Quality and customer focus have always been topmost strategic weapons in the arsenal of successful corporations, which nurture strategic initiatives like a gardener looks after a garden. It’s quite an imaginative thought to see the resemblance of the deployment of a quality system to the blossoming of a flower.

Each petal of this flower must be cared for and nurtured to ensure that the blooming flower gives you all the beauty of which it is capable. The first and the last petals are about culture building and the softer aspects of any change initiative. The third, fourth, and fifth petals are about the quality of the leaders, especially those heading such an initiative. The second, sixth, and seventh petals are about the overall structure, texture, and color of this initiative. As the flower blooms, these petals give us several benefits.

Assurance—creating a culture without punishment
One of the most difficult problems with any strategic change initiative is fear among employees. This fear may spread malignantly across the organization over time. Affirmative actions and continual reinforcement by the senior leadership ensure that fear is driven out and confidence is regained.

 …