Breaking Through the 4 Barriers to Quality
The foundational guide to Applied Business Science — written by Bruce Snell, founder of BSG International and the architect behind every program we teach at The School of Applied Business Science.
Also available on: Kindle · Nook · Scribd · OneDrive
What this book does that others don't
Most books about "quality" tell you what's wrong with your organization. This one tells you what to do about it.
As I moved through different companies, I saw the same problems appearing in the same pattern. Ninety-eight percent of a company's problems fall into the four barriers to quality. The funny thing is that each company believed their problem to be unique.
It's not theory. It's a field manual — grounded in 20,000+ hours of hands-on application across real working conditions, written in plain language anyone in your organization can read and use. The book names the barriers, explains why they exist, and lays out a practical method for dismantling them. Organizations that have read it have called us. That's the most honest endorsement we can give it.
From the book
In Bruce's own words.
Fear caused lack of communication, which caused lack of procedures, which caused lack of training. Addressing the four barriers in the proper sequence contributes to the transition of a quality-oriented company.
I firmly believe that most employees want to do a good job, but are stopped by the four barriers. Their commitment to the company grows as the four barriers are removed.
Who should read this
This book is for anyone who's ever wondered why organizations fail the people in them.
CEOs & Executives
If your organization has plateaued, struggled with quality, or repeatedly failed to sustain improvement initiatives, this book explains why — and what to do instead. Read it before you hire another consultant.
Managers & Team Leaders
If you're trying to lead a team through change and feel like you're hitting invisible walls, this book names them and gives you a proven way to dismantle them.
Individual Learners
If you want to understand how genuinely well-run organizations operate — and what separates them from the rest — this book is the best starting point in the Applied Business Science library.
Beyond the book
The book is where most of our clients start. Here's what comes next.
Breaking Through the 4 Barriers to Quality is the foundation. The full Applied Business Science curriculum is what the book introduces and turns it into an operational system. Reading the book is the lowest-commitment way to understand what we teach. Many of the executives we work with today started by reading it — and then called us.
If the book confirmed what you suspected, the consultation is the next step.
Your team development programs, train-the-trainer implementation, and curriculum introduction — designed for organizations committed to building durable quality infrastructure. The book is the first conversation. The program is the work.
Schedule a ConsultationIf the book made you want to go deeper, the curriculum is your next step.
Full online curriculum access on Digital Chalk ($65/month) with phase certifications at every milestone. The same material inside real organizations — now available to individuals who want to learn it, own it, and carry it into every role they hold.
Explore Individual LearningWhat readers have said
Recognition from people whose recognition matters.
These endorsements come from industry leaders, executives, educators, and practitioners who read the book and staked their names on it.
Exceeding the expectations of your customers is smart business practice. Smart business practices are what Bruce Snell captures in his book.
Providing leadership is a very challenging undertaking. Providing quality related leadership becomes even more challenging in today's and tomorrow's society and economy. Bruce Snell's book, The 4 Barriers to Quality, provides an opportunity to develop comprehensive, efficient, and effective processes that will enable an individual and/or organization to ostensibly deal with the 4 barriers to quality found in the infrastructure of every organization: 1. Fear of expression and/or actions. 2. Lack of communication (verbal and/or written). 3. Lack of written procedure. 4. Lack of training.
The author has provided a toolkit of activities that are designed to strengthen an organization's quality management strategy. The power of this approach is well documented in the underlying research.
This book is written for quality specialists, academics, and leaders in business, industry, and government. The wisdom in this book is grounded in real experiences and practices. I have had the opportunity of teaching and consulting with Bruce in various corporate and team environments, and have witnessed the breakthrough possibilities and probabilities available through the processes and techniques he teaches and advocates to others.
I have read many leadership and quality management related books over the past forty years, with this book and this author leaving me with a very positive impression and process. I am confident, by the time you finish this book, you will have the same positive impression.
When most people think of Quality, what comes to mind might be referred to as "fitness for use" including "product" quality and "service" quality. Quality circles and continuous improvement using statistical methods were introduced decades ago in the hope of making the American workforce more competitive. Some worked; many were abandoned leaving a mixed bag of results and a lot of questions for workforce management.
When Bruce Snell refers to "quality" he means People Quality! Essential to People Quality is doing what is morally and ethically correct and treating others as you want to be treated. It doesn't matter if you are the CEO or the front-line worker; these values form the foundation of a quality organization. He calls these the Base Values and in the book he makes the case for People Quality leading to Organizational Quality.
Snell writes this book from the perspective of a practitioner, but he includes philosophy, psychology and process to make his points. This book is easy to read, easy to apply and makes sense.
I used this book as one of the required texts in a Masters level class I facilitated at Colorado State University. In written feedback, the adult learners stated they preferred this book to the others. The content has immediate application.
Praise for Breaking Through the 4 Barriers to Quality.
"If you're looking for a solution to your Quality woes – stop here! This book is all you need. Bruce Snell has created one of the most innovative and practical approaches to achieving performance and product excellence. Whether you're a small town business or global market competitor, you can 'do it better' by following Bruce's ingenious process."
"Often overlooked in the 'do more and do it faster' business world that we live in today are two fundamental principles: 1. Perform your job to the best of your abilities and 2. Treat others as you would like to be treated. In The 4 Barriers To Quality, Mr. Snell lays the framework for creating a culture in the workplace that embodies these two virtues. … This book is a quick and easy read filled with practical steps that will transform the way your organization does business."
"In order for any business, large or small, to succeed in today's dynamic environment, behavioral and cultural changes are a must. Breaking Through The 4 Barriers To Quality is a straight-forward approach to creating the required changes."
"Finally, a book which addresses the problems of quality rather than just the symptomatic issues."
"Bruce Snell provides a refreshingly, humanistic, and ethical approach to building business infrastructure in an age of unrelenting cartoon-sarcasm about management. Watch out Dilbert, Breaking Through The 4 Barriers To Quality will take the horns off of your bosses' head!"
"Bruce's background is that of a common man for which he is proud. However, Breaking Through The 4 Barriers To Quality is that of genius our generation has not experienced. Where have all our leaders gone? I'm not sure, but the qualities and achievements of Bruce Snell personifies leadership."
"This book is right on target for those looking for the means to identify the problems related to quality and also the solutions."
"When I'm not on the road touring with BTO, I'm following Bruce Snell's Book, Breaking Through The 4 Barriers To Quality, to make sure I'm 'Taking Care Of Business' properly."
"This book gets right to the root of the problems every business faces. Required reading for every business manager."
"I ordered the book while attending an executive management program at Harvard Business School. The approach was a refreshing mixture of intuition and common sense."
Hear Bruce
Hear Bruce on two business podcasts.
"Fundamentals in Sports and Business"
Bruce on how the lessons of sport apply to organizations, teamwork, and leadership — and why fundamentals build more than strategy for most organizations.
"Perspectives on Business Operations: Bruce Snell"
Bruce on helping others, business fundamentals, and what three decades inside real organizations has taught him about what actually works.
Start where most of our clients start.
Reading the book is the lowest-commitment way to understand what we teach. Many of the executives we work with today started by reading it — and then called us.
Buy on AmazonAlso available on: Kindle · Nook · Scribd · OneDrive
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