Management skills need to change to require more coaching than bossing. There can be the perception that workloads will increase because helping their people develop new skills and expertise take time away from the "real" work (At least, that's the excuse). Hoping that "this, too, shall pass," some will even resist silently by avoiding working with teams entirely.

A deeper, more real reason may be hidden in psychology: "What does this do for me and my job in the future? What's going to be left here for me?" This managerial resistance in turn makes it too easy for employees to use "managerial inaction" as an excuse for resisting changes themselves. Training in quality skills must be supplemented with support and processes to address fear and resistance to help managers through this awkward, but inevitable, transition.

Managers can no longer view new quality responsibilities--coaching, managing by walking around, developing self-directed work teams, teaching empowerment--as extra duties. How can top leaders help?

• Make quality a main agenda item at staff meetings, holding briefings on quality progress, and publicly recognizing successful quality efforts,
• Make mangers the quality trainers, which creates ownership and a critical mass of champions who in turn exert a powerful influence on other initially reluctant managers,
• Bring employees from all levels together to form quality councils and teams,
• Include principles of quality management in managers' performance criteria: Implementing quality management, directing efforts toward self-empowered work teams, and creating open communication processes, developing capacities of staff.