Hello,
My name is Norm Howe.  Hoping to add my experience to this forum.  My career started in R&D, then plant management, and quality management.  As a plant manager we implemented self directed teams.  That process then morphed into a transformation of the quality culture in the plant.  Amazingly, the two initiatives were synergistic.  In retrospect it shouldn't have been surprising.  But we knew nothing going in.