The efforts of Public Communications Inc., to implement total quality had exceeded expectations at two of its three plants. However, the third plant just didn’t seem to be able to get things off the ground. The plant manager, Merrill Stephens, was under a lot of pressure because his colleagues in the other two plants were succeeding and he was floundering. He didn’t know what the problem was, and he didn’t know how to find out.

Merrill decided to call together a group of line employees and ask for their input. Immediately, he sensed their reticence. Clearly, they had something to say but didn’t want to say it. Finally, an employee who had been with the company for more than 20 years spoke up. “Mr. Stephens, we’re just going through the motions to keep corporate off your back,” he said. “We know you don’t buy this total quality nonsense.” Merrill had to admit that the employees were reading him like a book. Sure, he had followed the implementation guidelines to the letter.

His executive team was the quality council. Policies had been developed and deployed. Employees were working in teams, and training in the use of quality tools was being provided. The problem was that Merrill himself was just going through the motions. He didn’t really believe in total quality and had hoped it would turn out to be just one more corporate-mandated initiative that would fizzle and eventually go away.

He had only 4 more years until retirement and didn’t need this in his life right now. His managers, middle managers, supervisors, and employees knew him and sensed his indifference and half heartedness. Part of the organizational culture at this plant was that the employees took their lead from the plant manager. If Merrill was really behind an effort, they got behind it. If he wasn’t, they didn’t. When they accurately sensed his indifference to total quality, they responded accordingly.

QUESTION

Have you ever been involved in an effort that was halfhearted because the leader of the effort didn’t seem to be enthusiastic about it? If so, what happened? If not, discuss what it means for the person in charge in a given situation to set the tone.