Leadership in ISO Management Systems Standards: What does it mean?

When the updated ISO 9001:2015 standard was published, the removal of the requirement to appoint a quality management representative caught many by surprise. Instead of the Management Responsibility section, the new standard features a Leadership section.

This change extends to other revised ISO management system standards under Annex SL, such as ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, and ISO 22000:2018. But did the substance of the requirements change with the new section name?

No middlemen needed between a management system and the CEO

The changes in the standards are not exactly revolutionary. While new terms and different wordings appear, the obligations of top management remain as high as ever. The difference is that the new standards are more specific, clearly delineating the role of top executives.

It is remarkable how the standard has evolved over the years. Previously, the ISO 9001:2000 version required a quality management representative but did not specify their hierarchical level, which sometimes led to ineffective results. The ISO 9001:2008 version clarified that this representative should be among the top managers, ensuring they had the necessary resources and authority. Nevertheless, sometimes company’s CEO assigned to this person (as a rule, Head of Quality Department) all the tasks related to management system and felt free of any scrupulous: “You are the one to be accountable for the system, hence you are the one to take care of it”.

In the current ISO 9001 version, the reference to an official management representative has been removed. This shift emphasizes that the head of the organization is primarily responsible for the management system's effectiveness, sharing this responsibility with top managers and delegating tasks across different areas.

Distributed Leadership: Empowering All Managers

The concept of distributed leadership is now central: every manager or process owner, at their respective levels, assumes part of the responsibility for the Quality Management System (QMS). 

Managerial involvement is foundational to any management system. The ISO 9001 standard aims to improve organizational efficiency, linking directly to all business processes, including legal requirements, internal corporate rules, and customer demands. These should not be seen as burdensome superstructures but as integral parts of daily operations. Chief engineer, production shop manager, plant director – everyone should contribute to the system’s performance and implement the standard’s requirements to the process he is responsible of.

Each process owner has the resources—financial, human, informational, and material—to ensure their process's effectiveness and achieve set goals. This involvement should be reflected in their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), making them leaders in the management system.

Depending on the organization’s scale and structure, there can be multiple leaders, sometimes formally titled as such.

Who is to blame?

If a single department is solely responsible for the QMS, the system ceases to be an effective management tool. Only through distributed leadership can this be rectified.

In cases of system failures, such as poor-quality products being returned by customers, who is the one to blame? Failures result from the system’s performance. That is why it is crucial to identify the root cause, which may lie outside the quality management process (laboratory control of incoming raw materials etc), in personnel training (HR department scope), supplier selection (procurement department scope), or equipment maintenance (production department scope).

Every process manager is accountable for achieving the company's targets, and only through joint analysis and process alignment can failures be addressed.

Leading by Example

Today, top management is expected to show more personal activity, responsibility, and involvement in all aspects of the QMS. Leaders must inspire through their personal interest and motivation in meeting QMS requirements.

If company’s director is not personally interested, then it is impossible to build an effective management system. On the contrary, a leader’s genuine interest can serve as a powerful example for subordinates, fostering a productive system.

Middle and lower-level managers act as conduits for top management's values. If a unit head dismisses the management system sarcastically, their team will likely adopt the same attitude. Conversely, genuine engagement from leaders at all levels can build a robust system.

The Quality Mangement Representative is dead. Long live the Representative.

While the direct requirement to appoint a quality management representative has been removed, practical experience shows that having a leader coordinating the QMS can be beneficial.

Whether this role is filled by a quality director, chief technology officer, human resources director, or organizational development director, the essential qualities are coordination skills, an understanding of the standard’s requirements, and the ability to act as an advisor and partner to process owners.

In conclusion, the shift in ISO standards towards emphasizing leadership over mere representation signifies a deeper integration of quality management into everyday business processes. By embracing distributed leadership, ensuring accountability, and leading by example, Middle Eastern businesses can harness the full potential of ISO standards to drive efficiency and excellence.

For more information about other quality management principles, see the article "The 7 Quality Management Principles as per ISO 9001".

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