The news come first from the CEO to the Managers, and then, to their team:
-We have to indicate few people from our area to start a new Quality Program Training.
People look each other, trying to understand what is that. Some of them find excuses for not doing the training, others think about it.
People chosen, training done. Now, the worst part! Manager speaks to the team:
-Guys! Our CEO wants to show to the board some cost reduction got from the new Quality Program.
Who can believe this will really work?
Look the picture below:
Yes, this is another story about the start of another new Quality Program failing.
Top-down Quality Programs often faill to create deep and sustained cultural change in the organizations because the high management charges back profits before the proper time for the cultural adaptation. Simple like that.
The study of Hendricks and Singhal (2001) showed that the stock performance of companies who has received quality awards is higher (38% to 46%) than a matched control group of companies who did not receive such an award. And what is even more interesting is that these performance improvements was not shown in the five years of implementation period, but, instead, in the five-year post implementation period, which means, in the period where the company is supposed to be well acculturated.
We know that culture is changed by leaders prepared and training for all. So, give the proper time to do this job and, very likely, the results will surprise you.
