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Quality that's simple

Hey Reader

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Why Don’t CEOs Talk About Quality Like They Talk About AI?

Why don’t CEOs send out bold emails saying that adopting quality practices is an essential business practice, the same way they do with AI?

Pause here and check out Spotify’s CEO memo on AI:

👉 https://x.com/tobi/status/1909251946235437514​

Seriously, go read it. I’ll wait.

Back?

Now, have you ever heard someone talk about quality like that?

Me neither.

Why is that?

Here’s the deal: in today’s world, having a good product produced efficiently is table stakes. It’s the bare minimum to even enter the market.

That’s quality.

It’s not flashy. It’s not headline-worthy. It’s the bones of business.

So why don’t CEOs beat the quality drum?

They actually do — it just sounds different.

Here is a (short) CEO job description:

What does that sound like to you?

To me, it sounds a lot like: context of the organization, needs and expectations of interested parties, quality objectives, planning of changes, management review, and continual improvement.

Here are a few direct translations:

• Implementing the strategic plan = planning organizational changes
• Meeting the operating budget = hitting quality objectives
• Growth and profitability = continual improvement

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The Real Problem

Too many companies (and too many quality pros) treat quality as something extra — something to be “added on.”

But the act of making a product or providing a service should be good to begin with.

We all know you can’t inspect quality in. Yet we still treat quality systems and standards as bolt-ons instead of the core of the business.

You can’t add quality.

Either you made it right, or you didn’t.

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Two Takeaways

1. Quality is table stakes. If you don’t make a good product, you’re going out of business.
2. Quality must align with the business. That means speaking in business terms.

The How

A little aside here:

A struggle I’ve always had with newsletters and conference talks is that these brilliant people share brilliant ideas, but you're left translating them into something usable. They leave you to do all the work.

I want this to be different.

So, can I ask you a favor? If I ever skip explaining “the how”, please call me out.

Here’s today’s “how”:

Make quality the way you do business. This is your culture. There’s not enough space left to land this plane. I’ll do a whole newsletter on building your culture. Stay with me, and we'll do so much more on leadership and culture.

Speak the language of business. Talk in terms of ROI, payback periods, and strategic goals. Be able to explain how your quality initiative directly advances the company’s aims. Practice explaining how your tasks and projects impact the company's bottom line. You’ll immediately feel more valuable, and your boss will start rubber-stamping your projects.

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I said we would simplify quality, not make it easy.

Honestly, this is more work, but if you're unsatisfied with mediocracy, want to make an impact in your organization, and build quality deep into your organization, then this is for you.

Reply back with "ROI" if you want to build a quality system that actually works.