Concept of Leadership Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.

Though there is no universal definition of leadership and indeed many books have been devoted to the topic of leadership, Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. James Mac Gregor Burns describes a leader as one who instills purposes, not one who controls by brute force. A leader strengthens and inspires the followers to accomplish shared goals. So leadership requires an intuitive understanding of human nature- the basic needs, wants, and abilities of people. It helps leaders direct them on the right track. So leadership should be based on the following concepts: 1) People, paradoxically, need security and independence at the same time. 2) People are sensitive to external rewards and punishments and yet are also strongly self-motivated. 3) People like to hear a kind word of praise. Catch people doing something right. 4) People can process only a few facts at a time, thus, a leader needs to keep things simple. 5) People trust their gut reaction more than statistical data. 6) They distrust the leaders rhetoric if the words are inconsistent with the leaders actions.

Characteristics of Quality Leaders There are 12 behaviors or characteristics that successful quality leaders demonstrate: 1) They give priority attention to external and internal customers and their needs. Leaders place themselves into the customers shoes and service their needs from that perspective. They continually evaluate the customers changing requirements. 2) They empower, rather than control, their subordinates. Leaders have trust and confidence in the performance of their subordinates. They provide the resources, training and work environment to help subordinates do their jobs. However, the decision to accept responsibility lies with the individual. 3) They emphasize improvement rather than maintenance. Leaders use the phrase If it isnt perfect, improves it rather than If it isnt broken, dont fix it. There is always room for improvement, even if the improvement is small. Major breakthroughs happen but its the little ones that keep the continuous process improvement on a positive track. 4) They emphasize prevention; An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is certainly true. It is also true that perfection can be the enemy of creativity. We cant

always wait until we have created the perfect product. There must be a balance between preventing problems and developing better but not the perfect one. 5) They encourage collaboration rather than competition. When functional areas, departments or work groups are in competition, they may find subtle ways of working against each other or withholding information. Instead, there must be collaboration among and within units. 6) They train and coach rather than direct and supervise. Leaders know that the development of the human resource is a necessity. As coaches, they help their subordinates learn to do a better job. 7) They learn from problems. When a problem exists, it is treated as an opportunity rather than something to be minimized or covered up. What caused it? and How can we prevent it in future? are the questions quality leaders ask. 8) They continually try to improve communications. Leaders continually disseminate information about the TQM effort. They make sure that TQM is not just a slogan. Communication is two way- ideas will be generated by people when leaders encourage them and act upon them. 9) They continually demonstrate their commitment to quality, that is; they just do what they have committed to do. They walk their talk- their actions, rather than their words. They let the quality statements be their decision making guide. 10) They choose the suppliers on the basis of quality, not price. Suppliers are encouraged to participate on project teams and become involved. Leaders know that quality begins with quality materials and the true measure is the life cycle cost. 11) They establish organizational systems to support the quality effort. At the senior level, a quality council is provided, and at the first-line level, work groups and project teams are organized to improve the process. 12) They encourage and reorganize team effort. They encourage, provide recognition and reward individuals and teams. Leaders know that people like to hear that their contributions are appreciated and important. This action is one of the leaders most powerful tools.

The Seven Habits of highly effective people: Habit is an intersection of knowledge, skill and desire. Knowledge is what to do and the why; skill is the how to do; and desire is the motivation or want to do. In order for something to become a habit one must have all the three. Stephen R. Covey introduced The Seven Habits- a highly integrated approach that moves from dependency (you take care of me) to independence (I take care of myself) to interdependence (we can so something better together). The first three habits deal with independence- the essence of character growth. Habit 4, 5 and 6 deal with interdependence- teamwork, cooperation, and communication. Habit 7 is the habit of renewal. Thats why, these habits are necessary for leaders to be effective.

Habit 1: Be Proactive Being proactive means taking responsibility for your life- the ability to choose the response to a situation. Proactive behavior is a product of conscious choice based of values, rather than reactive behavior, which is based on feelings. Reactive people let circumstances tell them how to respond. On the other hand, proactive people let carefully thought-about, selected and internalized values tell them how to respond. Its not what not what happens to us but our response that differentiates the two behaviors. No one can make you miserable unless you choose to let them. The language we use is a real indicator of our behavior. Comparisons are given in the table below: Reactive There is nothing I can do I have to do that I must Things are getting worse Proactive Lets look at our alternatives I will choose I prefer What initiative can we use?

Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind The most fundamental application of this habit is to begin each day with an image, picture or paradigm of the end of life as the leaders frame of reference. All things are created twice- theres a mental or first creation and a physical or second creation all things. To build a house we first create a blueprint and then construct the actual house. If we want to have a successful organization, we begin with a plan that will produce the appropriate end; thus leadership is the first creation and management is the second. Leadership is doing the right thing and management is doing things right. In order to begin with the end in mind, leader should develop a personal philosophy like: Never compromise with honesty Maintain a positive attitude Exercise daily Do not fear mistakes Read a leadership book daily

By centering our lives on correct principles, we create a solid foundation for a the development of the life supporting factors of security, guidance, wisdom and power. Principles are the fundamental truths. They are tightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency and strength through the fabric of life.

Habit 3: Put First Things First Habit 3 is practicing self-management and requires Habit 1 & 2 as prerequisites. It is day to day, moment to moment, management of time. The Time Management Matrix is diagrammed below: Urgent Crises, fire-fighting, pressing problems Deadline driven projects Not Urgent Prevention, PC Relationship building Recognizing new opportunities Planning, recreation Trivia, busy work Time wasters Pleasant activities

important I. II. III. IV. Not important i. ii. iii. iv.

Interruptions, pressing matters Some mail, calls, reports Some meetings, proximate Popular activities

Figure: Time Management Matrix Here we see four quadrants. Urgent means it requires immediate attention, and important has to do with results that contribute to the mission, goals, and values. However, effective proactive people spend most of their time in the quadrant (2), thereby reducing the time spent in quadrant (1). Four activities are necessary to be effective: Writing down the key roles for the week Listing the objectives for each role. These objectives should be tied to the personal goals or philosophy developed in Habit 2. Schedule to complete the objectives Adapt the weekly schedule to the daily activities

Habit 4: Think Win-Win Win-win is a frame of mind that constantly seeks mutual benefits in all human interactions. Here both sides come out ahead to find a better way. If the Win-win is not possible, the alternative is no deal. Win-win embraces five interdependent dimensions of life- character, relationships, agreements, systems and processes. In order to obtain Win-win, a four-step process is needed: See the problems from the other viewpoint Identify the key issues and concerns Determine the acceptable results and Seek possible new options to those results

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand then to be Understood Seek first to understand involves a paradigm shift since we usually try to be understood first. Empathic listening to others is the key to effective communication. Its not necessary that we agree with someone, but deeply understanding that person, emotionally as well as intellectually. The second part of the habit is to be understood. Covey uses three sequentially arranged Greek words- ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos is your personal character; pathos is the empathy you have with the other persons communication; and logos is the logic or reasoning part of your presentation. Habit 6: Synergy Synergy means that the whole is better than the parts. Together we can accomplish more than any one of us can accomplish alone. The first five habits build toward Habit 6. It focuses on the concept of Win-win and the skills of empathic communication on tough challenges that brings about new alternatives that did not exist before. Synergy occurs when people abandon their humdrum presentation and win-lose mentality and open themselves up to creative cooperation. When there is genuine understanding, people reach solutions that are better than they could have achieved acting alone. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw (Renewal) Habit 7 is taking time to sharpen the Saw so it will cut faster. Its renewing the four dimensions of one nature: i. ii. iii. iv. Physical: Renewing the physical dimension means following good nutrition, rest and relaxation and regular exercise Spiritual: Spiritual dimension is ones commitment to ones value system. And renewal comes from prayer, meditation, and spiritual reading. Mental: the mental dimension is continuing to develop ones intellect through reading, seminars, and writings. Social/ Emotional: The social and emotional dimensions of our lives are tied together because our emotional life is primarily developed out of and manifested in our relationship with others.

So Covey, in his 7 Habits book states that exercising these habits, people will grow to fulfill their natures otherwise, they will not rise above the animal plane.

Concept of ethics Ethics is a branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions about morality, that is, about concepts such as good and bad, right and wrong, justice and virtue. Broadly, ethics is concerned with the thesis and study of what is good and evil, right and wrong and just and unjust, by which anybody can try to do good and avoid doing evil. It involves the principles of behavior what a group or society as whole considers right.

Management ethics or business ethics business.Nuner and Kelling.

are

standard

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carrying

out

their

Root causes of unethical behavior Much of the unethical behavior in organizations occurs when: Organizations fever their own interest above the wellbeing of their customers, employees or the public. Organizations reward behavior that violates ethical standards; such as increasing sales through false advertising. Organizations encourage separate standards of behavior at work than at home; such as secrecy and deceit versus honesty. Individuals are willing to abuse their position and power to enhance their interests, such as taking excessive compensation for themselves off the top before other stakeholders receive their fair share. Managerial values exists that undermine integrity, such as the pressure managers exert on employees to cover up mistakes or to do whatever it takes to get the job done, including cutting corners. Organizations and individuals emphasize the short term results at the expense of themselves and others in the long run; for example- behavior is good based on the degree of utility, pleasure, or good received, regardless of the effect on others. Organizations and managers believe that their knowledge is infallible and miscalculate the risk, such as when financial managers invest organizational funds in high risk options trading. Tendency toward behavior most likely comes from the interactions of the root causes of pressure, opportunity and attitude. Unethical behavior is especially prevalent if the employee morale is low. For example- the poor working condition, employee downsizing, unacknowledged good work and denied promotions can all contribute to an employees poor attitude.

Ethics management program Ethics management program are designed by an organization or an employer as attempt to have formalized structures for ensuring the organization is perceived as fair, honest, responsible and just. Ethical programs globally are designed keeping four things in mind: Considering yourself and organization as part of the larger social framework.

Considering the development of others (internal & external customer) to the extent possible. Respecting the traditions/ritual (organizational diversity)/others. Evaluating a situation objectively and consequences thereof.

Steps of ethics management program: An ethics management program needs to address pressure, opportunity, and attitude. Managing ethical behavior requires commitment, new policies, and procedures, continuous improvement and investment in appraisal, prevention and promotion.

Appraisal :which is the analysis of the costs associated with unethical behavior.these costs can be divided into three root causes of pressure ,opportunity and attitude.

Costs from pressure are those costs from well intended but unethical decisions made under pressure.they include but are not limited to errors,waste,rework ,lost customers and warranties. Costs from opportunity are those costs from untentional wrongdoing.they include but are not limited thefts,overstated expenses, excessive compensation and nepotism. Costs from attitudes are those costs from mistaken beliefs in unethical froms of behavior.they include but are not limited to errors, waste, rework,lost cutomer and health care.

In order to obtain these costs, different quality costs can be used. o o Preventive costs category :marketing user,product development, purchasing, operations, quality administrations. Appraisal cost category :purchasing appraisal costs,operations appraisal costs,external appraisal costs, review of test, mischalleneous quality evaluations. Internal failure cost category : purchasing failure costs, operations failure costs.

o Etc.

External failure costs category :waranty claims,liability costs,penalties

Prevention: This is the development of a of a system that will minimize the costs. This step can proceed concurrently with step on 1.

o Pressure can be addressed that allow for individual diversity, dissent, and decision making input. o Opportunity can be addressed that encourage and protect whistleblowers. o Attitude can be addressed by requiring ethics training for all personnel, requiring ethics training for all personnel, recognizing ethical conduct in the workplace etc. Promotion: promotion refers to the continuous advertising of ethical behavior in order to develop an ethical organizational culture that is clear, positive and effective. o Standardized ethics training should be given to everyone to :(1)teach them how to clarify ethical issues,(2)encourage the facts before acting,(3)encourage them to consider all the consequences before acting,(4)show them how to test their actions in advance o To be positive, the culture should be about doing what is right and encouraging and rewarding ethical behavior. o To be effective, the philosophy must be set and adopted by senior management. .

Instructions for managing ethics in the workplace: Instructions instill ethical values in your management team. Some instructions which can be adopted in the workplace

o o

Offer entrance into a business management program. Hire a group of professional mediators independent management trainees about business ethics. Schedule ethics management courses for your staff.

Incorporate a study of state and federal business law within your management training program. Create a flexible training program for business ethics management using virtual learning tools. Teach management trainees the supervisor skills needed to develop into dynamic professionals with knowledge of business ethics.

Deming philosophy William E. Deming, an American statistician, professor, author & consultant, developed Deming philosophy. Basic philosophy: A culture of continuous improvement must be established and maintained with the overall goal of achieving customer satisfaction.

Figure: Demings PDCA cycle plan, do, check & act.

The 14 points of Demings philosophy 1. Create a constant purpose toward improvement. Plan for quality in the long term. Resist reacting with short-term solutions. Don't just do the same things better find better things to do. Predict and prepare for future challenges, and always have the goal of getting better. 2. Adopt the new philosophy. Embrace quality throughout the organization. Put your customers' needs first, rather than react to competitive pressure and design products and services to meet those needs. Be prepared for a major change in the way business is done. It's about leading, not simply managing. Create your quality vision, and implement it. 3. Stop depending on inspections. Inspections are costly and unreliable and they don't improve quality, they merely find a lack of quality. Build quality into the process from start to finish. Don't just find what you did wrong eliminate the "wrongs" altogether. Use statistical control methods not physical inspections alone to prove that the process is working. 4. Use a single supplier for any one item. Quality relies on consistency the less variation you have in the input, the less variation you'll have in the output. Look at suppliers as your partners in quality. Encourage them to spend time improving their own quality they shouldn't compete for your business based on price alone. Analyze the total cost to you, not just the initial cost of the product. Use quality statistics to ensure that suppliers meet your quality standards. 5. Improve constantly and forever. Continuously improve your systems and processes. Deming promoted the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach to process analysis and improvement. Emphasize training and education so everyone can do their jobs better. Use kaizen as a model to reduce waste and to improve productivity, effectiveness, and safety. 6. Use training on the job. Train for consistency to help reduce variation. Build a foundation of common knowledge. Allow workers to understand their roles in the "big picture." Encourage staff to learn from one another, and provide a culture and environment for effective teamwork. 7. Implement leadership. Expect your supervisors and managers to understand their workers and the processes they use. Don't simply supervise provide support and resources so that each staff member can do his or her best. Be a coach instead of a policeman.

Figure out what each person actually needs to do his or her best. Emphasize the importance of participative management and transformational leadership. Find ways to reach full potential, and don't just focus on meeting targets and quotas. 8. Eliminate fear. Allow people to perform at their best by ensuring that they're not afraid to express ideas or concerns. Let everyone know that the goal is to achieve high quality by doing more things right and that you're not interested in blaming people when mistakes happen. Make workers feel valued, and encourage them to look for better ways to do things. Ensure that your leaders are approachable and that they work with teams to act in the company's best interests. Use open and honest communication to remove fear from the organization. 9. Break down barriers between departments. Build the "internal customer" concept recognize that each department or function serves other departments that use their output. Build a shared vision. Use cross-functional teamwork to build understanding and reduce adversarial relationships. Focus on collaboration and consensus instead of compromise. 10. Get rid of unclear slogans. Let people know exactly what you want don't make them guess. "Excellence in service" is short and memorable, but what does it mean? How is it achieved? The message is clearer in a slogan like "You can do better if you try." Don't let words and nice-sounding phrases replace effective leadership. Outline your expectations, and then praise people face-to-face for doing good work. 11. Eliminate management by objectives. Look at how the process is carried out, not just numerical targets. Deming said that production targets encourage high output and low quality. Provide support and resources so that production levels and quality are high and achievable. Measure the process rather than the people behind the process.

There are situations in which approaches like Management By Objectives are appropriate, for example, in motivating sales-people. As Deming points out, however, there are many situations where a focus on objectives can lead people to cut corners with quality. You'll need to decide for yourself whether or not to use these approaches. If you do, make sure that you think through the behaviors that your objectives will motivate.

12. Remove barriers to pride of workmanship. Allow everyone to take pride in their work without being rated or compared. Treat workers the same, and don't make them compete with other workers for monetary or other rewards. Over time, the quality system will naturally raise the level of everyone's work to an equally high level. 13. Implement education and self-improvement. Improve the current skills of workers. Encourage people to learn new skills to prepare for future changes and challenges. Build skills to make your workforce more adaptable to change, and better able to find and achieve improvements. 14. Make "transformation" everyone's job. Improve your overall organization by having each person take a step toward quality. Analyze each small step, and understand how it fits into the larger picture. Use effective change management principles to introduce the new philosophy and ideas in Deming's 14 points.

Role of TQM leaders

Total quality management (TQM) is a discipline used to manage a business effectively and efficiently. This approach comes from Japan, and it is commonly used in businesses around the world today. Total quality management is made up of several characteristics, such as customer-driven quality and leadership from top management.

Training all levels of the organization. All are responsible for quality improvement especially the senior management & CEOs Senior management must practice MBWA Ensure that the teams decision is in harmony with the quality statements of the organization Senior TQM leaders must read TQM literature and attend conferences to be aware of TQM tools and methods Senior managers must take part in award and recognition ceremonies for celebrating the quality successes of the organization Coaching others and teaching in TQM seminars Senior managers must liaise with internal ,external and suppliers through visits, focus groups, surveys They must live and communicate TQM.

Quality Council

Quality: In manufacturing, a measure of excellence or a state of being free from defects, deficiencies, and significant variations, brought about by the strict and consistent adherence to measurable and verifiable standards to achieve uniformity of output that satisfies specific customer or user requirements. ISO 8402-1986 standard defines quality as "the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. Council: An assembly of persons called together for consultation, deliberation, or discussion. A body of people elected or appointed to serve as administrators, legislators, or advisors. An assembly of church officials and theologians convened for regulating matters of doctrine and discipline. The discussion or deliberation that takes place in such an assembly or body.

The quality council includes CEO and senior managers of the functional areas -research, manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing etc. and one coordinator and a union representative. Duties of Quality Council: To develop the Quality statements e.g. Vision, Mission, Quality policy statements, Core values etc. To develop strategic long-term plans and annual quality improvement programs. Make a quality training programs. Monitor the costs of poor quality. Determine the performance measures for the organization Always find projects that improve the processes and produce customer satisfaction. Establish work-group teams and measure their progress. Establish and review the recognition and reward system for the TQM system Once the TQM program is well established, a typical agenda might have the following items: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Progress report on teams Customer satisfaction report Progress on meeting goals New project teams Recognition dinner Benchmarking report

Corning TPDs leadership system With technology developed and patented by its corporate parent, Corning Telecommunications Products Division (TPD) was formed in 1983 to manufacture hair thin optical fibers using pulses of light to carry large amounts of information over great distances. The world's largest optical fiber manufacturer, TPD serves three distinct customer groups in more than 30 countries: cable manufacturers, who incorporate optical fiber into finished products; end users, who employ the cabled optical fiber to carry information; and joint venture fiber making companies in Europe and Asia, who TPD supplies with product and process technology

Figure: Cornings TPDs leadership System 1. Vision Statement: The vision statement is a short declaration what an organization aspires to be tomorrow. A vision statement, on the other hand, describes how the future will look if the organization achieves its mission.

Successful visions are timeless, inspirational, and become deeply shared within the organization, such as:

IBMs Service Apples Computing for the masses Disney theme parks the happiest place on the earth, and Polaroids instant photography

2. Mission Statement: A mission statement concerns what an organization is all about. The statement answers the questions such as: who we are, who are our customers, what do we do and how do we do it. This statement is usually one paragraph or less in length, easy to understand, and describes the function of the organization. It provides clear statement of purpose for employees, customers, and suppliers. An example of mission statement is: Ford Motor Company is a worldwide leader in automatic and automotive related products and services as well as the newer industries such as aerospace, communications, and financial services. Our mission is to improve continually our products and services to meet our customers needs, allowing us to prosper as a business and to provide a reasonable return on to our shareholders, the owners of our business.

Strategy development process Establish strategy 1. Implementing the Plan. This means faithfully executing the strategy as planned by the church personnel. Carry out the plan! Do the work! 2. Evaluating the Plan. Evaluation is not a one-time occurrence. Ideally, you will constantly evaluate the plan. (Annual coordinated planning is a basic minimum.) Constantly evaluating your plan allows you to keep the plan fresh and relevant. It allows you to make necessary adjustments in redefining your mission and strategies in relation to your ever-changing environment. Be certain you are staying on course and not beginning to drift away from desired outcomes. Planning process: 1 Review strategic initiative and critical success factor 2 Review TPD values and establish key results indicators

Strategy deployment process: It means deploying strategy effectively to achieve success.

Business priority process: Priority-driven processes work by the focusing on the deliverables of the projects and asking the stakeholders to say which of the many things that the project could deliver are the most important. Step 1: Identify the relative importance of strategic business objectives Step 2: Identify the relative importance of specific key business processes Step 3: Calculate the relative importance of key metrics of key processes The concept of mission, vision, goals, objectives Vision statement The vision statement is appropriately future oriented: We want..., Again, the community you serve is at the center of the statement. The vision statement is clearly a goal upon which the mission is centered, and it concisely implies the work to be accomplished Take Coca-Cola's vision statement: "To achieve sustainable growth, we have established a vision with clear goals. Profit: Maximizing return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities. People: Being a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. Portfolio: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples; desires and needs. Partners: Nurturing a winning network of partners and building mutual loyalty. Planet: Being a responsible global citizen that makes a difference." That vision statement could be for almost any commercial organization with shareholders. Take out the reference to shareholders and beverages and it can apply to a large number of non-profit organizations too.

Considerations when writing a vision statement Visions incorporate goals for the future: but whose goals? Make sure the goals set out by your organization are shared by the community you serve. Visions are often value-laden statements. Values should be broad and inclusive to incorporate as many people and perspectives as possible. Visions should be optimistic and inspiring: to you, organization staff, and the community you serve. We believe in the equality of all people, regardless of race, class, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. It is written in the present, not future tense. They describe what we will feel, hear, think, say and do as if we had reached our vision now. It is summarized with a powerful phrase. That phrase forms the first paragraph of the vision statement. The powerful phrase is repeated in whatever communication mediums you have to trigger memory of the longer statement. It is not a brand strap-line.

It describes an outcome, the best outcome we can achieve. It does not confuse vision with the business goal and objectives for a particular period of time. A vision statement, therefore, does not provide numeric measures of success. It uses unequivocal language. It does not use business speak or words like maximize or minimize. It evokes emotion. It is obviously and unashamedly passionate. However, it separates the hard aspect of vision in what we see, hear and do from the soft aspect of vision in what we think and feel. It helps build a picture, the same picture, in people's minds.

Build vision statement with these components and we run the risk of informing, inspiring and energizing our people.

Mission statement The mission statement clearly states why Refugee Action exists and whom the organization exists for refugees. The statement contains a key action verb - enable- which explains the relationship the organization has with its served community. The mission also lists its primary program areas; this helps to clarify what enable invoices, and, by omission, what it does not. Considerations when writing a mission statement: 1. Mission statements should be developed with awareness of: the served community; the broader society; the primary activities of programs, staff, and volunteers; the history of the issue(s) that you are addressing in your community; the values held by your staff and volunteers Avoid long statements. Mission statements should not be highly specific, and clarity is not necessarily improved with length. Make sure your mission statement is no more than one or two sentences. Use active verbs that distinguish your organization but do not limit the scope of your programs and services. For example: enable, build, dedicate, grow, serve, or engage. Re-examine the mission every five years to maintain relevance to the served community and its needs. Goals and objectives Goals & objectives have basically the same meaning. However, it is possible to differentiate between the two by using goals for long term planning & objectives for short term planning. Concrete goals are needed to provide a focus, such as improve customers satisfaction, employee satisfaction & processes. Goals must be based on statistical evidence. Goals must be definitive, specific, & understandable using concrete results rather than behaviors or

2.

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attitude. The most important characteristics of goals is that they be measurable. Only measurable goals can be evaluated.

PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF TQM A Total Quality oriented organization must have at least following principal objective. Organization should have many more additional specific objectives. Customer focus, customer delight/satisfaction. Continuous improvement as a culture of the organization, which must be the way of life. Focused, continuous and relentless cost reduction. Focused, continuous and relentless quality improvement. To create an organization whereby everyone is working towards making their organization the best in its business, and to capitalize on the sense of achievement and working in a world-class organization. Making the organization market and customer focused Guiding the organization by its values, vision, mission, and goals set through strategic planning processes. Changing the organization from function focused to customer focused, where customer priorities come first in all activities. Making the organization flexible and learning oriented to cope with change Making the organization believe in and seek continuous improvement as a new way of life. Creating an organization where people are at the core of every activity, and are encouraged and empowered to work in teams. Promoting a transparent leadership process to lead the organization to excellence in its chosen field of business

Strategic planning In order to understand the concept of strategic management, first we need to understand the literal meaning of the word strategy. The definition is mentioned below: 1. The science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace or war. The science and art of military command as applied to the overall planning and conduct of large-scale combat operations. 2. A plan of action resulting from strategy or intended to accomplish a specific goal. 3. The art or skill of using stratagems in endeavors such as politics and business

The seven steps to strategic planning The process starts with the principles that quality and customer satisfaction are the center of an organizations future. It brings together all the key stakeholders. The strategic planning can be performed by any organization. It can be highly effective, allowing the organizations to do the right thing at the right time, every time. There are seven steps to strategic Quality Planning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Discover customer needs Customer positioning Predict the future Gap analysis Closing the gap Alignment Implementation

1. Customer Needs: The first step is to discover the future needs of the customers. Who will they be? Will your customer base change? What will they want? How will they want? How will the organization meet and exceed expectations? 2. Customer Positioning: Next, the planners determine where organization wants to be in relation to the customers. Do they want to retain, reduce, or expand the customer base? Product or services with poor quality performance should be targeted for breakthrough or eliminated. The organizations needs to concentrate its efforts on areas of excellence. 3. Predict the future: Next planners must look into their crystal balls to predict the future conditions that will affect their product or service. Demographics, economics forecasts, and technical assessments or projections are tools that help predict the future. 4. Gap Analysis: This step requires the planner to identify the gaps between the current state and the future state of the organization. An analysis of the core values and concepts is an excellent technique for pinpointing gaps. 5. Closing the Gap: The plan can now be developed to close the gap by establishing goals and responsibilities. All stakeholders should be included in the development of the plan. 6. Alignment: As the plan is developed, it must be aligned with the mission, vision, and core values and concepts of the organization. Without this alignment, the plan will have little chance of success. 7. Implementation: This last step is frequently the most difficult. Resources must be allocated to collecting data, designing changes, and overcoming resistance to change. Also part of this step is the monitoring activity to ensure that progress is being made. The planning group should meet at least once a year to assess progress and take any corrective action.