A respectable goal – a goal of respect

The reputation and international standing of people working in quality management would be better achieved through a cyber Institute than through national BAMs. And, eventually, company management would begin to appreciate what mean the letters MIQS (to use the Part 1 example of a name), what they stand for.

Respect, though, must be earned: it cannot be commanded. That means the members of whatever grade need to deliver the type of applied knowledge benefiting their individual organizations, be they employer or client. It also requires the Institute to adopt rigorous standards for achieving its highest grades of membership and conferring its professional certificates. Ensuring world-class standards and preventing dilution of standards (the widening of goalposts) must be impermissible. There will always be some folk who want to take shortcuts or an easy path out of self-interest at the expense of their professional community. It must not be allowed or tolerated.

Respected institutions attract an ever-higher caliber of person in turn raising the prestige of being a member. Well-written articles and helpful contributions attract interest and further high-quality contributions from experienced and eminent people. It is a natural part of human nature to want to be associated with reputable organizations: recognition by a prestigious institution is valued.

It will take a little time for the Institute to develop and gain respect. How long depends on the efforts and involvement of its members: you. It is a rare opportunity for an international community of ordinary people, such as us working in the quality world, to develop something of real benefit to the world and for individuals to be able to actually see their contribution communicate throughout the world. The internet gives us that and it would be folly not to grasp that opportunity and move ahead. Those that help will feel a sense of achievement: no amount of assistance given by any individual (world citizen) could be regarded as too small.

As indicated in this article, different countries, different continents and different economic sectors, different processes (accounting, purchasing, logistics) could all have their own set of pages and threads. Cross-fertilization of best practice and viewpoints would be readily enhanced by the Institute’s site’s search facilities. And the Institute could produce its own type of “Wiki” encyclopaedia concerning “quality”, available for the members.

Interested? Be a volunteer to start our “qualitypaedia” or any of the other services our new Institute could provide the international community. Respond to Appendix 1 and help to move your profession into a new age.

Allan J. Sayle,
President
Allan Sayle Associates
20 May 2005

© 2005 Allan Sayle Associates. All rights reserved.

Next: Register of volunteer assistants

Allan J. Sayle President Allan Sayle Associates

Allan J. Sayle has published numerous articles and delivered major speeches around the world in his 35 years experience. His book "Management Audits", ISBN 0951173901, now in its 3rd edition was first written in 1978 and is acknowledged as the "classic" and "definitive" text on that subject. Sayle is also acknowledged as the originator of the "Process Approach" (or "Task Element" approach) to auditing and quality programs, a method he developed in the early 1970s and which is now the de facto approach used around the world: the process approach is now at the heart of ISO 9001:2000. He is a pioneer of value-added audits. Allan Sayle's seminal work in Quality Management has influenced every practising quality professional. More information is available at his web site www.sayle.com.

top of page