Leadership and commitment – Lecture 3
Lecture summary:
- Top management will have to supply evidence for its actions and improvements of QMS if they want to prove their commitment
- ISO 9001 standard lays out the principles for delegating authorities and responsibilities
- Enhance customer satisfaction by ensuring you identify customer requirements
You probably heard the saying: “Commitment is the key to success”. So, in this case, the success of implementing a quality management system depends on the commitment of the top management.
Top management
This is about top management and their responsibilities. ISO 9001 standard wants to make sure they will implement QMS effectively. That’s why this clause lays out the principles and expected actions from the Top management regarding their commitment to the QMS. To prove commitment, top management will have to supply evidence for its actions and improvements of QMS.
So, why is leadership so important to the ISO 9001 standard? Because leadership is like the steering wheel of the company. It gives directions and strategies. Their obligation is to create an environment and conditions that will support the QMS and in which employees will become completely involved in achieving quality objectives.
They need to empower people at all levels of the organization, giving them certain authorizations, and delegating responsibilities of various areas of the QMS. This also includes training needed for the development of human resources for the operation of your quality management system.
For you, as an organization, it is important to show the evidence that the top management does their managerial activities and that these activities receive and produce the according to inputs and outputs.
Point is to provide leadership by focusing on quality and customers, establishing quality policy, and defining QMS roles and responsibilities.
Customer focus
Your company depends on your customers. Therefore, customer focus is, naturally, one of the quality principles that the ISO 9001 Standard is based upon. It is top management's responsibility to highlight this focus throughout your organization.
It is important for everyone in the company, to understand customer needs, requirements, and expectations.
The main goal in this part of the ISO 9001 standard is to define the controls for the top management regarding the commitment to meeting customer and regulatory requirements and reviewing products or services.
During the internal audit, make sure to evaluate if customer satisfaction is adequately determined. And undertake appropriate corrective action when things go wrong.
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