8 Quality Leadership Characteristics: How Do You Score?
Those following the teachings of quality gurus such as Deming, Juran, and Feigenbaum and implementing quality culture, tools, and techniques are following approaches that tend toward leadership traits that include empowerment, a focus on people, a strong strategic viewpoint, and an awareness of integrating different disciplines. Other quality leadership traits include strong integrity and an awareness of social responsibilities.
Quality Leadership: See How You Score
Score yourself between 1-10 for each statement listed below.
1 = this does not reflect me and 10 = I consistently do this, this accurately reflects me.
Quality Leadership Characteristics
1. Values: Integrity, Trust and Culture
Q1.1 My staff trusts me and regularly seeks my guidance
Q1.2 I lead my department based on a set of values
2. Vision: Strategic Focus
Q2.1 I have a strong strategic awareness and abilities
Q2.2 I have a vision for where we should be going as an organization
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3. Inspiration: Charisma, Communications Skills, Role Model, Motivational and Mentor
Q3.1 I inspire and motivate groups with my charismatic approaches
Q3.2 I act as a role model and mentor. I coach many colleagues
4. Innovative: Change Agent
Q4.1 I like change and constantly am driving for new business models
Q4.2 I regularly come up with new ideas, methods, solutions or approaches
5. Systems View: Interactive
Q5.1 I am vigilant at breaking down silos and work closely with other departments and organizations
Q5.2 I create integrated systems for example integrating quality, safety and environmental management
6. Empowering: Focus on Employees
Q6.1 I have high levels of employee satisfaction with my team
Q6.2 I promote and empower teams and develop leaders
7. Customer Focus: Society
Q7.1 Social responsibility is a key area I promote and actively link to our work
Q7.2 I promote a strong focus on the customer
8. Business and Quality Knowledge
Q8.1 I have a strong understanding of a wide range of quality tools and techniques and have successfully applied these
Q8.2 I have a wide range of knowledge and applied experience with operations, marketing, finance, human relations, and other key functions
Calculate the total points you have scored out of a possible 160.
0-50 You have significant opportunities for improvement as a quality leader
51-99 You have balanced abilities and can improve these further
100-160 You are a well functioning quality leader
It is the combination of the above characteristics that is unique and creates impact. If a vision is created but cannot be well communicated or if one cannot inspire others to achieve it, it will not be fulfilled. Or one can be innovative but may not have the business or technical knowledge to implement it, again it will not be achieved. Also, doing all of this with core values as a guide ensures the positive impact on society. Finally, it is the integrative approach to balance and coordinate that leverages the real impact of a Quality Leader.
