Page 408 - The Handbook for Quality Management a Complete Guide to Operational Excellence

394 M a n a g e m e n t o f H u m a n R e s o u r c e s R e s o u r c e R e q u i r e m e n t s t o M a n a g e t h e Q u a l i t y F u n c t i o n 395

• Goals should be accepted. The best goal is one set by oneself, even
though the supervisor provides guidance and assistance in the
goal-setting process.

Achieving the Goals
Goals should be accompanied by a detailed plan of how each goal will be
achieved. Goals without plans are little more than wishes. The plan will
detail the steps that will be taken to reach the goal: who will be responsi-
ble for each step, resources that will be required, a timetable. The supervi-
sor should assist the employee(s) with the planning process, and he
should agree to the plan. If the plan is carried out and the goals not
reached, the problem is in the plan, not in the employee. Remember, Plan-
Do-Check-Act is a process of continuous improvement. If the plan doesn’t
achieve the result, improve the plan and try it again. Since progress will
be monitored on an ongoing basis, and the plan will include a timetable,
lack of progress should be evident well before the time the goal is to be
accomplished. The lack of progress is a signal to revise the plan.
The responsibility of achieving the goals belongs to both the supervi-
sor and the employee, as well as everyone on the staff. It’s a team effort.
It’s a compa nywide effort. The supervisor should work with the employee
and the staff to identify ways that the supervisor can assist them in meet-
ing their goals. Progress toward the goals should be monitored constantly.

Coaching

In modern, quality-focused organizations supervisors may spend up to
60 percent of their time coaching. On a one-on-one basis, coaching refers
to the process of helping a single employee improve some aspect of his or
her performance. On a group level, coaching is a process of developing
effective teams and work groups. The successful coach needs the follow-
ing skills:

• Communication skills
• Listening skills
• Analysis skills
• Negotiation skills
• Conflict resolution skills

The coach must also possess sufficient subject matter knowledge to
assist the employee in achieving results. Expert knowledge of the task
enables the coach to describe and demonstrate the desired behavior and
to observe the employee performing the task and give feedback. Just as an
NBA coach must be an expert in basketball, business coaches must be
experts on the subjects they are coaching.

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