Ambitious managers seek business initiatives to deliver their goals.  Such business initiatives have regularly become ‘must do’ and fashionable. Invariably they fail to deliver to their full potential and are jettisoned in favour of the next fashionable initiative. TQM (Total Quality Management) is an example of such an initiative. Many consultancies sold their own TQM methodologies or versions to organisations hungry for the way to achieve success. Unfortunately organisations are all unique and cannot be treated as recipients of ‘standardised’ methodologies. Despite many qualities, TQM (as with other initiatives) largely failed.

Achieving success depends on a balance of factors appropriate for that organisation.Leadership combined with good people, sharp processes and good customer relations are a few of these key factors. The EFQM Excellence Model provides a reference against which organisations can assess their own situation. Following their own assessment organisations can agree their own approaches for business success.