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| Tuesday, April 18, 2006 |
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02 Feb 2004
The Star -
We are drawing our consideration of the need for and the implementation of quality management systems within the property sector to a close.
We are drawing our consideration of the need for and the implementation of quality management systems within the property sector to a close.
At the same time we need to consider the impact of different leadership styles within an organisation on the quality that an organisation is able to provide.
There are numerous methods of defining leadership styles but, in essence, these different methods arise from the basis that there are two alternative approaches to leading people: autocratic and democratic. Which style should be used by the leader who wishes to introduce total quality management into an organisation depends on the variable factors which are pertinent to the subject organisation.
Such factors are the nature of the business, the existing culture of the company and the wishes and expectations of the staff complement. Whereas leaders should be rigid in their principles, they need to be prepared to do an extraordinary amount of listening and working by consensus to implement such principles. Implementing total quality management is rather like being in charge of a small sailing vessel in unpredictable weather: one should be absolutely sure of the final destination but very flexible about the exact route that you wish to use to get there.
As the wind and currents change, so leaders need to take a new tack. This is why it is so useful to explain the first practical steps towards total quality management but unhelpful to map out the whole route that the process shall follow at the very start of the programme. Allowing people to become involved in the change process promotes commitment towards the process. It is interesting to note that as the quality committee, managers, supervisors and front line staff begin to buy into the process, so the move towards total quality management reaches what can affectionately be termed a critical mass level. At this point it becomes unpopular not to provide total quality to the internal and external customers. Next week, we shall continue investigating quality systems within the property industry by identifying the action steps to be followed.
Information supplied by Jonathan Smith, director of Courtwell Consulting. He can be contacted by telephone at 011 327-6428 or e-mail: services@courtwell.com
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