Quality remains one of the key differentiators whenever we want to evaluate something or make a choice. We often explore and discuss quality at our workplace, in our processes or in the products or services we consume. But this idea of quality always begins with the individual. How do you define your quality of work? How do you rate your own quality? How do you make quality your calling card, and the essential ingredient in creating a successful personal brand.
Here are seven tips to improve your quality quotient:
1. Clarify your 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.
2. Prepare a “quality” plan: Spend a day and document all your daily tasks or activities to identify the best practices to enhance the quality of your output? Also, test your ideas and processes regularly to determine the required improvements or interventions. This might include deleting or letting go of certain practices or ideas that have ceased to serve you.
3. Create your quality circle – 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, proactive people who challenge and inspire you to be your best.
4. Get feedback – Just as you need a rear view and side view mirror to maneuver around your blind spots while driving, you need feedback to get the complete picture of any situation. Hence, always invite and welcome feedback from your stakeholders and view all complaints as an opportunity to improve.
5. Spend some quiet time alone – Time for introspection, reflection, and deliberation is essential in developing conscious awareness of the self and how you choose to express it.
6. Invest in learning – Quality is a continually evolving and ongoing process. Set aside time to continuously learn the latest ways of thinking and doing things.
7. Delegate – 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 time for you to focus on the most critical issues.