The purpose of a written set of management expectations is to establish a picture of what management is in a total quality organization. Many people already practice some of these expectations. As an organization we need to change to and sustain a culture of continuous improvement. These expectations will help an organization make that change. Some managers may be further along in this change process. We all need to learn and to continue to improve as the environment changes. Management Expectations is a set of statements that reflects what is expected or anticipated, not what exists today.
Our document was written for managers: those people who have been designated within the management structure to have the responsibility and authority for changing the system.
It is important for managers to learn about and practice Total Quality Management, as well as encourage staff to learn about and practice TQM. Managers must behave in a manner consistent with TQM philosophies and values. They must also study these expectations and use them.
Principle based leadership tells us that change is easier when we know why we change, what we need to change, and how we do the change. Even when we know the answers to these questions, there still must be a desire to change. Management Expectations talks about why you change and what you change. The next step is to determine how you will make the change.
ITD's Management Expectations has four sections: Customer Satisfaction, Working Environment, Resource Management, and Quality Improvement. The items listed in each section are examples of what it means to manage that area well in a total quality organization. Our document should be viewed and discussed within the context of the purpose and values of ITD. It should be used as a model of the cultural change required of us as we move to a total quality organization and principle based leadership. It is not a set of rules or a checklist, but rather a set of examples, principles and ideas about what it means to manage and be a manager.