Magnificent Quality

The Lesson – Magnificent Quality

This past weekend I spent some time cleaning and organizing my office. I wanted to go through a couple boxes of “stuff”, toss what needed tossing, and keep what needed keeping. When I opened the last box I was met with a pleasant surprise—desk memorabilia from a previous job.

As I sorted through the desk toys, stress balls, and conference souvenirs, a gift given to me by a fellow supervisor caught my attention. It was a framed Successories® picture that included the following quote: “Quality: Countless, unseen details are often the only difference between mediocre and magnificent.”

Dusting off that picture took me back in time and I took a moment to reflect on the occasion. A few days prior, this supervisor and I had struck up a conversation on the topic of phone quality assurance. We talked about the behind-the-scenes hard work and preparation that goes into creating a positive customer service/collection call, and we both agreed that while customers might not see all of the “countless, unseen details,” they do see the finished product and they know whether or not the end product is “mediocre or magnificent.”

Companies spend thousands of dollars each year to achieve high standards of quality through initiatives such as Six Sigma and LEAN. Perhaps you have even heard of the phrase Total Quality Management. Quality products and services not only attract and retain clients, but they also help make the workday more efficient and more productive. Clearly, quality really does separate the mediocre from the magnificent.

The Challenge

My favorite quote on the topic of quality is attributed to United States Marine William A. Foster. He says, “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

Foster knew a thing or two about being magnificent. After all, he received the military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for jumping on a grenade and acting as a human shield in order to save the life of a fellow Marine. Although Foster eventually died because of the injuries sustained in the explosion, his heroic action is anything but mediocre and it most certainly was not an accident.

This week spend a moment reflecting on Foster’s quote and determine if the work you produce is a result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution. Do you leave your customers with mediocrity or magnificence?

The Reflection

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Mediocrity or magnificence: What will you leave behind this week?

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor