This paper reflects on the need for a transformation from current fragmentary management to quality management whose center is the one that is served and the one that serves, who must be guaranteed space for freedom and creativity, unique pathways of human potential expression.
Summary
The necessary elements for effective action can be analyzed, and the author's conception of the human being is specified, an essential point that defines the characteristics of management. The theory that supports a quality management practice is discussed and 5 strategies or ways for developing a manager's potential are presented. Finally, it is pointed out that every transformation process, every change, every innovation, must be framed in the context of paradigmatic changes, which define future trends and which pose a different workplace that will only be possible to the extent that the manager and your team transform, develop and grow.
Introduction
The characteristics of the current uncertain, turbulent times of unforeseen changes give particular relevance to the modes of management and to the ways of thinking, deciding and acting of those responsible for the conduct of organizations and companies, both public and private. Therefore, the effective and efficient functioning of the organizations and the achievement of the mission for which they were created, depends, in large part, on the ability of the manager to achieve the objectives through the voluntary cooperation and joint effort of all.. When speaking of the manager, it refers particularly to his ability to guide, direct, make decisions and achieve results; His personal success, the success of the company and the success of the group he is leading depend on him. Obviously to think,Making quality decisions and taking actions requires, in addition to managerial training, a pattern of criteria and a clear philosophy of administration, of the conception of man and an ideology of work, which allows him to win effective support and committed supporters mission whose meaning and significance deserves delivery.
Management Action
The evolution of the management field, from Fayol to Mintzberg, shows a mutation towards a fragmentation of managerial work in which a series of interpersonal, informative and decisive roles intermingle with the classic functions of administration. Despite the importance that until yesterday has been assigned to the administrative processes of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling and the roles that Mintzberg has been posing, the essence of management is not in any of these functions, not even in the sum of all of them. The essence of managerial action today is to imagine, envision, create, innovate, integrate, monitor, «know how to be to integrate when doing. What constitutes the fundamental feature of management is action. A quality management action is determined by senior management,quality is in the mind, it is in the heart of the manager, it is he who has the responsibility to influence the changes in the systems.
The manager's way of thinking about things, people and organizations is a critical factor in improving quality, productivity and integration of personnel. The center of management is the human being, the one who is served and the one who serves. To the one who is served, pays a service or goes to the service and expects quality, and will pay or go with greater devotion to the extent that he is satisfied. The one who serves adds value to his work so that his effort produces a good that satisfies. On what does the dynamic between "one who serves and one who serves" depend? Simply how we see ourselves: the manager does not give what he does not have, nor does he express what he is not.
Your vision of yourself affects not only your attitudes and behaviors, but also your vision of other people. For this reason, valuing yourself, valuing others, and being clear about your goals and principles is the essence and foundation of effective action. Consequently, the quality of managerial practice is the product of the paradigm that managers build on human beings. And what is the ideal paradigm? There is no single paradigm. Man is a human being, he is creative energy of high vibration, which requires space for freedom and creativity and unconditional love to express himself. I believe in the capacity of man, I believe that if he is properly motivated and develops in an enriching environment, he will love work, he will commit himself, he will produce and innovate.So the challenge for managers is to be a light, to develop a work system in a human work environment where appreciation, trust, respect, motivation is cultivated and the power of ideas prevails.
It is our responsibility to encourage growth by facilitating learning together, in networks, integration into communities open to learning, intelligent organizations, organizations with authentic capacity for learning, organizations that day by day promote the practice of freedom and creativity for foster the culture of innovation. Fostering human freedom requires trusting the staff's ability and ensuring that they assume commitments, feelings, and attitudes. The practice of creativity involves encouraging and stimulating the generation of ideas, both your own and that of others, exploring new strategies and tactics, defining new mechanisms for doing work in permanent thinking and doing.A quality management practice will only be achieved with managers who support their action and efforts in a management theory and cultivate deep learning and knowledge, central points of the philosophy of quality theorists. Saying deep knowledge implies having a systemic vision of the organization, with a knowledge of its purpose, its elements and its interrelationships.
A system must be managed to achieve optimization. Optimization means the fulfillment of the end with the organized effort of all its components. The greater the interdependence between the components, the greater the need to cooperate and communicate. It also involves knowledge, mastery and application of statistical theory to analyze the variation of the system, the special and common causes of this variation and the understanding of the capacity of the processes, the knowledge of the different sources of uncertainty in the data. In the same way, knowledge of psychology provides the conceptual framework and theories that allow and help to understand people, their interactions and circumstances. People learn in different ways and at different speeds,driven by intrinsic motivations to keep in mind. The theory of knowledge helps to understand that management in any form is prediction. Information devoid of prediction or past events does not convey knowledge. There is no observation without theory to support it. The prediction depends on the knowledge in the matter.
The experience is wasted without the help of the theory, there may be many examples of successful cases, but it is useless to copy them without fully understanding them. To raise management transformation there must be an acknowledgment of the reasons for change, there must be an understanding of why change is necessary, there must be a compass and plan of action feasible to be led by leaders who have in-depth knowledge and know manage people's potential. The application of deep knowledge is necessarily required in order to achieve a change of focus. A true Metanoia (Goal: transcendence, beyond; Noia: of the mind),To grasp the meaning of Metanoia is to grasp the deeper meaning of "learning" since learning supposes a decisive mental displacement or transit from an initial situation characterized by fragmentation to a desired situation that must be characterized by systemic vision and shared values.
Strategy to add quality to management
The approaches outlined above can be accomplished if new thought patterns are cultivated. To this end, Senge (1992) suggests a strategy aimed at expanding the capacity to create the desired results. For this, it suggests 5 disciplines or paths for the development of potentialities. These are: Personal Mastery It is the discipline that allows us to clarify and deepen our personal vision. Organizations only learn through learning individuals, but individual learning does not guarantee organizational learning, however, there is no organizational learning without individual learning. Being proactive, having personal leadership, knowing how to manage yourself, being interdependent is the attitude of the Self (to join a We). Personal mastery is growth, it is personal learning.
Self-control transcends competencies and skills, it means approaching and living life as a "creative task." When personal control becomes discipline, that is, something that is internalized, it embodies two movements: the first, to continually clarify what is important to us; The second is to learn to see more clearly the current reality. The juxtaposition between the vision and the image of current reality generates a creative tension that comes to constitute the essence of personal control. The gap between vision and reality is creative energy, the force that comes into play when you recognize a vision that is at odds with current reality. Mastering creative tension builds the capacity for perseverance and patience. Mental Models
Models are deep-seated assumptions, generalizations, and images that influence and determine how we understand today's world. The gap between the saying and the done or between what I say and what I do does not arise out of weakness or weakness, but because of the mental models that imprison us. Argyris, who for thirty years has worked with mental models, points out that "although people do not (always) behave in accordance with the theories they say, they do behave consistently with the theories in use, their mental models". Cultivating the discipline of managing mental models begins by turning the mirror inward and undergoing rigorous scrutiny to analyze, verify, evaluate, and refine mental models. If managers systematized this as a habit,it would be a true innovation in building smart organizations. The problem with mental models is not that they are backward or wrong, by definition they are all simplifications. The problem arises when the mental models are tacit, when they exist below the level of consciousness.
By not being aware of that mental model it is not examined, by not examining it remains intact, despite the gap between that mental model and reality. In intelligent organization the new dogma will consist of Vision, Values and Mental Models. Healthy institutions will be those that can systematize ways of bringing people together to develop creative strategies and thus be able to face any situation. This means that the fundamental task of a manager is to redefine his philosophy. Abandon the old dogma that the function of a manager is to plan, organize and control, to understand the almost sacred character of his responsibility for the healthy life of so many people.
Be it research, teaching, extension or other activity, in all of them the active force is people. These people have their own will, their own opinion and their way of thinking. These people have motivations and interests that managers gradually destroy when they neglect their needs. If they are not motivated to achieve growth and technological development goals, there will be no growth, there will be no productivity, there will be no development. Shared Vision The results of the investigations carried out by Peter and Waterman in 132 American and European companies indicate that the shared vision has been the center of success and the element around which all other organizational components revolve. This means that it is not possible to conceive of an organization that has achieved certain greatness, successes,quality graduates, without a mission, goals, values and policies that are deeply shared within the organization.
A shared vision is not an idea, it is a force in people's hearts, a powerful force that creates a common bond around an important task.
Today, vision is a familiar concept when it comes to leadership. A shared vision is vital for smart organizations because it provides concentration and energy for learning. A shared vision awakens the commitment of many people because it reflects the personal vision of those people. Shared visions grow as by-products of integration of individual visions. Therefore, it is pointed out that organizational learning will not exist without individual learning.
Maslow in his high-performance team studies noted that in exceptional teams, shared vision and purpose are the salient features. Picón (1994) has found similar results in his study on successful groups in Venezuela. Team Learning
Team learning is the process of aligning and developing the ability of a team to create the desired results. It is built on the discipline of developing a shared vision, it is also built on personal mastery, as talented groups are made up of talented individuals. Team learning has three critical dimensions: First there is the need to think about complex problems, teams must learn to exploit the potential of many minds. Second is the need for innovative and coordinated action, leading teams develop an operational momentum where each is aware of the other and acts in ways that complement the actions of the others. Third is the role of team members in other teams,Thus, a learning team encourages other teams to learn by instilling teamwork skills and practices. The discipline of teamwork involves mastering the practice of dialogue and discussion, the two ways in which teams converse. It also involves learning to creatively confront the forces that oppose dialogue and discussion.
In dialogue there is free and creative exploration of complex and subtle issues, where others are listened to and their own perspectives are suspended. The discussion presents and defines perspectives and seeks the best one to resolve and support the decisions that must be made.
Team learning is essential because the fundamental unit of learning in modern organizations is not the individual but the team. Systemic Thinking Discipline that integrates the other functions into a coherent body of theory and practice. It is a framework to see wholes, interrelationships, interconnections. It is a way of thinking.
Today systemic thinking is required more than ever because complexity overwhelms us. We are surrounded by examples of systemic failures, problems such as global warming, ozone depletion, juvenile delinquency, dropping out of school, these are problems that do not have simple causes. Complexity can erode trust and responsibility when we say "that's too complex for me, I can't do anything." Systemic thinking is the antidote to that feeling of powerlessness that is felt in this era of interdependence. Systemic thinking is the conceptual cornerstone of the five (5) disciplines. They are all related to a change of focus. See wholes rather than parts and see people as active participants in shaping reality.The practice of systemic thinking begins with understanding a simple concept called Feedback, which shows how acts can reinforce one another. It's about seeing the deeper patterns that underlie events and details. The current strategy for the development of quality management is learning this new language, the language of systemic thinking with a shared vision through teams with high levels of personal mastery, where the emotions of others are understood and the prevalence of freedom and creativity to achieve results.The current strategy for the development of quality management is learning this new language, the language of systemic thinking with a shared vision through teams with high levels of personal mastery, where the emotions of others are understood and the prevalence of freedom and creativity to achieve results.The current strategy for the development of quality management is learning this new language, the language of systemic thinking with a shared vision through teams with high levels of personal mastery, where the emotions of others are understood and the prevalence of freedom and creativity to achieve results.
In this process of transformation, learning and search for new ways to achieve quality, we must frame ourselves in the context of paradigmatic changes that represent world-class quality, and that define the future trends outlined according to McLagan (1989), Naisbitt and Aburdene (1990) and Miller (1991) in the following terms:
The culture of organizations is changing because the nature of work and of workers is also changing. In the past, work was controllable. On the assembly lines, the jobs were repetitive and required little thought. Performance was easily measurable and reward and punishment administered for control. Today, however, critical performance is thinking of better ways to get the job done, initiating improvement actions, creating new services, methods, and strategies. These are not easy to "control". High control increases fear and reduces risk, initiative, and creativity. Control destroys intrinsic motivation, key to today's success. Eliminating fear and unnecessary control increases commitment and creativity.High commitment is a consequence of shared vision and values, participation in decision-making, user knowledge, the service itself and the ability to improve processes.
In the past, employee responsibility was defined in terms of specific tasks. Industrial engineers measured every move, and the manager's job was to get the employee to do the job. In today's work environment, the "correct" definition of the task changes very often. Highly specified definitions become rigid and hinder improvement. To optimize quality, in the education sector, for example, teachers, at all levels, must understand who the clients are and what their requirements are. Teachers and administrators must be involved in all efforts to improve processes aimed at meeting the needs of students and the community in general.A quality organization is a user-centered organization in which work is defined in terms of responsibility for all processes that serve the needs of service beneficiaries.
Decisions imposed have been the model that has prevailed throughout history. The imposition is adequate, even necessary, in times of crisis, it produces the required conformity and uniformity that lead to success in situations of conflict or combat. But things have changed. Instead of centralized decision making, we need commitment, participation and a sense of belonging, which guarantees freedom for creativity, innovation and acceptance of responsibility. The manager of any institution has to consult with stakeholders and interest groups. The degree of integration of the system, the interdependence between organizations and people, merit a participatory decision-making process.
In the past, tasks were assigned to individuals and they were responsible or punished. This worked well because the tasks were simple and independent. Today tasks are increasingly complex and interdependent and require teamwork for their successful achievement. Teamwork is the key to motivation. From our childhood we have learned to play as a team, to pursue common goals, to maintain a record, to solve problems, and to enjoy the emotion of victory and the agony of failure, emotions and feelings that we must promote by promoting teamwork, the only way to integrate efforts, take advantage of strengths and minimize weaknesses.
Until yesterday, the class distinction between workers and managers, wage and hour workers, thinkers and doers has been kept as a relic. Today most of today's employees are "knowledgeable" workers, regardless of the color of their neck. Accepting and promoting all employees as experts in their process is critical to the thinking of a quality organization.
From ancient times, punishment was adapted to the nature of work and workers, and club politics prevailed. In the modern organization, everything has changed. No punishment is allowed and everyone seeks and expects recognition and reward. It is our responsibility to design the system so that good performance is accompanied by timely positive reinforcement.
Products and services, requirements and work processes changed slowly in the past. Today, they change overnight. When the "right way" is discovered, a nine way is required. We have to adopt the "race spirit". Just as there is continuous improvement of race cars on the track, we have to constantly look for a better way. Continuous improvement is only possible when all levels and each function, participate and accept the responsibility to improve the service of users.
In the past, numbers were recorded by one group to track another group. Managers kept track of employees. The premise was that people were unreliable and had to be controlled.
Quality organization assumes that people are productive if they are properly motivated. Part of this system is numbers, which allow people to maintain their own performance, set their own goals, study processes, and experience the feeling of success.
Bureaucracies have many layers and become rigid. They create fiefdoms within competing departments. The walls grow by isolating people and slowing down the work process. Improvement becomes increasingly difficult.
The quality organization is in motion with experts who work taking responsibility for the entire process that serves the needs of the service recipient, working in self-managed teams, which requires a flexible horizontal or circular structure.
In the past, leaders did not have to account to their subordinates; Nor did they need to reveal their principles. They only responded to their superiors. Today, quality organizations have clearly expressed values that define desired behavior, ethics, and goals. When values are clearly expressed and shared they serve as a unifying force that directs man's creative energy toward productive effort.
Quality organization fulfills the fundamental role of a business organization in a free society, creating excellent products and services. This generates satisfaction and contributes to the collective wealth of society.
conclusion
The consideration of these 11 paradigmatic changes allows us to visualize a different workplace that will only be possible to the extent that the manager changes, develops and grows, so that he can cooperate in making collective mental change easier.
In short, change is possible, it is our responsibility to induce, promote and manage it. We can turn our educational institutions into true centers for critical and creative learning; For this it is required that we have faith in the creative capacity of our teachers and that we love them unconditionally because only in this way can a different kind of teaching be inaugurated. "Do it, fix it and try it" is my current favorite axiom, because you can always start from scratch, because there is room for freedom and creativity. Let's transform the world through example.
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