Quality remains the number one differentiator whenever we want to evaluate something or make a choice. However, we often explore quality at a macro level; at our workplace, in our processes or in the products or services we consume. The idea of quality however, always begins at the level of the individual and is one of the key aspects to delivering a great impression or creating a successful personal brand.
Here are seven tips to ratchet up your quality quotient:
- Clarity of Purpose – You are at your best when your actions are aligned with your life purpose. Hence defining your life purpose is crucial to starting your pursuit of quality. Your purpose becomes the foundation of your personal brand.
- Prepare a “quality” plan: We all perform certain tasks and processes as a part of our daily work or personal life. However, we are often given to performing these tasks hastily and without thoughtful attention, or we simply follow those who performed them before us. We have all experienced that when performed consciously and diligently, tasks can significantly free up our time and attention for more worthwhile pursuits. Try spending half a day identifying and then documenting such tasks or activities to examine the best outcomes, and replicate your best processes to enhance quality. Also, test your ideas and processes regularly to determine and design possible improvements or interventions to optimize the processes. This might also include deleting or letting go of certain practices or ideas that have ceased to serve you. For example, something as simple as changing your exercise plan can create significant improvements in your levels of fitness.
- Create your quality circle – ‘You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’ Jim Rohn. So if you want a hint of what your future looks like, look around at the people you are spending your time with. Surround yourself with positive, proactve people who challenge and enthuse you to be your best. If you don’t have a choice of the physical company you keep, there is a whole virtual world to contend with. Read good books, watch TED videos, subscribe to quality content and follow best practices and ideas to create your own quality circle.
- Get feedback – We all have our own individual blind spots, an area where our view, despite our best intentions and attempts, is restricted or limited. For example, in a car you need a rear-view mirror or side mirror to get a different perspective, especially around bends or when moving too fast. Feedback plays the same role. Hence always invite and welcome feedback from your stakeholders and view all complaints as an opportunity to improve.
- Spend some quiet time alone – Time for introspection, reflection, and deliberation is essential in developing conscious awareness of yourself and how you choose to express yourself. Meditation is one of the best methods to develop this awareness and guide your actions with thoughtful intent.
- Invest in learning – Quality is a continually evolving, ongoing process. Investing in learning is a great practice to continually expose yourself to new ways of thinking and doing things.
- Delegate – We all have certain strengths and capabilities. Delegation helps you to enhance your efficiency by allocating the work to people whose skills are a better match for the work, thereby freeing up additional time for you to focus on the most critical or defining issues.