Stating Your Case for a Raise

ASQ Quality Progress recently published its annual salary survey, which again confirms the value of professional certification. As we close out another year many U.S. companies are conducting annual workforce performance reviews attempting to quantify the relative value and merits of employee contributions. Given today's challenging economic environment confronting every employer what is your case for requesting a raise? Regardless whether you are an individual contributor or a supervisor/manager, how have you helped "move the needle" in terms of delivering organizational results?

ASQ CEO Paul Borawski summarizes that the Quality practitioner's primary impact to business results are typically achieved in the areas of "... Customers more satisfied, revenue enhanced, money saved, waste reduced, lives saved, or risks managed".  Personally speaking, quantifying my impact to business results is made more difficult because as the leader of a corporate staff function I do not have line operation responsibility. Any impact I have to drive business results is the measure of my ability to motivate, educate, engage and influence others. Indeed my role is primarily that of change agent, teacher/coach/consultant, project leader, mentor, cheerleader, customer advocate, and champion for performance excellence. "3M Quality" is a recognized value differentiator delivering customer-perceived best in class performance. Every 3M employee at every level of the organization is responsible for assuring Total Customer Experience.

I approach my role as a servant leader focused on helping my direct reports and business clients to succeed. The case for a raise in 2013 will be made by my clients. Here we use an appraisal process incorporating 360 degree feedback; I am perfectly comfortable letting my employees and clients judge whether I am adding business value while promoting 3M values:

• Act with uncompromising honesty and integrity in everything we do. 
• Satisfy our customers with innovative technology and superior quality, value and service.
• Provide our investors an attractive return through sustainable, global growth.
• Respect our social and physical environment around the world. 
• Earn the admiration of all those associated with 3M worldwide.

3M employees all across the globe are strengthening their operational excellence and continuous improvement skills and competencies through internal training offered by my group, supplemented with ASQ content thanks to 3M's enterprise membership. Many are pursuing ASQ professional certification for personal growth to the benefit of 3M and its customers.