Looking at quality work from the perspective of the Kun Gua: Rooted in the enterprise, changing according to different stages
I. The "Bearing" of Kun: The root of quality is deeply embedded in the enterprise's fabric
The Kun hexagram takes the "earth" as its symbol, and its core is "bearing" - the earth does not show off or make a racket, yet it silently supports the growth of all things; similarly, the "root" of quality work does not lie in slogans or mobilization meetings, but is deeply rooted in every aspect of the enterprise's operations.
Without enterprises as the carrier, quality is like a cloud floating in mid - air. You can shout "Quality comes first", but without the specific operations on the production line, "quality" is just an abstract concept. You can hold "Quality Month activities", but without the real inspection of products, "improving quality" is just an empty ritual. Just as a beautiful flower seed won't germinate without soil on the ground, enterprises are the "soil" for quality, and quality is the "fruit" of enterprises. Without the nourishment of the soil, the fruit simply won't grow. Without the feedback from the fruit, the soil won't know what to "improve".
Those who talk about "quality" without considering the enterprise are either "theorists" who have never been involved in practical work or "managers" who want to "brainwash" employees with slogans. They forget that the essence of quality is the result of an enterprise's production activities, and the improvement of quality is a by - product of an enterprise's process optimization. Without the real operation of an enterprise, quality will always be a "castle in the air".
II. On the sixth day of the first lunar month, "Treading on frost": The quality of a small enterprise is about creating something "from zero to one"
The line "Treading on frost, solid ice is approaching" from the sixth line of the first hexagram is very much like a newly - started small business: holding a product idea in hand, and having unsteady ground underfoot - there is no SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), no quality system, not enough manpower, and they even have to figure out "what quality is" on their own.
At this time, the days of quality personnel are not about "doing quality" but "creating quality".
- Start writing from the operating specifications of the first workstation. For example, when assembling, the screw should be tightened 3 turns. It must be clearly written on paper so that even new workers can understand.
- Start from setting the inspection standards for the first product. For example, the dimensional error should not exceed 0.1mm, and it should be measured with a vernier caliper, not "by eye".
- Build the handling process starting from the first customer complaint. For example, if a customer says "parts are missing", first check the assembly records, then find out the missed inspections by the quality control department, and finally "reissue the parts + apologize" to the customer.
Every step must be taken "as if treading on thin ice": Ignoring the minor issue of "the welding temperature being 5℃ lower" today may lead to a major accident of "unsoldering" of the products tomorrow; Omitting the minor process of "first-piece inspection" today may result in a "disaster" of batch defective products the day after tomorrow.
The quality of small enterprises is a test of patience. Every SOP you write is the "first brick" for the future quality of the enterprise, and every process you monitor is the "life - saving charm" for the enterprise to survive.
III. 62 "Straight, square, and great": The quality of a regular enterprise lies in the stability of "following the rules"
Once the enterprise has passed the "from zero to one" stage, with the processes running smoothly and the systems implemented, it reaches the state described in the line "Straight, square, and great; without learning, there is no disadvantage" in the second line of the sixth hexagram.
"Direct" means a smooth process. From the raw materials entering the factory to the products leaving the factory, there is a clear route for each step: the raw materials need to be inspected for certificates of conformity, production must follow the SOP, quality inspection personnel must fill out record sheets, and even waste products have to go through the scrapping process.
"Fang" means strict standards - every operation has its "scale": the injection molding pressure is 100 bar, and it can't be 1 bar more; the packaging tape should be pasted in the pattern of "III - I", and if it's even a bit crooked, it has to be re - pasted.
"Large" means a stable system - quality is no longer "an individual's business": Workshop workers will actively pick out unqualified products, warehouse managers will reject products without quality inspection labels, and salesmen will tell customers that "our defective product rate is 0.1%".
At this time, the days of quality control personnel are "peaceful and happy": they no longer need to "put out fires every day" because the process will "automatically correct errors"; they no longer need to "keep an eye on everything" because employees will "actively abide by the rules". You can see your own achievements - for example, the defective product rate has dropped from 5% to 1%, the number of customer complaints has decreased from 10 times a month to 1 time, and peers say "Your quality is really stable".
The quality of a proper enterprise depends on perseverance. By engraving "rules" in the minds of employees and turning "standards" into corporate habits, high - quality products will be achieved naturally.
IV. 63, 64: The quality of medium-sized enterprises lies in the "in-between" balance
LXIII, LXIV correspond to medium-sized enterprises. Their scale has increased, but they haven't reached the level of "large companies". They have some money, but they don't have the "confidence" to put "quality" before "performance".
At this time, the position of the quality department is like the lettuce in a hamburger. If you say it's important, the boss won't regard "quality" as the core strategy. To boost sales and expand production capacity, "quality" serves as an auxiliary. If you say it's unimportant, it can't be absent either. Customers need to conduct factory inspections and peers need to benchmark, so the "quality system" is like the facade.
The days of quality control professionals are about the "art of balance":
- Unable to respond quickly like small enterprises. As the scale grows, changing one process involves a series of departments. For example, to modify the assembly process, one has to consult with the production, engineering, and procurement departments. It can't be decided on a whim.
- It's not possible to "copy the system" like large companies do. There aren't enough resources, and implementing "Six Sigma" may slow down efficiency. When promoting SPC (Statistical Process Control), employees need to be trained to use control charts first. Otherwise, the "tool" will become a "burden".
- One should learn to "talk less and do more." When the boss wants to boost sales volume, you should uphold the "quality bottom line" and prevent "volume boosting" from turning into "quality reduction." When the department wants to expand production capacity, you should optimize the process and prevent "production increase" from turning into "error increase."
The quality success of medium-sized enterprises has never been "the success of the quality department", but an added bonus of the enterprise's success. Only when the enterprise sells well will the "contributions" of quality be recognized; when the enterprise encounters problems, the "responsibilities" of quality cannot be shirked. At this time, it is most important to "seek truth from facts": don't create a "showy" system. The method that suits the current scale is the best method.
V. 65. The top line: The quality of a large enterprise lies in the vigilance of "it is more difficult to preserve achievements than to start a business"
The 65 and the 6 at the top correspond to large multinational companies or monopoly enterprises. Such enterprises are like "small societies". The number of employees is measured in "tens of thousands", and the processes are measured in "volumes". Even the quality department has subdivided sections: those in charge of suppliers, those in charge of production, those in charge of customer complaints, and even those in charge of "quality culture".
The "yellow lower garment" in the sixth line of the fifth hexagram represents the "comfort zone" of large enterprises.
- Clear procedures – There is a standard answer for each step: Suppliers need to pass a three - level certification, production should follow a lean process, and quality inspection should cover 10 items.
- Strong human resources – Recruit postgraduates from 985 universities and use international tools: Use a coordinate measuring machine to measure dimensions, a gas chromatograph to detect harmful substances, and AI to monitor abnormalities in the production line.
- Good products – Customers recognize the brand. The defective product rate is one order of magnitude lower than that of competitors. For example, the defective product rate of Apple products is less than 0.01%, and Huawei's base stations can operate stably in the African deserts.
However, there is a hidden crisis in the "comfort zone" - the "dragon battles in the wild" in the sixth line of the upper trigram is very much like the "downfall" of large enterprises:
- When cost pressure hits, switch to cheaper materials. To cut costs, Toyota switched its brake supplier from Japan to Southeast Asia, resulting in the "brake gate" incident.
- When faced with environmental pressure, they simplified inspections. A home appliance enterprise, in an attempt to "reduce carbon emissions", changed the environmental protection inspection from "checking each batch" to "randomly inspecting once a month". As a result, it was complained about "excessive formaldehyde".
- Sitting in the first position for too long leads to slackness. A mobile phone company relaxed its innovation due to stable quality and was overtaken in the market by competitors with thinner and lighter products.
The quality of large enterprises hinges on "vigilance": You have to keep an eye on "signs of slackness" - for example, when the random inspection rate of suppliers drops, you have to stop it in time; you have to come up with "new methods" - for example, combine ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) to turn "green quality" into a competitive edge; you have to dare to say "no" - when the boss wants to cut costs, you have to use data to show that "cutting this part will cause problems".
After all, "it's difficult to strive for the first place, and it's even more difficult to maintain it." It's easy to have the "zeal" when starting a business, but it's the most difficult to maintain the "prudence" when keeping what has been achieved.
VI. Conclusion: The essence of quality is "suitability" rather than "the best"
Looking at the hexagram Kun and its related concepts all the way, the logic of quality work is very simple:
- Small enterprises should "create quality" and compete with patience.
- Legitimate enterprises should "uphold quality" and strive through perseverance.
- Medium-sized enterprises should "balance quality" and compete in terms of practicality.
- Large enterprises should "ensure quality" and compete in terms of vigilance.
Just as the earth nurtures all things: to nurture grass, the soil needs to be loosened; to nurture big trees, deep roots need to be established; to nurture crops, frequent watering is required. There is no universal fertilizer, only suitable nutrients.
Quality has never been about "finding the best method" but rather "finding the most suitable method." The best quality method is the one that suits the enterprise's current stage, scale, and needs.
After all, the root of quality is always deeply embedded in the fabric of an enterprise; the soul of quality is always hidden in the wisdom of "changing with different stages".