Quality Assurance Is the Key

Rewards and Punishment

Sociological and psychological studies have been done that conclude that the best way to ensure long- lasting change is through positive not negative reinforcement. To that end, your organization needs to devise a new reward system. Instead of rewarding the person who always stays late when a new system is going into production or is to be shipped to the customer, why not ask yourself, "Why is this person staying late? Is he incompetent? Does he purposely wait to start his duties until the last minute? Does he enjoy the attention he gets from 'saving the show'? Did he do anything to obstruct the system going in more smoothly that necessitated his staying late? Did he not plan his work correctly? Did I not plan the work correctly? Did we not adequately staff this job?" The point is that the reward system must change. Reward people for doing their jobs right the first time, not for acting like saviors and pulling all-nighters. Our motto is "Dare to Be Dull." Or another way to think of it is "No Surprises."

One of the best "rewards" to demonstrate to process improvement novices, and to your organization as a whole, is the WIFM effect; that is, What's In It For Me? If you can tie process improvement activities to potential benefits that people in your organization can realize and respond to, then more people will be able to overcome their fear of change and be co- opted into the process improvement challenge.

It is na ve to think that only positive reinforcement will promote process improvement. It would be wonderful if your organization hired only truly altruistic people who will put everyone else's needs and desires above their own so that process improvement can occur, the organization can get their ratings, business contracts will ensue, and everyone will live happily ever after in fairyland.

It does not happen that way. Yes, you should be open to changing your very hard-written procedures if they do not work. They will always need modification. However, if people are not following the procedures, and not contributing to improving them, then these people need to have what we have heard called a "come to Jesus meeting" with senior management and be told to "get with the program."

People need a way to clearly communicate when the procedures are not working. A well-managed improvement proposal process serves two primary purposes: (1) to capture real problems with the processes and procedures; and (2) it gives people a way to complain. Face it; change is difficult. We have worked with a lot of people that just need to voice their complaints and then they get on with the work. Do not overlook this human need to have their voices heard and to feel as if they are part of the process of process improvement.