Everyday Excellence looks at the core of quality --- people. If we want to achieve everyday excellence, we must do it for people and with people. People either have the right attitude or they don't. They take the right action, or they don't. They appreciate what they receive, or they don't. 'Attitude, action and appreciation' actually form a cycle of excellence, since appreciation often stimulates, fosters, and encourages a better attitude. It all comes down to how we approach ourselves and how we interact with other people. Once we look for them, we find that the opportunities to practice and apply excellence in the workplace occur minute-by-minute throughout the day. These moments comprise the heart of everyday excellence.

This handbook is a comprehensive reference designed to help professionals address organizational issues from the application of the basic principles of management to the development of strategies needed to deal with today’s technological and societal concerns. The fifth edition of the ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Handbook (CMQ/OE) has undergone some significant content changes in order to provide more clarity regarding the items in the body of knowledge (BoK). Examples have been updated to reflect more current perspectives, and new topics introduced in the most recent BoK are included as well. This handbook addresses: • Historical perspectives relating to the continued improvement of specific aspects of quality management • Key principles, concepts, and terminology • Benefits associated with the application of key concepts and quality management principles • Best practices describing recognized approaches for good quality management • Barriers to success, common problems you may encounter, and reasons why some quality initiatives fail • Guidance for preparation to take the CMQ/OE examination A well-organized reference, this handbook will certainly help individuals prepare for the ASQ CMQ/OE exam. It also serves as a practical, day-to-day guide for any professional facing various quality management challenges.

This handbook is a comprehensive reference source designed to help professionals address organizational issues from the application of the basic principles of management to the development of strategies needed to deal with the technological and societal concerns of the new millennium. The content of this fourth edition has been revised to reflect a more current global perspective and to match the updated Body of Knowledge (BoK) of ASQ’s Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE). In order to provide a broad perspective of quality management, this book has specifically been written to address: • Historical perspectives relating to the evolution of particular aspects of quality management, including recognized experts and their contributions • Key principles, concepts, and terminology relevant in providing quality leadership, and communicating quality needs and results • Benefits associated with the application of key concepts and quality management principles • Best practices describing recognized approaches for good quality management • Barriers to success, including common problems that the quality manager might experience when designing and implementing quality management, and insights as to why some quality initiatives fail • Guidance for preparation to take the CMQ/OE examination. Organized to follow the BoK exactly, throughout each section of this handbook the categorical BoK requirements associated with good quality management practices for that section are shown in a box preceding the pertinent text. These BoK requirements represent the range of content and the cognitive level to which multiple-choice questions can be presented. Although this handbook thoroughly prepares individuals for the ASQ CMQ/OE exam, the real value resides in post-exam usage as a day-to-day reference source for assessing quality applications and methodologies in daily processes. The content is written from the perspective of practitioners, and its relevance extends beyond traditional product quality applications.

This volume contains a further selection of the best papers presented at the Seventh Emonet conference (Montreal, Canada, August 2010), following on from Volume 7 and is augmented with invited chapters by leading scholars in the field. It focuses on the experience, dynamics and regulation of emotion and the emotionally intelligent organization.

Organizations learn effectively by following a three-step cycle: investigating the situation; identifying failures and successes; and institutionalizing the lessons so that they become “the way things are done.” This book examines this 3-I learning cycle as it is used in the United States Army. Prominent companies such as General Electric, Motorola, Harley-Davidson, and Amoco have taken advantage of the army’s experiences as they’ve moved through this cycle, reinventing themselves as learning organizations. These companies and more have gleaned valuable lessons from the army’s After-Action Reviews (AARs) and Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALLs). Parallels are drawn between the Army’s experience and the quality movement. Among the similarities are the idea that everything can be improved and the emphasis on integrating working and learning, with each supporting the other. The concepts of AARs and CALLs, like many quality tools, are relatively straightforward and easy to understand. Nonetheless, they require dedication and perseverance to implement fully and sustain. As with all quality concepts and tools, though, the results easily justify the effort!

The ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA) certification introduces the basics of quality to organizations and individuals who are new to quality. This book, and the Body of Knowledge (BoK) it supports, form a foundation for applying proven quality principles and practices that are used around the world. This handbook follows the CQIA span in both content and sequence. Let it serve as your guide in preparing for the ASQ CQIA examination, and refer to it frequently as you learn and implement these ideas and tools in your organization.

Northern Pipe Products is today experiencing unprecedented efficiencies, employee involvement, a vibrant and desired training program, record output per-man hour, and lowest overall waste in company history. What it did and learned over five years is the story of this book.The science of Self-Directed Work Teams resides in the realization that chance and stewardship are different sides of the same coin. Admitting to the obvious truth of infinite human variation dismantles the notion of truly controlling people. If not in their actions, surely in their minds and reflected in their attitudes people resent being told what to do. They much prefer to be told why something must be done and then allowed to apply their unique talents and strengths to manage the assignment. Leaders who understand and therefore respect individual differences use diversity to create value, allowing the insights of others to create often-superior approaches. This story could have taken place in a hospital, school, supermarket, or any other organization that requires people to work together for the greater good. Regardless of the setting, be it computer service, healthcare, education, manufacturing or child care, what follows could just as well be your story. Because it’s about people and their unlimited potential to achieve extraordinary things, the manufacture of pipe is simply a metaphor. Any group of people facing another day just like yesterday can choose to follow this path, regardless of the style or color of shoes they wear. True opportunity is "one size fits all."

Nowhere is it written that a company, regardless of how large it is or how successful it might seem to be, will survive. There have been too many highly visible and painful reminders of this fact over the last several years. While many of these companies fall apart seemingly overnight, the reality is that the decline is a process that usually takes several years and results from a number of actions, decisions, and behaviors that contribute to the demise.The purpose of this book is to present the warning signs of organizational decline, and provide a method for leaders to identify and eliminate them before the organization enters a death spiral. It provides detailed explanations of each warning sign, including an explanation regarding how the sign contributes to the decline, and also an assessment tool to determine the existence and extent of the signs within an organization. The principles and concepts present are equally applicable to healthcare, manufacturing, or service organizations. "A compelling and revealing account of why businesses do and do not survive. I and many of my colleagues consider it mandatory reading." Jim Schroth President J.L. Schroth Company "It is hoped that corporate executives will take heed to the message of this book to avoid (or end) death spirals of their companies, but time is running out for many formerly great companies!" Gene PerkinsbrGroup Vice President – Retired Emerson Electric "Gregg Stocker’s excellent new book captures the fundamental lessons all organizations must learn...This is a remarkable, must-read book for leaders and students of organizations everywhere!" Jeff Lickson President The Consortium"Gregg Stocker is a well-versed, lifetime advocate of quality and performance improvement. His book points the way." David Phillips Former CEO Sherex Chemical, Inc.

ASQ’s Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA) certification is designed to introduce the basics of quality to organizations and individuals not currently working within the field of quality. This book and the Body of Knowledge (BOK) it supports are intended to form a foundation for further study and application of proven quality principles and practices worldwide. The book follows the CQIA BoK in both content and sequence. The intent is that this book will serve as a guide to be used in preparation to take the CQIA examination given by ASQ. Each chapter stands alone, and the chapters may be read in any order. Some material reaching beyond the content of the BoK has been added. Supplemental reading suggestions are provided. An online, interactive sample exam and a paper-and-pencil sample can be found on the ASQ website (http://asq.org/cert/quality-improvement-associate/prepare).

The quest for value drives customer behavior in the services marketplace. This book focuses on complex service processes, and is written for professionals, quasi-professionals, and technical workers laboring in all spheres, from law to medicine, and accounting to engineering. It draws its theory and examples from these professional services and many more, with hands-on end-of-chapter exercises on all topics. A framework is presented for understanding how a set of shared fundamental beliefs drives the best-in-class professional service organizations in their learning, which is the source of sustained competitive advantage. Products and processes can be imitated or copied, but learning faster than your competition cannot. Processes create the benefits customers want by delivering the service, or by making this delivery possible in one way or another. The notions, methods, and tools presented in this book present readers with a perspective on their work they most likely never envisaged, and which will lead to a marked improvement in their effectiveness.