I can’t remember the last staff meeting where improving quality was not imbedded in the meeting topic. Wether it was experience, product, finishes, process etc. it is the leading indicator of all of our values.
VALUES:
Customer Satisfaction- Our goal is simple……100%
Improvement- The day we stop learning is the day we cease to exist
Integrity- Follow through with commitments
Passion- It’s exciting to change lives
Busyness
The root cause of a quality deficiency generally starts with busyness. As our to do list grows we tend to drop the ball on certain tasks. Mistakes then happen to an already busy schedule and in turn re-work lengthens the list even more. The schedule now goes from busy to chaotic while fixing fires becomes the priority. This leads to fatigue and frustration and the cycle begins to spiral out of control. I’m sure you have seen or felt this at some point.
Many people try to resolve this with symptomatic corrections. They do things like hiring help to spread the work load, or working longer hours to get through the to do list. Although both are sometimes necessary, it should not be the first solution we consider as it only exacerbates the problems.
Our Transition:
As a company we have started a transition that is technology focused. This transition will be an 18 month process that is directed at improving efficiency, effectiveness and clarity. To date you have seen a fraction of it begin to roll out with the dashboards. Similar to the workload increase example, it is important to remember that change also creates the feeling of busyness or chaos. Although it helps in the long run, it may feel like the opposite immediately while we hang on to old paradigms.
It is imperative that we tackle problems by understanding the root cause of the issue and not focus on the symptom. Looking up stream at how the problem funneled down to us is the only way to truly fix the process. Then after understanding where it comes from we must communicate to those team members and take action on the correction. Remember; work arounds or avoiding problems only kick the can down the road which then become larger problems in the future.
Trust:
The thinking behind process efficiency is a mental transition in itself. It is also vital to our shift into automation. Our ability to effect change is found through an open willingness to learn, to self reflect and to have trust in the team. However this trust is not that others will do their job as one might think. It is trust that feedback or questions are not a personal attack on us and that it is for the betterment of the team. It’s trust that we will not allow each other to fail but instead push and be pushed to broaden our horizon’s. It’s our ability to be thankful for a person questioning our decisions by having the courage to tell us what they see. Because no matter what the circumstance we will always seek to improve.
Our Vision as a company is Quality of Life. This quality comes from a deep purpose created by delivering results that are greater than us as individuals. It is the path to achievement and the experiences along the journey that mold our purpose. Then followed by the celebration of success when we have reached our personal and team ambitions. The result of attaining these goals is not only motivational for us but life changing to the world.
The beginning of a 4 day work week:
Friday Sept. 13 will be a personal improvement day for all of us. This means the office and models will be closed. The idea is not just to have a day off but to sharpen ourselves. As individuals it is important that we continually improve our knowledge, our health and our spirit. This day is the beginning of a transition into an efficient but effective 4 day work week. On Monday Sept. 16 a 1.5 hour staff meeting will take place to discuss how it went, how you felt and what it looks like in the future. With labor day this will give us 2 full 4 day weeks prior to our Monday meeting. This does not mean 4 longer days either, it means work less and produce more which is only achieved with a process minded focus. This is also the theme of our transition. Quality over Quantity.
Building our team skills:
The book 5 dysfunctions of a team is at the front of the office. There is a personalized copy for each of you. Please read it between now and the 16th (it takes about 2.5 hours) as it will be the main discussion of our meeting. These rules are vital toward our ability to impact the world and grow as professionals. This growth succeeds real purpose.
Your an outstanding group with MASSIVE opportunity. Keep up the fantastic work.