Should the quality department be assertive? Remember these 12 points

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In a company, when the production workshop cuts corners, does the quality department have the courage to stop it firmly? When the boss asks to release a batch of defective products, can the quality department refuse to do so? Should a company’s quality department be assertive? Some people have summarized the following aspects for your reference. I. Identifying and exposing problems: In terms of quality, is this acceptable? When carrying out tasks, it’s essential to be proactive; throughout the entire process—from planning and implementation to supervision, inspection, and improvement—it’s necessary to say what needs to be said, shout what needs to be shouted, and post what needs to be posted. Everyone should be involved in matters related to quality, and everyone should be aware of them. In this way, quality awareness training for all employees is carried out naturally. Therefore, actions must be carried out in a prominent manner, so that no one can overlook the existence of the quality department. Speaking of being a person, one must stay low-key. Under no circumstances should one be domineering. This is annoying and causes unnecessary trouble at work. One should be kind; not have a stern expression, but rather be gentle and subtle, like soft rain that nourishes things silently. I think that as long as these two things are done well, everything will be easy and trouble-free. II. The Quality Department should “persist.” Persist in what? Adhere to standards! The quality department is like a court: it must make objective judgments in accordance with the laws, while also respecting the actual facts. When applying reduction clauses, it is necessary to take into consideration that this sentencing process also has a flexible aspect to it. While carrying out quality work, it is necessary to continuously review, reflect on, discuss, and revise standards so that they remain aligned with reality and actual needs. Standards must not be mere theoretical concepts; quality is something that requires practical action, not just empty slogans or superficial efforts. When the company’s resources, systems, and other factors do not meet the requirements for high quality, it is necessary to first focus on controlling and stabilizing the quality that is currently achievable. As the system continues to improve, the quality standards can be raised, and accordingly the quality level will also increase. Therefore, when it comes to ensuring quality, one cannot rely solely on a \"dominant\" approach; such an approach will lead to estrangement or even conflict with various departments. Over time, you will find that quality management becomes very passive, and quality is left unaddressed. However, it is essential to maintain the credibility of quality standards; standards and clear requirements must be adhered to. In cases where there are no standards, or where the requirements are unreasonable, it is necessary to involve relevant parties in establishing standards and setting requirements or making adjustments. Such an approach to quality management not only gains acceptance among people but also ensures its long-term effectiveness, having a profound impact on the company. III. Let data speak, let facts speak! Those who are responsible for quality must be people with a sense of responsibility and sincerity; being strong or not is another matter. When quality issues arise, if you investigate the causes in detail and conduct a clear analysis of responsibilities, then even the production department or engineering department will have no argument left – that’s when you show strength, by using data and facts to back up your arguments! IV. Have a stance, principles, and perseverance. To focus on quality, one must first have a stance, principles, and perseverance. However, in reality, many factors come into play; sometimes the quality department of an entire company functions merely as a rework unit, a place where people suffer, and it is forced to compromise on quality standards due to deadline pressures. At the same time, quality personnel seem to need to have some technical knowledge, otherwise they can easily be deceived. V. Quality needs to be \"strong,\" and when dealing with problems, there must be \"determination.\" It’s best to use these two concepts separately: quality should be \"strong,\" and problem-solving requires \"determination.\" Using them separately is ideal; using them together can lead to misunderstandings. When working on quality issues, it’s better to say \"we...\" rather than \"you...\" VI. Give quality some room for maneuver. Working on quality doesn’t mean pushing the company to its limits; for defective products that still need to be shipped, we can conduct evaluations, make concessions, grant emergency approvals, and so on. Some room is always left for quality to maneuver within, but the entire process absolutely requires leadership support. For the improvement plan to achieve the desired results, certain authority support is required. VII. Report the latest developments to the boss: Thoroughly report the latest progress on the matters under tracking to the boss and make it public, exposing those departments that fail to cooperate. This is done both to shift responsibility and to put pressure on those departments, making them realize that further non-cooperation is unacceptable. VIII. It is necessary to evaluate the current situation, as well as the process and outcomes of the corrective actions taken. They should not only point out where the problems exist, but also get involved in discussing and solving those problems. To evaluate the current situation as well as the process and outcomes of corrective actions, one should act in the role of a customer at this point. Moreover, the quality department should be independent and operate under the direct supervision of headquarters (or the boss); it’s difficult to allow such a department to function freely within an existing system. IX. Analyze problems, solve them, and assist in improvement. Each department has its own responsibilities, and there are no strong or weak departments; if such a situation exists, it indicates that the company’s development is problematic and not proceeding in a healthy manner. In a company, the Quality Department generally plays roles such as quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and quality improvement. It is not merely about identifying and exposing problems, passing them on like passing a ball from one person to another, or supervising others to ensure that tasks are done well and improvements are made ； Rather, it is about analyzing problems, solving them, and helping other departments improve – only in this way can one be valuable within the company. X. Functions of the Quality Department (including QA and QC): First and foremost, it is not sufficient to simply do one’s own tasks well; in addition to doing them well, they must also be done correctly. Beyond that, they need to be carried out in a reasonable and appropriate manner, and such efforts should be emphasized – in other words, one should set a benchmark within the company. At the same time, it is necessary to teach others how to do things well, correctly, at the right time, in the right place, and with appropriate resources. The other is to supervise others to do things well, identify problems, and bring them to light. This is far from enough; if you stop here, it will only bring complaints, disputes, trouble, and even self-inflicted pain. I think one must not simply apply Marxism-Leninism to others; what’s more important is to provide them with the root causes, give them suggestions, offer supervision, and deliver results – that is, to allow the organization to verify things, to provide a comparable outcome, to address the original problems, and to motivate others to take action and make efforts. In that case, I think people will regard those who are in a weaker position with more respect. But if one only presents problems without providing ** and the reasons, then even those who are strong will end up isolated and avoided by others. 11. The Quality Department serves to assist other departments in performing better. Often, it’s not necessary to make a big fuss; a low-key approach is sufficient to achieve the desired results. In my opinion, it’s important to instill in other departments the idea that the Quality Department exists to help them do better. For example, in production: we help reduce the number of defects, enabling you to meet production targets as planned. In sales: high-quality products ensure that you receive praise from customers… and so on. Often, the production department believes that the quality department cannot directly generate economic benefits, and it also gives them orders, leading to unconscious resistance. XII. Requirements for notification and rectification plan: You need to determine for yourself many risks that are difficult to assess visually. The production department may require a signature for approval; there should be a responsible person in case of any issues. Once it is determined that everything is fine after evaluation, the product can be released, but your requirements and the rectification plan must be communicated. The Quality Department is not just an inspection unit; for example, when defective products are detected or problems are identified, it works together with relevant departments to analyze the causes and take corrective actions. It is necessary to present the quality department’s own opinions and ideas for discussion and analysis; before that, relevant tests must be carried out personally in order to convince others and earn their trust. Furthermore, the position or role of a company’s quality department also depends on the owner’s business philosophy and management style. - End -