‘Commitment to Quality’ and Organic Nature of Improvement

We live in the world of instant gratification. Technology has made it easier for us to respond quickly, and rising competition/customer expectations has made it mandatory.

We lay out a strategy and look for quick execution. The moment it goes into execution, we start looking for results. We need ‘early signals’ about probability of success. We launch a blog and look for readers to start flowing in. We impart training and look for instant improvement in people’s abilities to do things. Everything in an instant, and if it doesn’t, drop it and jump on to the next.

Sure, instant actions are needed when business is at stake. When major flaws come to the fore and beg for correction. When a customer is pissed off. When your people are pissed off. Quick actions and quicker results are necessary.

The problem starts when instant gratification becomes a constant expectation.

We forget that process of evolution is slow. Sustainable change and improvement happens slowly. A tree grows organically, so do we. Culture building, process improvement, relationships and team building are slow and painstaking tasks. Gratification is delayed and hence the need for patience, persistence and focus over a long period of time. Key is to hold it on.

Improvement (in processes and culture) is always going to be work in progress because standards will keep going up.

Taking an organic view of improvement, following it through with patience, persistence and focus is what I would call ‘commitment to quality’.