestone? With both parties blaming each other, consumers ended up blaming both.

3) Do something no one else has – Apple paid $250k to be the first electronics company to join the Fair Labor Association.  And, they are now in the process of funding 3rd party auditors to assess the conditions at the factory.  So far, there have been only glowing reports.  Straight from the Nike playbook, it works.

4) Show compassion – Make sure top executives communicate their support for addressing and resolving the issues.  Consumers can be very forgiving if they really believe you’re sorry.  Tim Cook has come out on several occasions and demonstrated his support and compassion for the labor conditions at factories making Apple products.

Apple continues to exceed stockholder expectations and remains one of the most respected brands throughout the world.  They’re doing something right.

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My Apple realization…

My son is in second grade now.  He does very well in school, but getting him to do homework is a real chore.  He has this perception that somehow learning outside of the classroom is infringing on some other entitled play time.  Of course, he ultimately doesn’t have a choice but I’m left wondering what’s up?  He’ll play scientist, surgeon and frontline infantry with his buddies, but worksheets elicit the same reaction as immunizations.

I recall having homework and thinking it sucked as well.  Math was my downfall. I can remember the math teachers standing there talking about numbers in a monotone voice for such long periods of time.  It was so hard to stay awake, much less engaged at some beneficial level.  And, it wasn’t that I thought it was too hard.  It just wasn’t interesting.  I hate to say the same goes for other STEM subjects as well.  The courses in college renewed my interest simply by offering better instructors, although I was and remain a liberal arts kind of girl!  I’ve been interested ever since, but from afar.  Math and I still have issues and are not the best of friends… we tolerate each other at best.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we need to hit the battle on both sides.  We know that these jobs are going to be in high demand, and we must figure out a way to prepare the workforce of the future.  But, how do we do it?

Education 

With the public/private education debate off the table here, we need to start making sure our teachers are using engaging methods throughout the K-12 experience.  From what I’ve seen, elementary students are open books and they suck up knowledge at an amazing rate.  Their teachers sing silly songs and they do arts and crafts… Can we logically conclude that this type of engagement should continue throughout middle school and high school (obviously in a way that evolves with maturity)? For my community college students,  I absolutely make sure that there are engaging discussions and activities.  There’s no doubt that people respond to learning in this way. As an instructor, it keeps things interesting for me as well.

For teachers, I would eliminate tenure and make employment based on performance.  It works in business… it would work in education.  If we must keep unions, they should make a better effort to work towards the greater goal.

I’m not against the use of aptitude tests for career placement.  I really do think we should foster natural talents.  It just might make students pursue fields they otherwise would have shied away from.   And, the incentive of a good career would likely foster higher success throughout childhood.  I believe both Poland and Taiwan use this method for making sure demand is met with supply where human resources are concerned.

What would happen if we provided post secondary education for people who meet certain performance criteria?  Would it cost more or less than the current funding for re-training through unemployment or other related programs? If such post secondary education was made available , there would be an associated incentive to perform well.  Right?  It also helps insure we meet growing industry demands.

Parents

We seem to let our kids off the hook when they get to middle school.  As parents, we need to be committed to their education.  The responsibility is ultimately on us and not the education system.  Paul Borawski, in the latest View from the Q post, talks about making math fun with his family.  Our household is the same in this way, and I can see how the kids love doing science experiments and solving problems.  The minute it becomes homework, they’re done.  It’s our responsibility to keep them on track. I learn new things in STEM fields all the time whenever we follow their natural curiosity. Our jobs much later in life should reflect this as well!

Sidenote: I just wanted to send out a special welcome to all of the new ASQ Influential Voices that have joined this year! I look forward to reading the posts and “raising the voice” with you!

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My personal props this year go out to Chevy, Budweiser and Honda, which would probably really surprise my friends.  Chevy played on some serious PR with the direct attack against Ford.  I also thought that “Stunt Anthem” was pretty cool too. As for Budweiser with the “Eternal Optimism” spot, it made me smile.  I don’t know… it seemed genuine and it’s something we may just need to get out of this learned helplessness rut we’re in. The bleak depictions of industry demise kind of bums me out… Failure of the auto industry to compete effectively in the global market shouldn’t make me feel bad.  It should make them want to get off their butts and actually listen to their markets instead of dictating what consumers want… that only works for Apple.

Oh, I totally dig Honda’s “Matthew’s Day Off” campaign… They couldn’t have tapped into their target market any better, and I’m left wondering how many people younger than me have seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?

My personal nots go out to the majority of animal ads and the GoDaddy spots.  I mentioned the animal distain before, but I just think GoDaddy is full of themselves to stick with the same stuff and remain in-house for development.  Their ads are nothing better than amateur, and I’m not even judging based on how much they suck for supporting SOPA (opposed later for obvious reasons).

As for the Volkswagon spots, I thought combining the dieting dog with the Star Wars cantina was a little too fragmented. It just didn’t transition well, and it was too obvious they were trying to keep up the momentum from last year.  It wasn’t terrible, but it failed to meet my expectations.  One prop for that spot would be their choice of car to include (Red Beetle) and the many snapshots of the logo.  People will likely remember whose ad it is this time.  Anyone remember their Fahrvergnügen campaign?

Oh, I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention the Coke ads.  Sure, Pepsi’s wasn’t anything special and it would have been much better without Regis, but I’ll never understand what polar bears have to do with drinking flavored high-fructose corn syrup (which I love so much). Really, what is the link there? I’m a big fan of many of Coke’s other ads, but just not the polar bear ones.

Either way, it’s been real… I still have no clue how to play football, but I can say for certain that the commercials have had me excited for weeks. Still, no competition to “1984″ out there yet… Apple is still holding that title and going strong.

PS: Note to Samsung regarding “Thing Called Love”… The millions of people with iPhones are laughing at you.

Check out all of the ads on the AdBlitz YouTube channel.

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Super Bowl XLV Ads – Winners & Losers #superbowl Props to Chipotle & Willie Nelson…

I need a cable.  I’m told I need a VGA adapter cable to project my presentation materials at HCC via my MacBook Pro.  I checked online but couldn’t figure out exactly what I needed and thought a quick trip to the Apple store would mean instant satisfication for next week’s classes.

I’m an Apple fan… I talk about Apple a lot.

But, I’ve never purchased anything from the Apple store.  To my advantage, I married an early adopter (smart guy) that researches, purchases, sets up and maintains all of my fun electronic goodies. He’s amazing at this… so, I’ve never purchased anything at the Apple store even though I own many of their products and speak of them often.

My experience at the Apple store has me thinking…

Although the mall just opened and the parking lot was seemingly empty, I found the Apple store to be beaming with eager consumers ready to hand over their credit cards in exchange for the latest and greatest shiny gadgets.

I just want a cable, so I head over with my 3yr old daughter and ask the guy in the blue shirt standing near the end of the store.  He’s holding an iPad and quickly looks up to nonverbally inquire about what it is I want.  He tells me quite simply that this area is the “technical area” and someone would assist me soon.

I stand there.

I stand there some more, with my 3yr old getting anxious in the stroller.  She had been promised a carousel ride and wasn’t happy about the unexpected stop.

I start listening and hear all about the wonder of Apple products and how much they improve our lives by their seemingly limitless capabilities and shininess.  They are pretty.  The herd thinks so as well.  It’s written all over their faces.  For these sales people, it must be like shooting fish in a barrel.

I smile.

I stand there some more.

It’s 10:45am.  I’m not smiling anymore.

I visually check the accessory shelf to determine if I can just make a quick choice, but I don’t see anything referencing “VGA”.   I do notice some pretty cool iPhone cases though.

It’s 10:50am and I pull over a guy in a blue shirt as he’s heading to the “technical area.” The guy with the clipboard had been standing there the whole time, not oblivious to my increased impatience.  He has an important job though… protecting the “technical area.”

The guy I flag down helps me out but finally walks me over to an iPad conveniently docked by a MacBook Pro.  He continues to talk of the “magic of Apple” in that I only need to select something on the iPad to be in a queue for an associate.  I’m confused and somewhat shocked that I had failed to notice any cash registers before.  OK…

It seems that if I want to “buy” this cable I now have in my hand, I need to wait for an associate using this “magic” system of no cash registers.

It’s 11am.  I flag a lady down in a blue shirt and ask if I could just make a quick purchase of the cable.  She says she doesn’t have the equipiment but will return in a moment.

The nice lady returns several minutes later and asks me for my name and other information.  I indicate again that I would just like to “buy” the cable and be gone.  My 3yr old was now obviously ready to escape the confines of the stroller and was only moments away from ripping the store apart.  These gadgets were of no interest to her since we have them at home.

I’m told that I won’t receive a receipt without providing the requested information.  I’m OK with this and am released from the store with the $29 cable to proceed with my day.  It’s 11:10am.

Time for the carousel…

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4 things Apple can teach us about public relations…

“The practice of mindfulness will increase the quality of our learning & also improve the quality of our life.”

Amazon recently recommended a book that I couldn’t resist… Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness With Children.  Plum Village looks like an amazing place… amazing!

I’ve made it through most of the book and find it to be one of those books that you savor and go back to.  The first page sums it up best:

“May this book help you plant the seeds of mindfulness in the garden of your own life & in the lives of the children you nurture. And may you, your family, your school and your community reap a rich harvest of peace, contentment & togetherness.”

I’m not drinking any Kool-Aid or singing Kumbaya or anything, but if you really think about those words, it’s quite tempting.  In all seriousness, the book is great and offers some realistic things (tools, activities, etc.) you can do for yourself and others to really focus and connect with things around you… And, I translate that into success. For me, I find being mindful fuels my drive for whatever it is I’m doing.  And, it inspires me and gives me the kick in the butt I sometimes need to make changes and continuously improve.

Being mindful (aware of the moment) seems very easy, I know.  But, I assure you it’s one of the most difficult things to actually do.  For some, it comes naturally.  For the rest of us, it’s about being too busy or otherwise distracted from truly being in (and appreciating) the moment.

“You cannot transmit wisdom & insight to another person.  The seed is already there.  A good teacher touches the seed, allowing it to wake up, to sprout, and to grow.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Spring semester at HCC starts tonight, and I’m excited as always.  I’ll be teaching Intro to Business, Principles of Marketing & Principles of Management again… each one of them, good times!  My most significant suggestion for doing well in my class is to always be engaged and know what’s going on.  Rather than focusing on the long-term objective of scoring the credit hours, enjoy the moments in class when there’s an opportunity to learn new things.  Here’s to a great semester!

Sidenote: Another great book targeted to kids but great for all ages is Thinking Tools for Kids.  From fishbone diagrams to affinity exercises, this book simplifies key quality and decision making tools with fun examples and useful templates.  

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1) Responding like a trained monkey – I am an admitted “send-receiver”… I feel the need to check my email and respond to things at completely unreasonable times.  I think I can handle a simple once per hour check.  What can’t wait an hour? Anything urgent is going to notify me via iPhone anyway, right? Can I do the same with Facebook? That’s kind of asking a lot!

2) Mindless traditions – I’m already there… sick of the mindless and just need some creative inspiration and action!

3) Reading annoying things – I won’t get rid of The Economist print subscription, but I have cleaned up my Google Reader and think I have my stream of information well organized and condensed.  Also, Luke had recommended podcasts for the commute to HCC, so I’m thinking this will be a great way to multitask and even reduce my number of annual speeding tickets. (Note that also checking emails once per hour will likely improve my driving success as well)

4) Work that’s not worth it – I really need to give up the HOA this year.  I gave up one last year, but I keep hanging onto this responsibility because I feel like it’s my civic duty.  But, I’ve come to realize that HOAs are powerless to government legislation and people are going to do whatever the hell they want to anyway.  I do love the other members and our CAM though, so it makes it hard.  I’m keeping all the other stuff! It doesn’t take that much time, and I get enjoyment from being busy.

5) Making things more complicated than they should be – Been there, done that!

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Referenced Link

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But, the FaceBook and YouTube data seem to indicate that people just don’t care about what’s actually going on.  We’re looking at things like Nyan Cat and worrying about what celebrities are doing (Charlie Sheen blew away Hurricane Irene in FaceBook updates).  We simply don’t seem to dedicate any true mindfulness regarding how we can contribute to making the world better.  It’s almost as if we think about it, introspectively, but don’t follow-up in our conversations and actions as they relate to others.  Are we afraid to be too serious?

I worry about us sometimes.  And,  I ask myself… what can I do?

UPDATE: I turn on the television to see CNN’s Morning Express covering the YouTube top videos of the year.  However, instead of pointing out the obvious, they instead decided the newsworthy thing to do was to add their own interpretations of the Talking Dog. The follow-up story was “Santa monkeys around with chimps”… no joke.

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For this introspection, I took a more “micro” approach…  Reflecting back, what were my personal quality wins and fails for the year?

Pro QC’s Online Presence -

I feel really good about how Pro QC’s online presence has developed this year. This is a big win for me personally, because it always feels good to see ideas turning into results.  Through our social media efforts, we’ve solidified our position as a company that adds value to the quality community by adding informative, useful content.  I’ve worked hard to get the blog up and create content that people both new and seasoned to the industry can benefit from. I created our Facebook page as a way to primarily communicate with our team.  As a company spread across thirty countries, I wanted a way to connect with everyone outside of daily work email.  The photos and sharing of events and industry news has proven to be a valuable addition to our online presence.  It improves the quality of our team.

While this is an obvious win, it did also fail to meet my expectations to some degree. I’ll admit my expectations regarding involvement were much higher.  One of my goals for 2012 is to take a deeper look into what we’ve done so far, how it can be improved and figure out what new things can we try.  My biggest obstacle is time… there’s never enough it, and most people share in this observation.  But, I don’t think people in general truly understand the benefits of getting involved with social media and the limited time it really takes vs. the overwhelming benefits of being connected.  How do you get people engaged?  Where is the “on” button? How do I get people as interested in quality as I am?

Overall, let’s just say that I’m very pleased with the results so far and am excited to see how we’ll grow and continue reaching even more people with the importance of quality and the role we play in that process.  I wouldn’t be a true quality professional if I didn’t shoot for continuous improvement!

ASQ’s Influential Voices - 

Being a part of ASQ’s Influential Voices has given me the motivation I needed to “raise the voice” outside of my daily work activities.  It reinforced the idea that quality isn’t just what I do… it’s part of who I am.  And, it’s connected me to the larger quality community, whereas I’ve learned quite a bit!  One of my goals for 2011 was to increase my blogging content, and A View from the Q is a large contributor there.  I’m hoping to keep up the momentum and double my average number of posts this year.

While  I would definitely suggest the Influential Voices initiative has been a success, I think the program would largely benefit from additional cross-commenting and communications between bloggers.  I’m guilty of this… posting something and then failing to read all of the other follow-up posts.  I think it really comes down to the time issue again, but additional comments really would create more of a conversation.

And, the winner of the most significant quality event of the year goes to… 

I would be crazy not to mention my adventures in China a few months back.  How does that relate to a quality win for the year? Well, the adventure gave me some much needed perspective.  I needed to remember what production looks like and step into the work of others that I’m often so quick to try and improve or change.

Standing in front of people I’ve worked with for years and only knew via email was pretty cool.  And, my realization of how the Chinese culture interacts (or rather doesn’t interact) with social media in the same ways we do, really had an impact on how I need to get things done in the future.  It was an “ah ha” moment for sure!  From a marketing perspective, I suppose it was more of a “duh” moment…

Taking a video camera into the factories and producing content that gives others an idea of what it’s like to produce “stuff” and the role quality assurance and control play within that process has been interesting, to say the least.  A visual representation of the complexity was just the answer I was looking for.  My only regret is that I didn’t get enough video, but my hope is that I’ve planted the seed and will continue to get footage from our offices that I can edit and post on an ongoing basis.  It’s going to be great…

And, on that note, here’s to a quality 2012! May our successes always outweigh the disappointments… And, may we always learn and adapt when things fail to meet our expectations.

Related posts:

Goals for Quality in 2011 ASQ’s 2011 Futures Study: My Two Cents… Raising the Voice of Quality

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Let me just say that it’s amazing how much energy and enthusiam kids have! I asked them what they thought “quality” means and was received with some confused glares. You could see that they were really thinking about it and trying to put what they knew it was into words.  Finally, one girl identified it as “good”… <insert big smile>.

Fortunately, I decided to bring some LEGOs with me to discuss the topic.  We pulled down the map and talked about where LEGOs are made (Billund, Denmark) and how they are made. We talked about how the LEGOs would get from Denmark to Tampa, FL. The kids were totally engaged and you could just tell they thought it was pretty cool… they were floored that 1,000 LEGOs are made every second and by how long it takes for “stuff” to to get places.  Did you know that LEGO is the #1 tire manufacturer in the world?

Now, when I asked them how they would feel if they got a LEGO kit and found pieces missing, they used words like “bad” and “angry”.  Quality is good… poor quality is bad.  They got it! But, I wanted to incorporate an international trade component because that part of it is what makes my job with Pro QC so cool.  To do that, I used an activity that I picked up from my macro economics professor way back.  The activity builds value through trading… it gets students thinking about how free trade creates choices and lets us be more demanding for quality when there are more options.  Let me just say that 2nd graders are far more appreciative of “stuff” than the community college crowd! I left there feeling like a superstar having let them keep the traded items. And, when it was all over, they were more comfortable talking about what quality is and why it’s important… win!

Anyway, I’ve enjoyed reading the ASQ Influential Voices responses this month regarding World Quality Month and have really felt the love within the industry.  The quote Paul Borawski references from an old IBM sumes up my sentiments exactly:  “Here’s to National Quality Month and Eleven More Just Like It!”

Sidenote: I can hardly believe one year has passed since I joined ASQ’s Influential Voices program. I feel fortunate to be included among so many other passionate quality professionals.  I have no doubt that we have raised the voice of quality and will continue to do so!

Related posts:

Raising the Voice of Quality Education & The Voice of Quality #asq

(1) “1984″ – Apple

I dare anyone argue that this commercial changed the entire way we market products.

(2) “Think Different” - Apple

Hell yes… “Here’s to the crazy ones” – This commercial sums up everything that makes humanity great!

(3) “Sienna Family” – Toyota (Swagger Wagon)

This campaign figured out how to make driving a minivan not seem so lame.

(4) “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” – Coca-Cola

I want to live in a world like this… minus the high-fructose corn syrup.

(5) “Nike Courage” – Nike

I’m not an athlete, but I sure do feel like one after seeing this commercial… They’re giving me a good “feeling” so I don’t have to bothered by something so menial as shoes.

(6) “Cooper & Castle Hills” – Castle Hills Realty

They got me… It blew my mind that this was all marketing.

(7) “Back to the Start” – Chipotle

I can’t help but respect that they really went all out on creativity here and got the power of Willie Nelson’s voice behind a bold move in the right direction where sustainability is concerned.  They took a big risk budgeting this… it certainly doesn’t hit their mainstream market.

(8) “Star Wars Cantina 2010″ – Adidas

This is one of the only times I’ve actually thought celebrity associations work… it’s both entertaining and fits well with the overall campaign.

(9) “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” – Old Spice

This was the first time I ever really noticed such a successful cross-over between social media and external media.  It also did a great job at rebranding.

(10) “ShamWow” – ShamWow

“The Germans always make good stuff….” – Come on, I think this guy could sell anything.

I also reached out to others and asked what some of their favorites are.  A large majority of people referenced Geico and Jack Links Sasquatch campaigns.  I was surprised I didn’t see more references to Coca-Cola commercials, but I think we’re so stuck thinking about panda bears that we’ve forgotten how progressive they were way back when.

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“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

One of the most inspirational speeches I’ve seen includes Jobs’ 2005 commencement at Standford…

And, my all-time favorite quote also comes from Jobs…

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

So, the world will obviously move on without Steve Jobs  (1955-2011) in it, but I hope we don’t soon forget the contributions of a true visionary… someone that really did make a dent in the universe. He was more than iPods and iPads… he just got it.

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Here’s to the crazy ones…

In Terry’s interview with ASQ, GM isn’t promising that they’ll exceed your expectations, but rather are being a little more cautious and simply promising you that the “product will do everything they say it will do.” It feels like they are promoting the idea that the same promise wasn’t assumed before.  And, then the consumer (or employee) wonders why not? It also seems inconsistent with their mission, which states that “GM will design, build and sell the world’s best vehicles.” It sounds like the message is that they’re going to shoot for the best, but will promise that it will at least do what we say it will.  Either way, if quality is defined as meeting or exceeding expectations, you can’t negate they have repositioned themselves into  a quality-centric organization. That’s a good thing…

That said, I do think Laurel Nelson-Rowe poses an interesting question when she asks if companies must sometimes (often? regularly?) undergo radical organizational change or substantial economic shifts to get back to rigorous quality systems? And, the answer is a resounding yes to both.  As an industry historically resistant to change, I think the U.S. auto industry is the best example of this.  Also, I don’t think “radical” organizational change is necessary on a regular basis, although the assessment of such change is.  If companies are out there scanning the environment and examining internal and external factors affecting their objectives and performance, then they will be able to make ongoing small changes as necessary for realignment.  Of course, regular strategic (macro) level assessments are necessary as well in order to determine if the objectives set remain relevant.  GM learned this the hard way.

“By failing to plan, you are preparing to fail.”  ~Benjamin Franklin

Regarding corporate culture, I think this is something that must be seen and heard.  It can’t just be words in a mission statement.  You have to feel it, both as someone working for the organization and as a consumer in general looking in from the outside.  Reinforcement of the corporate culture must be ongoing and incorporate managements’ passion, dedication and overall support.   While it all seems obvious, we also must make sure we employ the right people that fit the expected corporate culture model.  Reinforcing is much easier than reeducating.

I am rooting for GM to succeed as a leader in the industry and do see passion, dedication and overall support coming from people like Terry. I suppose the proof is in the pudding.

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I finally got my invite the other day and played around it with it for a few.   Here’s my feedback on the beta evaluation…

• Limited customization – I’d like to have more options to adjust the size and general layout. Currently, there are six templates to choose from, and none of them seemed really spectacular.  A little more tweaking capability, especially where formatting is concerned, would be helpful. The color schemes and such were fine.
• Limited content editing – I really wasn’t able to customize info to a great extend… For example, I can’t see where I can incorporate the several titles I’ve had at Pro QC throughout the years.  It’s only representing the most current one over the entire span of time.
• Instead of only allowing LinkedIn info, why not allow people to import their resumes from other sources (like .doc files) and customize from there? I will admit, however, that pulling the info from LinkedIn sure was convenient!

While I didn’t spend too much time playing around with this because I’ve got a list a mile long to get through today, I did end up with this: http://vizualize.me/VTA-pjB3ae.  It’s certainly a pretty way of introducing yourself, but I think it’s missing the bigger picture of what employers are looking for.  What there is now only skims the surface…

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