Introduction

According to Harvard Business Review Consultants K. Mikkelsen and H. Jarche-

Leaders bear a responsibility to renew their perspective to secure the relevance of their organizations.

This pandemic crisis shaken organizational leaders, either in public or private sector, to be awaken, alarmed and activated. This focuses leaders to three reflective directions - purification of priorities, challenging their capacities and expending their empathy. As a leader myself, truly expounded me deeper on the impact that brought about this crisis which I do contemplate on renewing and reviewing 3 things my mindset, mission and mentorship. Beyond blessed, this crisis gave me to shift the negatives into positives developing more of my self-awareness and confidence Stepping up and staying passionate to our meaningful mission securing its relevance to adding more value and making a difference. And exploring on more and more mentorship opportunities and partnerships to assure sustainability.

Quality Management and Leadership

The popular quote of leadership guru, Dr. John Maxwell says. Everything rises and falls on leadership.

So, why do leaders fail? Research result of ACRASIO change enumerates the following;

- Lost sight of what is important

- Confusion in hidden ambiguous communication

- Fear of failure

- Discrepancy between value and behavior

- Poor self-management

ISO 9001:2015 Standard gave us the strategic requirements of leaders to establish a quality management system to assure consistency in providing products and services that meets both customer satisfaction and applicable regulatory requirements; addressing risks and opportunities associated with its context and objectives are addressed; assure effective and efficient demonstration on the ability to conform to quality management.

The role of leadership in quality management forms the foundation of any continual improvement strategy. Leaders provide a unity of purpose while also establishing the direction of the organization. As such, the responsibility of leaders consists of creating and maintaining both the internal and external environment. In those environment, all interested and relevant parties are able to become actively involved achieving the organizations vision, mission, values and goals. In this system, good leadership is the key on assuring and ensuring quality across the organization.

Moving your ISO 9001 Quality Management System Forward

ISO 9001:2015 clause 5 Leadership specifies throughout its ownership to Top Management which is defined in ISO 9000:2015, 3.1.1, as the person or group of people who directs and controls an organization at the highest level (within the scope of the quality management system). Top Management has the power to delegate authority and provide resources within the organization.

ISO 9001:2015 clause 5 expounded the requirement title or terminology shift from Management to Leadership. This emphasized that quality is not only a responsibility first-hand of top management of an organization but an accountability and commitment of every leader at all levels, functions and process ownership. This leadership requirement reflected on four considerations:

1. Quality management can no longer be delegated. The Organizations leaders are responsible for the QMS being implemented and effective.

2. The established quality policy and quality objectives must be compatible with the context and strategic direction of the organization.

3. Leadership must ensure integration of the QMS into the organizations business processes.

4. Leadership must assign the responsibilities and authorities for ensuring that processes are delivering their intended outputs.

Supplemental on this requirement was the 2nd principle of quality management: Leadership. This principle explains that in order to enhance organizational performance and achieve sustained success, organizations must ensure that suitable leadership is provided at all levels. Suitable leadership is provided whenever leaders at all levels establish a unity of purpose and achieve a common set of objectives. By establishing a common purpose, leaders can ensure that all strategies, policies, processes and resources are aligned and being used to pursue a common direction and to achieve a common goal.

Leadership in C.R.I.S.I.S. Defining 6 demonstrated leadership commitment in ISO 9001:2015 Clause 5.1.1

C-Collaborative leader (ISO 9001 Clause 5.1.1 a,b,c,d):Collaboration summarizes here three areas of leadership action taking accountability, ensuring quality management policy and objectives are established, and ensuring integration of the quality management system requirements in the organizations business processes. An encouraging statement of Lily Cheng, PACE Learning and Consultancy, Singapore on fostering collaboration-

To be successful, teams must adopt a www.com (we.will.win) mind-set, and not an imm.com ( I, me, myself) mind-set

In crisis management, leadership is not a solo act, its a team effort. Leaders must create a climate of collaboration emphasizing that as a quality management system, we are interrelated, interconnected and interface including on promoting the use of the process approach and risk-based thinking amidst the challenges and contributing to organizational recovery, sustainable growth and development.

R-Relational leader (ISO 9001 Clause 5.1.1 e,f): The key message on these requirement is also two-fold related to resources availability and the importance of communication Leaders make something happen in any crisis, the key here is to have an honest, open and transparent to all interested parties. Relating and blending on all critical areas to lead on assuring confidence, consistency and commitment in the conformance and delivery of an effective and efficient quality management system.

I-Innovative leader (ISO 9001 Clause 5.1.1 g):Achievement the organizational goals and objectives (intended or desired results) requires innovativeness. The best leaders emerge from a crisis as winners because they are both aggressive and courageous in turning innovatively this crisis into opportunities. Which is beyond that will lead them to bottom-line ensuring quality goals and performances are attained. Sustainable results are drive towards a focused quality management system maximizing breakthrough opportunities and organizational knowledge

S-Strategic leader (ISO 9001 Clause 5.1.1 h): To be strategic here emphasizes the alignment of the organizations vision, mission, values and goals to every individuals or personal vision, mission, values and goals. The strategic leader engage, direct and support its people towards contributing to the effectiveness of the quality management system. In challenging times, leaders need to demonstrate their intense commitment to the values they espouse by also setting an example. Its how they earn and sustain credibility at the strategic level. This also refers to integrity, influence and inspiration beyond, not only for compliance but a commitment to lead the effective and strategic implementation of the quality management system.

I-Improvement leader (ISO 9001 Clause 5.1.1 i ): This leadership requirement simply demonstrated and manifested by promoting improvement. Improvement is the heart of adopting an ISO 9001 quality management system. Leaders are to create a culture of continual improvement in their organization. ISO 9001 Standard emphasizes that continual improvement should be a permanent objective of the organization. Leaders shall continually improve the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the quality management system. The improvement principle gave us 4-E simple steps to consider- E-Ensure that continual improvement is a major objective for every individual in the organization; E-Equip every employee within the organization with relevant education, resources, and training on various strategies and tools for continual improvement; E-Establish measures and objectives to guide and track improvements through reporting and monitoring data on the success and potential areas for improvement; and E-Extend to recognize improvements, acknowledge these improvements so that all levels of employees within the organization are able to see the results that come from continual improvement strategies, and to motivate them for further improvements over the long-term.

S-Supportive leader (ISO 9001 Clause 5.1.1 j): Supporting other relevant management roles to demonstrate their leadership as it applies to their areas of responsibility is the sub-clause statement of this requirement. Leaders are to extend supportive roles and visibility for both internal and external requirements and respond relevantly in these challenging times. Leaders shall create a spirit of community and connection as well as to be personally involved to all stakeholders concerns and needs. Social support enhances productivity, psychological well-being, and even physical health. Leadership is a relationship, and people are much more likely to enlist in initiatives led by those with whom they feel a personal attachment. Its precisely the human connection between leaders and constituents that ensure more commitment and more support. Leaders are encourage to show care to cope efforts and champion a supportive leadership.

Conclusion

Surviving a crisis is only half of the challenge. The greater opportunity belongs to leaders who use a CRISIS to TRANSFORM their organizations by staying focused on winning. The consistent leadership of embracing your ISO 9001 quality management system will assure leaders a strategic direction for an organization to improve its overall performance and provide a sound basis for sustainable development initiatives.

For more BEYOND BLESSED partnerships on establishing, enhancing and embracing a strategy of a Quality Management System certifiable to ISO 9001:2015 International Standards, BCJA vision and mission is committed to help you succeed and thrive to every individual, team and organization sustainable growth and development.

CONNECT with us NOW!

This article was contributed by by Dr. Benito C. Castillo Jr. EdD, President and CEO of BCJA Training and Consultancy. He has over 20 years of experience in management, consultancy, training and development. He earned his Doctorate in Education at the New Era University. He has a Masters degree in Industrial Relations from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. He finished his Bachelor degree in Industrial Psychology at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Since 2016, he has been part of the Annual 9000 World Conference in USA which he gladly shares to his valued clients.