relations and internal processes. This cultural change in management practices has certain basic elements: Management  must  clearly  state  the organization’s mission. It must state the mission clearly and make it available to all employees, suppliers, and customers. A clear, public-mission statement prevents individuals  from  generating  their  own definitions of work priorities. Managers and supervisors must ensure their actions clearly support the organiza- tion’s  mission.  This  support  includes setting priorities and assigning tasks. Management must focus its efforts toward a common goal. This focus is an important part of team building. Management  must  make  a  long-term commitment to quality improvement. In- dividual managers must set an example by providing consistent, focused leadership. Quality management achieves results by focusing on the procedures and processes that get the work done. Under TQM, management must strive continuously to improve the work process. The  primary  emphasis  of  this  effort  is  the prevention of defects through quality improve- ment rather than quality inspections. Quality cannot be inspected; it must be managed from the beginning. Conforming to established specifica- tions  is  only  part  of  quality  improvement. Management must not be satisfied with minimum standards. As standards are met, we, as managers, must look for new ways to improve our product. Find the means to further tighten standards and improve quality. That’s your job. Customer-Supplier  Relationship Another aspect of the TQM concept is the necessary  relationship  between  customer  and supplier. No matter what your job, it probably involves a customer-supplier relationship. The Intermediate  Maintenance  Department  of  a command is a customer of and supplier to the Supply  Department.   Aircraft squadrons and supply departments have the same dual roles. At one point, a supply department must establish a working arrangement with a squadron that clearly defines each department’s needs and realistic expectations. A career counselor must ensure customers’ needs are met. On the other hand, customers must have a realistic understanding of the service the career counselor can render. This mutual understanding of needs and capabilities is needed to achieve customer satisfaction. Leadership and TQM The essential ingredient of TQM success is leadership involvement. Management controls the process that accomplishes the mission. Quality, however, is in the hands of the workers who do the job. Management, therefore, has the respon- sibility to drive out the natural fear of change and innovation that is part of most people’s basic psychology. TQM must be supported from the top down. That doesn’t mean the department head level. TQM must start with SECNAV/CNO-level support and be supported and carried out all the way to the bottom of the chain of command. From admiral to deck seaman, TQM requires a total  effort. SUMMARY Effective  management  involves  the  use  of planning, staffing, controlling, organizing, and leading. Planning is the use of strategic plans, standing plans, and single-use plans. Effective planning requires you to determine work require- ments;  set  priorities;  and  use  the  strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. Staffing is a means by which you match the correct person to the job for optimum perform- ance.  You  should  continually  evaluate  your personnel needs and make sure documentation is updated when subordinates complete personnel qualifications standards. You use control to monitor your division or work center. Types of control include feed- forward, concurrent, and feedback. Control also includes inventory control and quality control. Types  of  quality  control  include  feedforward, concurrent, feedback, statistical, quality circle and zero defects. Methods of control include the plan of action and milestones, Gantt chart, program evaluation and review technique (PERT), and critical path method (CPM). Elements of effective control are activities, timeliness, effectiveness, accuracy, and acceptance. 3-22 TQM Focus on Process