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22 The PCB Magazine • October 2016 lunchtime demanding productivity reports and preparing for his afternoon QC meetings. Now I'm not recommending that anyone do this, but there needs to be an example set by a leader. Taking the day off or leaving early at the slight- est sign of not feeling well sets an example for everyone under you. Lost productivity and continuity can have a tremendous impact on a company's operations and financial perfor- mance due to missed deadlines and rocky cus- tomer service. Push Through Pain • Rules don't apply to you • No such thing as a sick day Quality Systems are Much More than a Certification for Marketing and Sales Nagji's automotive boot camp at Ford had impressed upon him the value of quality stan- dards as a tool to run your company, not just a "shingle" to aid the sales department. We were taught to think of the quality management sys- tem as a profit center, as opposed to a cost item on our P&L. Things such as documenting pro- cesses, forcing in-process quality checks, drilling down into root cause for rejections and rework, etc., became part of our core business process. In the 1990s, we were the eighth North Ameri- can PCB manufacturer to achieve QS9000, which is an automotive quality management system. By 2004, we were completely out of production for the automotive industry when the new TS16949 quality management standard replaced QS9000. Despite not needing this standard, Dad went to the classes the governing body held on building the TS system and within one year we became the first PCB manufacturer in North America to achieve TS16949. Even though we had no use for the cert from a sales perspective, he felt we needed the cert from a systems standpoint. He was impressed by the standard's structure and, most importantly, the requirement for root cause analysis and continuous improvement. These are things that he always pushed for, but that would sometimes fall by the wayside to make room for other projects and situations. Now we meet ev - ery other day to discuss new items and follow up on studies aimed at furthering the continuous improvement agenda. And the placards he hung from the ceilings throughout the facility serve as a constant reminder to this emphasis he placed on quality. Quality Systems Have Value • Commit to quality systems • Believe in them: Quality systems are much more than just a cert to promote on your website Respect Your Suppliers As I mentioned earlier, Dad immersed him- self into the details of the machines, chemicals, and materials we purchased. As a result, he cul- tivated excellent relationships, and in many cases, friendships with our entire supply base. He even had rules at Saturn regarding suppliers: 1. We have to buy them lunch—they are here to help us. 2. We invite them over for dinner—dinners are a way to build on relationships. 3. We "listen to the supplier…even if you have to admit you are mistaken" as was the case when he was informed that he was "stepping over dollars to pick up pennies" with some of our process decisions. After years of building relationships with our suppliers, we can really feel that they are coming in with the focus of making our com- pany better—not just to sell us more of their materials. LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP FROM MY FATHER Figure 4: Signs adorning the Saturn hallway reflect Nagji's dedication to quality. (Photo by Irina Burcusel)