#297 – SPEAKING UP IS HARD (ESPECIALLY) FOR RISK MANAGERS – ANDREW SHEVES

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In David McKee’s book for children ‘Not Now Bernard’, a young boy tries to warn his parents about a monster in the yard, but they’re too busy to pay attention. All they say is ‘not now Bernard’ and ignore him. In the end, the monster eats Bernard and moves into the house, but his parents are still too busy to notice.

I don’t think the author meant this to be a homily about risk management, but this will be a familiar refrain if you’re a risk manager. The slot for the update on the risk register gets pushed to one side. Or your data is dismissed out of hand because someone doesn’t like what they’re hearing. Or you simply get shouted down. Continue reading

#290 – IF I STAY 6 FEET AWAY FROM EVERYBODY, THEN I’M SAFE. RIGHT? – ALLEN TAYLOR

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The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS.gov) recommend what you should do to protect yourself against Covid-19. The guidelines include:

  • Wash hands often
  • Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household
  • Cover mouth and nose with a mask when around others
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces that people touch
  • Be alert for symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath

Continue reading

#287 – QUALITY 4.0: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE QUALITY PROFESSION? – JAMES KLINE PH.D.

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In several pieces for Insights, I have discussed the decline of ISO 9001 certifications, the internal and financial problems ASQ is experiencing and the implications for the quality profession.  Recently I was on the ASQ website. There are several references to Quality 4.0.  This article will look at Quality 4.0 and its implications for the Quality Profession. It will also provide an update on ASQ’s financial problems and the possibility it will declare bankruptcy.     Continue reading

#286 – TAKE A RISK AND ACQUIRE SKILLS FOR FUTURE WORK – JOHN AYERS

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Today, there is a lot of attention and discussion regarding future work. How will new technology impacts jobs? What will it look like? What jobs will be eliminated? What will the future jobs look like? How should I prepare?

It is difficult to identify with any accuracy what jobs will be eliminated and what new jobs will be available. My advice is to focus on skills. What skills will help ensure job security in the future?  This is the real question. Continue reading

#286 – IT’S TIME FOR PULL STANDARDS: NOT PUSH! – RICHARD MALLORY

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It never occurs to those in the quality industry that all of our quality standards violate a primary rule of lean practice – we build them as push systems rather than pull systems!  And then we expect them to be a seamless part of our organizational practice.  Big wonder that they are not. Continue reading