ISO Mistake #11
Not getting top management commitment
(or appointing a champion with sufficient authority)
Years ago, probably around the time when Michael Heseltine was President of the Board of Trade, there was a DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) video promoting the use of quality management and quality management tools. One of the characters in the video asked a question, something like, “What are the three most important things we need to do to ensure the successful implementation of a good management system?”
The answer was to get:
- Top management commitment;
- Top management commitment and;
- Top management commitment.
The fact, that the above advice comes from a different century doesn’t diminish it in any way whatsoever.
Solution
- Don’t start unless you have real top team commitment.
- Develop a proper implementation plan detailing time scales and resources.
- Ensure a main board director is on the implementation team.
Resources
As a first resort, download our “5 Steps to Implementing…” documents.