Importance of MRM (Management Review Meeting)

Follow up is the essence of co-ordination. The Management System Standards like ISO 9001/ISO 14001/ OHSAS 18001 have a requirement of management review, to check effectiveness of the management system. This is a follow up mechanism for checking whether the policy of organization is effectively implemented, and also whether the objectives are met, whether the primary stake holders of the systems are satisfied.

The standards say that this is a review directly carried out by the top management. It covers (among other things)

1.    Results of audits( internal & external)

2.    Customer satisfaction measures, feedback from interested parties.

3.    Objective achievements

4.    Results of corrective & preventive actions

5.    Nonconformities, incidents and accidents.

6.    Follow up action from previous reviews etc.

This is a periodic health check. 

It is done based on data, not on opinion. Decisions are assigned with due dates and responsibilities and the decisions are followed up for effective implementation.

This forms part of the “C” and “A” of the PDCA cycle.

This will definitely result in progress if done sincerely

Many CEOs don’t even participate in the MRM. It appears that they are ignorant of the power of the MRM and how it will help them to meet their own objectives as top management. 

To honour the commitments they have given to the board of directors and their customers.

          I sincerely hope that their eyes opened to the endless possibilities of the MRM as a tool for improvement.

meetings

Recently I attended an annual general body meeting of an association as an ordinary member.
I started noticing the following gaps in the way the meeting was conducted and thought i would share it .

1. the meeting started nearly 25 minutes late from the declared time
2. The quorum was not full( only at the end it got full) even though everybody was informed in advance
   
3. When a discussion related to the parenthood a good action taken by the committee was claimed by another member of the previous year's committee, nobody was ready to accept the feelings of the member.
4. He said, "when I introduced this subject, you people made fun of me at that time".
   
5. They started reacting saying that" if you could not take it forward last time, it was your shortcoming".
6. nobody was ready to join the next year's office bearer team.
7. the last year's committee was elected to continue for the next year
8. there were only three agenda points and it took two hours to complete
9. matters not in agenda were discussed without any productive result.
   

My conclusion from this is that , when you are in a leadership position you have to be a little broad minded to accept criticism or adverse feedback and take everyone with you.
You cannot afford to neglect the feelings of the members.
I feel we should teach children from schools/colleges in the discipline of how to conduct meetings and also how to participate productively in meetings .
Also the concept of "Community work" should be ingrained in the minds of children otherwise we will get a society where every body is a passenger and there is no driver .Society cannot afford this kind of apathy