Learning from others to adapt quality management to the future

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to compare leadership behaviours from two different approaches with the leadership behaviours within quality management in order to find possible areas for developing leadership within quality management. A case study has been carried out at a Swedish award-winning organisation in order to study leadership behaviours. In-depth interviews have been carried out with the intention to explore how the manager has worked to become one of Sweden's best workplaces. Leadership behaviours from three different approaches are summarised in ‘The Core Leadership Behaviours’. The analysis of the leadership methodologies and behaviours used by the leaders and the ‘Core Leadership Behaviours’ from the three different approaches has been summarised for each approach. The comparison indicates that there are interesting leadership behaviours in Change Oriented Leadership, as well as in KaosPilots, that are not established within quality management. The leadership behaviours could complement quality management to meet new and challenging demands from customers and co-workers.