I got quite a few emails and calls regarding last month’s newsletter (A Renewed Sense of Purpose: Still Helping Minnesota Achieve Excellence).  Many folks asked if I had additional data or insights on today’s economy that could help them or their organizations.  One organization actually invited me to participate in their annual all-employee meeting to give them perspective and hope (why they asked me, I’m still not quite sure!).  Given the response, I did gather more information on today’s economy circumstances – and how it compares to historic recessions.  I think the findings will interest you, and – more importantly – give you hope and perspective for navigating through these challenging times…

You don’t need me to tell you that times are tough.  Let me read to you a clip from Time Magazine:

“The slump is the longest, if not the deepest, since the Great Depression.  Traumatized by layoffs that have cost more than 1.2 million jobs during the slump, U.S. consumers have fallen into their deepest funk in years…U.S. consumers seem suddenly disillusioned with the American Dream of rising prosperity…”

Sound familiar?  It should: I just read a paragraph from Time Magazine’s cover story, January 13, 1992.  Yes, 1992 – 17 years and two recessions ago.  Let me read a bit more from that article:

“Americans are so uneasy because they feel economic turmoil on two levels, one relatively superficial and the other much deeper.  The surface layer is the most immediately painful one, a garden-variety recession of the sort that comes along every few years with the ups and downs of the business cycle.  This one has brought the familiar pattern of layoffs and weak profits.

“The deeper tremors emanate from the kind of change that occurs only once every few decades. America is going through a historic transition from the heedless borrow-and-spend society of the 1980s to one that stresses savings and investment.  In the short run, this helped trigger the cyclical recession, which is likely to run its course in the next few months.  But when it’s over, America will not simply go back to business as usual.”

And America didn’t go back to business as usual.  In fact, even though that article predicted one of “slowest [recoveries] in history and…a decade of lowered expectations,” after the recession of 1991, we entered one of the most robust economic expansions in US history.  We enjoyed nearly 10 years of economic growth; we saw the stock market more than quadruple – from 2500 to over 10,000; and we witnessed several cutting edge new products, services, and companies emerge.  Think about the innovations we enjoyed in the 90s: the birth of the Internet, cell phones, many medical advances, and DVDs.  Companies flourished; our economy was filled with creativity and innovation after what was supposed to be the most devastating contraction since the Great Depression.

Art Rolnick, SVP of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank commented at an event last week that “…it’s important to keep our current problems in perspective.”  In 1992, “…people were worried that the sky was falling…and look at what happened to the economy.  It exploded.”

Rolnick argued that the current recession is not out of the ordinary compared to past recessions.  In fact, the percentage declines in employment and personal incomes are at the median of the previous 10 recessions that have occurred since 1948.  Although it may take awhile longer for us to pull out of this recession, he noted that “…there is a very good chance that we’ll be out of this recession by the end of the year.”  As he said he tells his wife: “this too will pass.”

In this month’s column, I want to give you hope – hope for a better future, a better tomorrow – and a little perspective on the situation.

In next month’s column, I will then outline my thoughts regarding the role of leadership in managing through these tough times, as well as the role of individual contributors, practitioners, and employees in managing through these tough times. 

An Historic Perspective

I’ve already mentioned that there have been 10 recessions since 1948, with this being the eleventh (some of you reading this might remember all 11!).  But do you realize there have been seven recessions since 1970?  I would imagine many of you are older than 38, and can remember a good number of those recessions.  Here are some chronicles on the last four:

• 1973-75: This was a long recession caused by oil price shocks and other economic weaknesses.  It lasted 17 months (a duration our current recession is approaching), but was followed with a 40% rise in the stock market from 1975-1980.  So it did get markedly better after what was considered a long recession.
• 1980-82: This was actually two recessions: the first was about seven months followed by a much longer 17-month recession (so in total, the contraction was about two years in duration).  By any standard, this was a devastating recession.  In fact, while today’s gloomiest forecasts compare our current recession more to the Great Depression, the 1980-82 recession is probably a better benchmark.  Unemployment was nearly 11%; inflation was 13.5%; and interest rates were soaring – the prime rate was 21.5% in June 1982!  Remember those 25%+ credit cards and mortgages?!  And remember the banking crisis during this period?  In 1983 alone, 49 banks failed (that beat the Great Depression’s 43 failures), and the FDIC labeled another 540 as “problem banks,” on the verge of failure.  Because of spiraling interest rates, Savings and Loans – most of which had fixed mortgage rates – pretty much collapsed.

But think about all the growth that came after the 1982 recession: the stock market more than tripled from July 1982 to its peak in June 1990, even in spite of the 500-point drop on 1987’s Black Monday.  You could also say that a new dawn of quality was created in the 1980s, as companies began to pay more attention to customer expectations, employee needs, and process improvement.  Many companies that became known for high quality products and services – Motorola, Ford, Corning,

• 1991: I already mentioned this recession with the Time Magazine story above.  It was relatively short at eight months, and was the result of a decade of over-spending in the 80s – both by consumers over-consuming and our federal government (sound familiar?).  Many thought it was going to be a deep and painful recession – just look at that Time Magazine article: “US consumers seem suddenly disillusioned with the American Dream of rising prosperity…”  But after the 1991 recession, we emerged with nearly a decade of prosperity – rivaling one of the longest, broadest economic expansions this country has ever enjoyed.
• 2001: But then came the dot.com bust.  The 2001 recession was also fairly short (eight months) and mild, and was caused by a combination of the over-valued Internet stocks, 9/11, and several notable accounting scandals (Enron, Arthur Anderson, etc.).  After this recession ended, we enjoyed a nearly doubling in the stock market from mid-2002 to late 2007, when this current recession began.

So there you have it – some commentary on our four most recent recessions over the last 25 years.  We have had 7 recessions since 1970; 11 since 1948.  In fact, since 1854, the US has encountered 32 cycles of expansions and contractions, with an average of 17 months of contraction and 38 months of expansion.  And in every single case, the economy recovered and the stock market rebounded.

My point?  We are currently in a cycle.  Keep it in perspective.  Sure, this one feels a bit deeper and more severe than some of the others (and, in fact, it may end up being one of our more severe contractions, but I also wonder just how much of this recession is the result of the psychological impacts of continuous coverage through the media…but that’s another story). 

However, our economy will emerge out of it, and there will be innovations because of it.  After all, “necessity is the mother of innovation.”  Already today, look at the conversations starting about new sources of energy, rebuilding our national infrastructure, and overhauling our healthcare system.  Even on a smaller scale, Governors Pawlenty and Doyle from Wisconsin are forming a new partnership to find ways to collaborate and reduce redundant costs between our two states.

I’m not sure if it’s a Chinese or Hindu phrase, but as the saying goes “For every challenge, there’s an opportunity.”

We must have hope today.  As President Obama said in his inspirational inauguration speech a few weeks ago, “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real.  They are serious and they are many.  They will not be met easily or in a short span of time.  But know this, America – they will be met.  On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord…the time has come to choose our better history.”

So we must have hope.  We musn’t fall into the trap of a self-fullfiling prophecy, but rather should look optimistically to the future – to help better our organizations, our communities, and our personal lives.  As the Roman poet Virgil once said “Fortune favors the brave.”

As tough as conditions are today – and they are bad, don’t get me wrong – they have been worse.  And we’ve always gotten better.  So have perspective and have hope for a better economic future.  As Dave Kansas comments in his recently published book “The Wall Street Guide to the End of Wall Street as We Know It” (2009): “…though the road ahead may be harder than most of us are used to, it is unlikely to deviate sharply from previous postwar cyclical downturns.  In other words, the economy will eventually recover, as it always does.”

Next month, I’ll offer my candid thoughts as to what leaders can do to guide organizations through this crisis (and feel free to attend our March 5 Minneapolis and March 11 St. Paul Performance Improvement Network breakfasts – both focusing on how to lead through crisis; see articles 4-5 below), and I’ll also outline some ideas of what individual contributors can do in their daily jobs to weather this proverbial storm.  

Yours in Improvement,

Brian S. Lassiter

President, Minnesota Council for Quality

The Minnesota Council for Quality is pleased to announce the date of the 2008 Minnesota Quality Award event: Thursday, April 30, 2009.  The half-day event will include the following:

• a luncheon, featuring Alan Willits (president of Cargill Corn Milling, recipient of the 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award); Governor Pawlenty also invited.
• an afternoon of break-out workshops, featuring the eight 2008 MN Quality Award recipients (list), each sharing some aspect of how they are improving their outcomes and processes; and
• an evening reception and celebration, featuring Javon Bea (CEO of Mercy Health System, Janesville WI, recipient of the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award); the evening will also feature the recipient organizations’ accomplishments, will thank our Board of Evaluators and other key volunteers, and will promote networking with leaders and professionals interested in performance excellence.

The event will be held in the Twin Cities, and we expect 250-300 leaders and professionals to attend; the event is open to the public.

Save the date!

The Council is also seeking sponsors for the event to help offset expenses.  Sponsors will be recognized in all marketing and during the event itself.  We would like to thank 3M, Cargill, Padilla Speer Beardsley, and Pillsbury United Communities for their generous contribution to our mission of advancing excellence in Minnesota.  If your organization is interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please email brian.lassiter@councilforquality.org.

Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009

Time: 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM learning workshops; 4:30 to 6:30 PM celebration event

Location: TBD (considering sites in downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis)

Workshop Cost: $99 for members ($75 before April 10); $199 non-members ($149 before April 10); Award recipients should inquire about complimentary passes

Celebration Event Cost: Free for employees of 2008 Award recipients and 2008 Evaluators; $25 for Council members and Award recipient guests; $40 for Council partners; $50 for the public; $175 for a group of 8 registering together.

Who Should Attend: Anyone interested in learning more about organizational improvement (and networking with a community interested in the same); current, past, and prospective Award recipients; current, past, and prospective Evaluators; current and prospective Council members.

Save the date and spread the word within your organization!

For more information on the event or the Minnesota Quality Award, visit our website at www.councilforquality.org or call the Council at 612-462-3577.  To register, please email brian.lassiter@councilforquality.org with your name, organizational affiliation, and preferred method of payment.

The Minnesota Council for Quality recently announced the launch of a new assessment process to help leaders systematically identify and prioritize improvement opportunities for their organizations. 

“Times are tough,” says Brian Lassiter, president of the 22-year old Council.  “The difficult economy over the last 12-18 months has created a renewed need for improvement and systemic change within all organizations: customers expect more, competent workers are growing scarce, competition is intensifying, and resources are tight.  The need to improve your organization’s performance has perhaps never been greater.

“But we find that – with the complexity of organizations – leaders sometimes do not have a fact-based decision making process to determine where to start, on which processes to focus, and how to prioritize and sustain improvements over time?”

The Council’s new “alternative assessment” is not eligible for its MN Quality Award, but offers an alternative evaluation for organizations either just getting started with systematic improvement and/or those who already have an improvement method in place but are interested in getting a “dipstick” perspective on how things are working and on what they should focus next.  The assessment focuses on areas such as leadership, planning, customer focus, measurement/data, workforce engagement, and process management.

“This is one of the best diagnostic tools I’ve seen,” says Tony Wagner, CEO of Pillsbury United Communities, a 300-person non-profit which recently completed the alternative assessment.  “Not only did it give me, my Board, and my senior staff direction in terms of how we improve performance, but it also engaged my people in improving the organization – something positive during these difficult times.  I believe that the experience will help us focus on the right things, and I also believe that it will give us an edge during these tough times.”

The evaluation is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which outlines validated criteria that have been shown to produce excellent organizational results (the Criteria for Performance Excellence are revised every two years by studying organizations with demonstrated high performance results and identify best practices that enable their effectiveness; those become future years’ Criteria).  Much empirical research indicates that organizations using Baldrige far outperform their peers in terms of operating margin, return on assets and equity, stock price appreciation, growth in revenue and total assets, workforce engagement and satisfaction, customer/stakeholder satisfaction, product/service outcomes (including healthcare outcomes, student achievement, and program- and mission-related outcomes for non-profits and government). 

The new assessment is a consultant-led process and involves a series of three facilitated discussions with an organization’s senior leaders.

The first session is a three hour dialogue centered on the key environmental factors facing the organization – things like customer/market needs, workforce profile and competencies, strategic challenges facing the organization, and so forth.  This discussion is intended to promote consensus in thinking among senior leaders (as well as brief the consultant on the context of the organization).

Between the first and second session, the organization conducts an abbreviated Baldrige-based survey with a small sample of its workforce to help identify process strengths and improvement opportunities.  The organization also gathers performance metrics/outcomes to help leaders and the consultant determine effectiveness of their management system.

The second session is a full-day “discovery” (a mini-site visit), in which the consultant – potentially supplemented with 2-4 industry experts – interviews key leaders and contributors to better gauge organizational effectiveness.

Finally, the third session is another three-hour working session to present the findings to leadership and prioritize improvement opportunities upon which plans can be created.

The new process takes about two months and can serve as input into planning (or an alternative to an organization’s planning cycle).  It helps align and optimize organizational resources, and assists senior leaders in identifying and prioritizing improvement opportunities.

“Either evaluation process – our Minnesota Quality Award or this new alternative assessment – is intended to help organizations learn and get better at what they do,” says Lassiter.  “In many ways, the process is much like an annual health physical: it helps leaders understand what is working well within their organization, and on what they should be focusing their attention.  With the difficult economy and numerous challenges facing organizations today, now is the right time to focus energy and resources on making the changes that will sustain and improve your enterprise.  The Council’s mission is to advance excellence, and we hope that this new offering will help Minnesota organizations on their journey toward that goal.”

Times are challenging for all organizations.  Sales and profits are down; credit is tight; customers aren’t buying; employees are stressed.  Today’s challenges demand great leadership.  But today’s challenges also represent an opportunity to bring out the best in leaders.

The Minnesota Council for Quality is pleased to welcome Dr. Sandra Hill, CEO of MDA Leadership, to our March 5 PIN meeting.  Sandra will share her thoughts on how organizational leaders are navigating through challenging times.  She will talk about what makes for successful leadership during today’s times – of how organizations can empower and engage high potential leaders, how leaders can involve customers in helping you find ways to innovate, and of how leaders can create an environment that fosters employee engagement and commitment. 

The discussion is from 8:00-9:00 a.m. on March 5 (networking and continental breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m.) at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), 1501 Hennepin (15th and Hennepin), downtown Minneapolis, Room L3000 (Wheelock-Whitney Library). 

Admission to PIN is FREE for Council members; $10 for partner organizations; $20 for the public.

In your leadership position, you want a team that can quickly respond to changing circumstances and are highly motivated to succeed and win. But given the challenges we all face today, how do you convey a sense of urgency to your team? How do you maintain and communicate optimism, passion and confidence in the face of difficulties? How do you keep up with changes internally and in the external market? 

The Minnesota Council for Quality is pleased to welcome Jeff Lavers, vice president and general manager of 3M ESPE (Dental) – a division of 3M Corporation -- to our March 11 PIN meeting. Jeff will discuss the behaviors and characteristics that demonstrate leading with energy, passion, and urgency. Jeff will also be speaking about leadership elements and the personal side of leadership.

The discussion is from 8:00-9:00 a.m. on March 11 (networking and continental breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m.) at Metro State University, 700 E 7th Street, downtown St. Paul. 

Admission to PIN is FREE for Council members; $10 for partner organizations; $20 for the public.

When your company has been around for over 100 years, how do you stay innovative and creative?

The Rochester Area Quality Council, an affiliate of the Minnesota Council for Quality, is pleased to announce its March 10 program: "DMAIC Methodology "Catapults" Continuous Improvement at Hormel."  The discussion will be facilitated by the Hormel Six Sigma Team, who will briefly share their journey and explain steps they have taken to ensure sustainability and stay away from the flavor of the month syndrome.

The team will share:

• A brief history on Hormel's 118 years
• A history of their Quality Improvement Process, including their use of Six Sigma
• Their Continuous Improvement Reinvigoration, including their "Our Way" (mission, vision, values), Six Sigma Structure and methodology, their competencies, and their deployment strategies
• How they reduce variation with process mapping, cause and effect diagrams, and other methods
• A team "catapult" exercise

Speaker: Hormel Six Sigma Team
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 (note second Tues)
Time: 7:30 Registration, continental breakfast, networking; 7:45-9:00 Program

Time (program 2): 10:00 Registration, continental breakfast, networking; 10:15-12:00 Program
Location: RCTC, University Center, Coffman CF 206/208 (corrected from last announcement)
Cost: $0 members; $10 partners; $20 non-members

To thrive in challenging times requires rethinking assumptions, being inspired to adopt new approaches and being equipped to achieve results some would think are impossible.  It also doesn't hurt to have your own stimulus package.  The Minnesota Council for Quality is sad to say we're not offering billions of dollars just today.  But, we are bringing you an outstanding program that will help you stimulate customer satisfaction, employee innovation and your leadership success.  View this as your personal stimulus package that includes the following:

• A 3-part interactive Excellence and Innovation webinar series on customer focus in the widget-free knowledge world
• An unconventional approach with easy to understand tools you can immediately apply to dramatically stimulate both employee productivity and customer excitement
• An entertaining, content-rich and interactive program, delivered by Robin Lawton, best-selling author, recently rated #1 of 88 speakers by an international organization
• A close to "free" price of $50/person for Early Bird teams (a 75% discount)
• A totally free, signed copy of Mr. Lawton's 5-star rated book on Amazon, "Creating a Customer-Centered Culture: Leadership in Quality, Innovation and Speed" ($50 value) when you bring a team of 5 or more to at least two of the three events in the series

Yes, there is a catch.  You must go to http://www.imtc3.com/events/UpcomingEvents.cfm to register by February 20 to get the best deal and full program details on these 11 AM-1 PM (CT) events:

• 2/27:  "Achieving the 8 Dimensions of Excellence: aligning strategy & measures with customer priorities"
• 3/13: "The 12 Voices of the Customer: how to uncover, translate, measure and deliver what customers want"
• 3/20: "Customer-Centered Innovation: mousetraps, iTunes and the Roadmap to WOW!"

Learn how Presidential-Award winning organizations improve performance and sustainability.  Attend the 21st Annual “Quest for Excellence Conference” April 20-22 in Washington, DC, and be a part of a movement that is making America better by making organizations better. 

Learn Best Management Practices -- Connect with Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipients as they share best management practices in areas such as: Leadership, Strategic Planning, Customer Focus, Measurement and Analysis, Workforce Focus, Process Management, and Results.

Speakers and Keynotes -- Presentations will be given by leaders from the 2008 Baldrige Award Recipients: Cargill Corn Milling North America (manufacturing), Iredell-Statesville Schools (education), and Poudre Valley Health System (health care).  They will be joined by Simon Cooper, President of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC, Terry May, President of Mesa Products, Inc. and other former Baldrige Award Recipients. 

Register by March 20 for best rates: https://secure.asq.org/conferences/quest-for-excellence/2009/registration.html.  To learn more about the conference visit: http://www.baldrige.nist.gov/Quest_for_Excellence.htm

Allstate Insurance Company’s Customer Enterprise Services (CES - accounting, customer service, printing, home inspections, etc.) division moved from an industrialist, repressive culture to an empowered and fulfilling culture because of the courage of its new leader. He transformed personally, then marshaled the collective recognition that change was needed urgently, and finally used his position and energy to enforce the change. Today, CES operates under budget
and with record levels of client and employee satisfaction.

Learn how this transformation was done at the March 3 Minnesota OD Network meeting with a presentation by Roland Sullivan, one of the consultants on the Allstate case, and Mike Schechter, co-author of the Best Practices Institute case study and Sr. Managing Director of ChartHouse Learning.

The Association for Strategic Planning-Minnesota Chapter, an alliance partner of the MN Council for Quality, is pleased to announce its next meeting: “How to Generate Insights for Growth and Differentiation.”  Scheduled for March 24, the session will focus on principles, approaches and case studies that reveal how to discover consumer and market insights that lead to innovation, growth and market differentiation.

The discussion will be lead by Mary Brown, principle and consumer strategist, Depth Charge Health.  Mary Brown is a principal of Depth Charge Health, a strategy consulting firm focused in the health care marketplace.  Mary co-founded Depth Charge Health with the mission of positively disrupting and reinventing how health care companies interact with consumers in order to drive stronger consumer engagement, improved consumer health, and enhanced client growth. As an executive, Mary offers the unique combination of an entrepreneurial spirit with big company experience.  Prior to founding Depth Charge Health, Mary was Executive Vice President of Bolin Marketing & Advertising in Minneapolis. In her role at Bolin, Mary’s responsibilities included leading the company’s business development, management consulting, and consumer insights organizations.  Her clients have included companies such as General Mills, Cargill and United Healthcare, among others.

Project management is moving into a new realm. Perspective employers are expecting that project managers meet their strategic and business objectives in less time. The demand places greater emphasis on the project manager to employ skills more commonly used by business consultants to stay competitive in today’s tight job market. This presentation will focus on the major skills required of all project managers but more particularly for those wanting to learn about the major skills employed by top-shelf consultants who, not only survive, but thrive in today’s demanding work environments and competitive job market.

The Minnesota Chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI), an alliance partner of the Council, is pleased to announced its next breakfast session: “Consulting Skills for Project Managers -- Strategies for improving your value in a tight job market!”  The session will be held March 10, and will be facilitated by Joseph Kestel, PMP, Senior Partner with Project Consulting Group based in Minneapolis.

This presentation, at its core, is geared for project managers wanting to improve their client relationships in a way that creates a competitive advantage! Every successful project consists of two basic building blocks: managing the project and managing the client interaction. Successful project managers are skilled at managing both of these dimensions and consulting skills provide the mortar that joins the two together – providing a foundation for success when combined with the knowledge contained in the PMBOK Guide.

The consulting concepts, techniques and tools covered in this presentation will be useful in helping participants (whether solidly employed at their organization or looking for new employment opportunities): gain an understanding of the skills employed by successful project management consultants; how they determine what’s really important to the client; and how they manage those expectations from beginning to end.

Enterprise Minnesota, formerly Minnesota Technology, Inc. (MTI) and a partner of the MN Council for Quality, is pleased to present several events, all focused on using Lean or other methods to improve organizational performance:

• Feb 18: Green Manufacturing, Twin Cities
• Mar 14: Improve Office Productivity through "Lean Office", Hutchinson
• Mar 18: Innovative Product Marketing, Twin Cities
• Mar 18: Embracing Green to Grow Your Business, Minnetonka
• Apr 22: Creating Growth Opportunities Through Lean, Twin Cities
• May 20: Idea Generation for Success in Manufacturing, Twin Cities
• Jun 24: Supply Chain: Strategies to Drive Performance, Twin Cities
• Jul 22: Finding New Revenue Streams in Sales, Marketing, and Product Development, Twin Cities
• Aug 19: Boost Work Performance Through New Safety Solutions, Twin Cities

For more information on these programs, visit http://www.enterpriseminnesota.org/. 

In addition, Enterprise Minnesota is pleased to announce a special upcoming business event: “A 360 Degree Look at Leadership” on February 25 from 8AM-11:30AM at Unisys (2470 Highcrest Road, Roseville).  Cost is $129.  The session will focus on the role of leadership during these tough times.  Speakers include Jeanne Crain (EVP, M&I Bank), Cheri Pdzimek (CEO, Clearfield Inc.), Bruce Roselle (Founder, Roselle Leadership Strategies), and Joel Wittenbraker (President, MacTech).  Register online at www.enterpriseminnesota.org or call the events line at 612.455.4239.

The Minnesota Section of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), an alliance partner of the Council, is pleased to announce its next monthly program on March 10.  Details forthcoming at http://www.mnasq.org/.

In addition, MN-ASQ is pleased to announce two special workshops: “Basic Data Analysis with Minitab” on March 30-31 and “Basic DoE with Minitab” on April 1.  Both will be held in the computer lab at Minneapolis Technical College from 8:00AM-4:30PM and will be facilitated by Rip Stauffer, an enterprise improvement and Quality consultant, and principal of Woodside Quality Solutions LLC. Mr. Stauffer has extensive experience as a Total Quality trainer and consultant.

The Basic Data Analysis with Minitab workshop will focus on data analysis for Process Improvement.  It will cover the basic principles and concepts related to data analysis, types of data and measurement scales, an introduction to Minitab software, and practical application and interpretation of several useful tools and techniques using Minitab.  The course will include sections on Control Charting, Capability Analysis, Measurement Systems Analysis, Confidence Intervals and Hypothesis Testing, Regression and Multiple Regression.

The DoE with Minitab workshop will cover concepts related to basic DoE, and how to set up, run and analyze basic Full Factorial and Response Surface designs in Minitab. We will work with several canned problems and a hands-on characterization/optimization exercise using Statapults. 

 
The 2-day Basic Data Analysis workshop is $850 for ASQ members ($895 non), and the 1-day DoE workshop is $450 for members ($475 for non).  Further discount for both workshops.  For more information, visit www.mnasq.org.  To register, call Minneapolis Technical College Continuing Education and Training line at 612-659-6500 or 612-659-6525. 

With the changing demographics, women’s leadership has never been as important as it is now!  Women’s Trust is pleased to present its annual program Thursday, April 2 “The Importance of Resiliency in Women’s Leadership.”  The session will be lead by JoAnn Heisen, former Corporate Vice President and Chief Global Diversity Officer Johnson & Johnson, who will discuss the importance of women’s networks and how this impacts women’s individual leadership style.  The session will be from 5:00-8:00PM April 2 at the Metropolitan Ballroom, 5418 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley.  Cost is $50 for Women’s Trust members; $60 for non-members.

The Alliance for Performance Excellence, the consortium of 37 state quality award programs, is pleased to sponsor the first of a seven part series dealing with specific criteria necessary for achieving performance excellence.  The first web-based In-Time TV Healthcare executive show is Saturday, February 21 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM CT: “Visionary Leadership: How to Thrive in Challenging Times.”  The session will feature Javon R. Bea, president & CEO of Mercy Health System (2007 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award) and W. Michael Bryant, president & CEO of Methodist Health Services Corporation (2006 recipient of Illinois’ Lincoln Gold Award for Achievement of Excellence).

Panelists will discuss how they are driving their organizations to higher levels of achievement.  Each will review how focused and aligned vision, mission, and values are comprehensively deployed throughout the organization, cultivating an environment of continuous improvement.  They will also discuss the challenges of developing, communicating, and implementing an organizational framework that includes solid governance, honest, legal and ethical behavior; and active social responsibilities.

The Universty of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education, an alliance partner of the Council, is pleased to announce the first course in its Business Process Management certificate:  “Process Mapping and Analysis.”  The course is being offered February 24-25 at the conference center on the St. Paul campus.  Any Minnesota Quality Council member is entitled to a 10% discount for this course.  For more information or to register, visit http://www.cce.umn.edu/certificateprograms/bpm.

02/18, Improving Work Processes, $395

02/18, Accelerated Daytime Business Analysis Certificate Program, $1850

02/18, Introduction to Business Analysis, $395

02/19, HR Certification Test Prep Online, $1,095

02/20, Project Management Foundations, $395

02/20, Accelerated Daytime Essential Project Management Certificate, $3500

02/21, Certified Internal Auditors (CIA) Test Preparation – Series, $750

02/24, Process Mapping and Analysis, $995

02/24, Creative Training Techniques, $1485

02/24, Accelerated Daytime Train-the-Trainer Certificate Program, $3500

02/26, Ethical Business Decision Making, $395

02/26, Technical Writing, $395

02/27, Project Initiation, $395

03/04, Creativity and Innovation, $395

03/04, Managing Business Requirements, $750

03/06, Project Planning, $750

03/10, Designing Employee Orientation Programs, $395

03/11, Delegating to Enhance Job Performance, $395

03/12, Personal Influence and Leadership, $395

03/13, Writing Persuasive Business Proposals, $395

03/13, Effective Professional Presentations, $750

03/17, Diversity and Inclusive Work Environments, $395

03/17, Performance Consulting, $495

03/19, Mastering New Marketing Practices, $395

03/21, Certified Internal Auditors (CIA) Test Preparation – Part 2, $750

03/24, Legal Issues in Human Resources and Management, $395

03/24, Implementing Process Change, $995

03/25, Developing Leadership Skills, $750

03/26, Increasing Power and Influence through Listening, $395

03/26, Workforce Development Planning, $395

03/27, Project Risk Management, $395

04/01, Interviewing and Selection Processes for Supervisors, $395

04/01, Data and Process Modeling, $750

04/01, American Accent Improvement or Modification, $750

04/01, Successful Manager’s Leadership Program, $2,995

04/02, Writing Correspondence for Internal and External Audiences, $395

04/02, Successfully Leading Enterprise-Wide Change Management, $750

04/03, Project Execution, $395

04/07, High Impact Presentations, $395

04/07, Employee Benefit Practices and Trends, $395

04/15, Managing Virtual and Remote Teams, $395

04/16, Financial Intelligence, $395

04/16, Documenting Employee Performance, $395

04/16, Job Descriptions, Analysis, and Evaluation, $395

04/17, Project Control and Closure, $395

04/18, Certified Internal Auditors (CIA) Test Preparation- Part 3, $750

04/21, Principles of Employee Compensation, $395

04/21, Problem Solving and Decision Making, $395

04/21, Successful Manager’s Leadership Program, $2,995

04/22, Managing Performance and Developing Talent, $395

04/22, Measuring and Improving Processes, $995

04/23, Introduction to E-Learning and Webinars, $495

04/24, How to Deal with Difficult People, $395

04/24, Project Procurement Management, $395

05/01, Project Leadership, $395

05/05, Exercising Organizational Influence, $395

05/05, Employee and Labor Relations, $395

05/06, Professional Writing, $750

05/07, Project Management and New Product Development, $395

05/12, Business Process Management and the Balanced Scorecard, $995

05/13, Strategic Planning and Measurement, $750

05/13, Leading Through Change, $395

05/14, Talent Acquisition: Recruiter as Talent Advisor, $395

05/15, Project Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, $395

05/15, Advanced Editing and Proofreading Strategies, $395

05/16, Certified Internal Auditors (CIA) Test Preparation – Part 4, $750

05/19, Performance Management Process, $395

05/19, Handling People with Tact and Diplomacy, $395

05/20, Integrated Management, $395

05/21, Supply Chain Management, $395

05/21, Eight Steps of Instructional Design, $990

05/22, Project Management for IT Professionals, $395

05/29, Project Management and Chaos Theory, $395

06/02, Writing Business Reports, $395

06/02, Creative Training Techniques, $1,485

06/03, Legal Issues for Managers and Supervisors, $395

06/03, Small Group Professional Communication, $750

06/04, Applied Project Management, $395

06/04, Enterprise Process Management, $995

06/09, Successfully Dealing with Conflict at Work, $395

06/09, Organizational Training and Development, $395

06/10, Coaching for Excellence, $395

06/11, Human Resource Management, $395

06/12, Project Management Foundations, $395

06/16, Business Acumen for Human Resource Professionals, $395

06/19, Project Initiation, $395

06/19, Writing for the Web, $395

06/23, Strategic Human Resource Planning, $395

06/24, Building Teamwork and Commitment, $395

06/25, Project Planning, $750

06/25, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Skills, $395

South Central College is pleased to announce their spring quality and performance improvement curriculum.  Council members are entitled to a 10% discount.

The following courses will be held at the Faribault campus (prices before member discount):

3/3: Quality Principles, Methods & Applications, $445

3/25: Lean Application for Job Shops, $235

4/9: Supplier Quality Management & Improvement, $235

4/29: Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) Review, $250

4/30: Certified Quality Technician (CQT) Review, $300

5/5: Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA) Review, $250

5/5: Understanding & Implementing ISO 9001:2000, $235

5/6: Internal Auditor Skills, $235

5/27: 8-Discipline Problem Solving Tools & Methods, $235

The following courses will be held at Mankato campus (prices before member discount):

2/24: Understanding & Implementing ISO 9001:2000, $235

2/25: Internal Auditor Skills, $235

3/19: 8-Discipline Problem Solving Tools & Methods, $235

4/1: Project Management, $235

5/13: Supplier Quality Management & Improvement, $235

Normandale Community College, an alliance partner of the Council, is pleased to announce upcoming winter/spring programs.  Council members receive a 15% discount.  The programs are as follows:

3/2-6/22              Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate Class (19 sessions), $8950 (15% off for MCQ)

3/2-3/3                  ScrumMaster Certification, $1260 (15% off for MCQ)

3/30-3/31             Certified Scum Product Owner, $1260 (15% off for MCQ)

5/4-5/5                  ScrumMaster Certification, $1260 (15% off for MCQ)

5/6-6/4                  Six Sigma for Healthcare (8 sessions), $3355 (15% off for MCQ)

Six Sigma is a customer-driven approach that provides an overall framework for quality improvement.  The methodology follows a disciplined problem solving approach.  The goal of a six sigma program is to improve customer satisfaction through reduction and elimination of nonconformities.  It is achieved, not through increased inspection activities which only add cost, but through breakthrough process improvement and the reduction in variation.  The results are increased customer satisfaction, product and service reliability, and improved company financial performance.

All three Six Sigma sessions facilitated by Dale K. Mize, the lead Six Sigma Instructor and Program Coordinator for Six Sigma at Normandale.  He is also president of Advanced Quality Engineering, which co-markets Six Sigma classes with Normandale.  He has more than 19 years of consulting and training experience and 21 years of technical and managerial experience comprised of customer service, product engineering, and manufacturing as a quality engineer, quality manager, and corporate director of quality assurance, and 17 years teaching experience as an adjunct faculty member for a private university. Dale is the He is co-author of the SPC training workbook, “An Ounce of Prevention.”

The MN Healthcare Quality Professionals, an alliance partner of the MN Council for Quality, is pleased to host a (free) monthly webinar seminar series.  The series, hosted by MHQP and HealthForce Minnesota, is a monthly "quality in the trenches" brownbag education series.  The objective of these sessions is to provide a healthcare quality "survey course" using selected materials from the National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ)'s Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) preparation materials. 

Upcoming webinars include (all over the lunch hour):

2/26        About the CPHQ: Test taking tips and practice questions

3/14-15   Weekend CPHQ Exam Preparation Course

4/23        Lean & Six-Sigma

5/28        It’s Overwhelming !   Where/How do you start? (Panel Discussion)

The intended audience includes healthcare quality professionals who want a re-grounding in the breadth of their profession, and clinicians who want to learn more to become champions of change.  MHQP especially wants to reach out to healthcare professionals in rural/outstate Minnesota who don't get many quality education opportunities.

For more information (and previous slides) are posted at:   http://www.healthforceminnesota.org/pages/Programs/courses.html.

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