Summary

Management Commitment

We were once at a conference where Watts Humphrey (who many people consider to be the father of process improvement using the CMM) was the featured speaker. At the end of his lecture, he asked for questions. One brave soul stood up and launched into a dissertation about the lack of support his organization was getting from senior management. Senior management expected the organization to achieve a certain level rating by a specific date, yet they had not adequately staffed and funded the effort. Whenever there was a problem in production, the process improvement people were told to return to their old jobs and do "real work." Basically, there was no management commitment to this effort. The poor soul then asked Watts Humphrey, "What should I do?" Humphrey responded by saying, "Quit."

When we heard this response, we were furious. This poor man had bared his soul to the assembled crowd and was desperate for a plan of attack that would yield positive results and, quite probably, help him keep his job. And all he had received was a terse, one-word answer "Quit." How arrogant of Watts Humphrey to respond in such an unhelpful manner.

Well, after thinking about it for awhile (and being placed in similar situations many times), we cannot help but agree. True management commitment is absolutely necessary. How can you measure true commitment? Easy put your money where your mouth is. That is, ask your management and your sponsors the following questions:

• Have you given us enough time to do this?

• Have you given us enough money in the budget to do this?

• Have you given us enough people to do this?

• Have you given us the right people to do this?

• Have you given us authority to act, not just made us responsible?

• Have you really developed a vision of what the true problems are?

• Have you really developed a vision of what you want this organization to do?

• Have you made this effort the priority in your organization?

• Do you really understand what process improvement is and how it will affect everyone including management in the organization?

• Do you realize that you have to change, not just your people?

• Do you realize that your work will be scrutinized, as well as that of your lower-level managers?

If the answers are yes, then maybe you have a chance. One of the things that we have learned over the years is that an organization takes on the behavior characteristics of its leaders . We have seen this at all levels in the organization. If management will not change, then the organization cannot change. End of discussion.