Bio: Richard Uphoff, CMQ is a manager and Registered Principal with The Vanguard Group in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has over 30 years of experience in financial services, and has been a leader of leaders for 25 of those 30+ years. His expertise is in back office and front office operations and in applying lean concepts to the Service Center. He is a Senior Member of ASQ and is a past Chair of the Human Development and Leadership Division and ASQE Board member. He is also a founding member of ASQ's Financial Services Division.
Abstract: Leaders talk a lot about building a culture of continuous improvement—but what does that actually look like at the individual level? This presentation introduces the concept of the Personal Quality Plan (PQP), a simple but powerful tool for applying the principles of Lean and Six Sigma to your own leadership development. It invites participants to think of themselves as systems worth improving: reflective, measurable, and adaptable. If you know how to plan for audits, CAPA, or process refinement, you already know more than enough to start designing a plan for your own growth. The PQP offers a structured way to do just that—bringing intentionality, clarity, and momentum to your personal leadership journey. You’ll learn three core steps: - How to define meaningful improvement goals - How to diagnose what’s holding you back - How to design a short-cycle, high-impact plan for growth Whether you’re leading a team, running projects, or simply trying to stay sharp in a fast-changing environment, this session will help you align who you are with how you lead. Bonus: We’ll also show how freely available AI tools like ChatGPT can support reflection, pattern recognition, and problem-solving—without taking over the wheel. You’ll leave with a practical planning tool and a fresh perspective: continuous improvement starts with you.
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