Models and frameworks like TQM, ISO, EFQM, CMMI, Six Sigma are like the same wine in different bottles.
They may try to create the impression of being unique in both their value proposition and orientation but are essentially one and the same.
What they are good at is making simple concepts appear and sound complex.
It need not be that way.
There is a cottage industry of consultants, auditors, trainers, etc. who have a vested interest in promoting and propagating these Complex Models and frameworks.
Terms and jargons like TQM, ISO, EFQM, CMMI, Six Sigma seem to suggest the person uttering them is some expert.
The reality is far away from the above.
No one can openly and honestly accept that though.
We all need to be hypocrites to maintain the fake decorum.
In many of the conferences on these complex models and frameworks this kind of stupid behaviour is on open display.
There are those venerable folks who are experts in verbal diaorrhea.
They keep on saying many things, unrelated and mostly silly in nature.
These folks are more vulnerable than venerable since they are under pressure due to their hidden need to maintain their standing in such forums.
They somehow end up joining all and every meeting.
And say things like we need to improve humanity, we need to work for the welfare of the society and the country, we need to have this for prosperity or that for prosperity.
You can never be in agreement with their thoughts in a genuine sense but must wear the facade of being respectful and attentive.
And unfortunately, such folks say that same thing again and again and again.
When you clear the clutter and remove the flab wrapped around the Models and frameworks like TQM, ISO, EFQM, CMMI, Six Sigma what emerges is something very simple yet beautiful and powerful.
The simple concepts win over complex models and frameworks.
Any day.
What are these simple concepts and why is it important to understand them accurately?
The answer is this - these are the guiding and the driving forces for any organization that wants to succeed and sustain that success, not just tomorrow or day after but for ever.
The simple and powerful concepts are the heart of how to make an organization successful.
For understanding these, one needs to go back to the basics, the very fundamental elements of business success.
All models and frameworks end up unnecessarily complicating the fundamental elements.
They put too much of dirt and grease to the simple concepts.
The fundamental truth is that an organization needs to fully take care of the interests and needs of its stakeholders.
Nothing more to that and nothing less to that.
Period.
The high-sounding terms and models cannot obfuscate this simple truth.
The simple concepts are as encapsulated below.
As a company you just need to focus on the following simple concepts:
Keep your customers satisfied and if possible, delighted
- Not because you can charge them more money but because you can charge them for more time
- Because they can act as powerful references for you to get more customers
Keep your employees happy and if possible, engaged
- Because they will give their 100% without imposing too many controls on them
- Because they will stay longer with you
Keep your investor's financial interests safe and if possible, make them really rich
- Because they will continue to stay invested and maybe invest even more
- Because other investors will also get interested to place their bets on you
Keep the government agencies content with your level of compliance and corporate ethics and if possible, become a perfect corporate citizen
- Because the authorities will be mindful of your strong reputation when dealing with you
- Because this will attract certain select group of highly successful investors who only invest in ethical companies and once they invest the market capitalization goes up steeply
The above simple concepts are more than enough.
There is no need of the complex models and frameworks like TQM, ISO, EFQM, CMMI, Six Sigma in the real sense.
They can still be used though.
They don't provide any news fundamental concepts but can provide some useful ideas.
They are still important in some sense as they provide work to the cottage industry of consultants, auditors, trainers, etc.
