Quality Always
Last month, we welcomed a bunch of new email subscribers (yay, you!). We’re new to our email game, which means we’re still dialing in the follow-up workflows that make sure our subscribers have the best experience possible.
Welp, one morning I woke up to this note from the latest to join our list: “Not to be a jerk, but I think you may have a typo in this email. (That said, your brand voice is terrific.)”
I’ll admit, as someone who holds our work to the highest quality standard, it stung a little to know we let one slip through the cracks. But the feeling quickly shifted to gratitude. How awesome is it that our community shows up for us and has the same high standards we do!? I shut down their self-deprecation (“You’re not a jerk!” 💛) and thanked them for their willingness to speak up. (Thanks again, friend.)
You see, in creative professions, critique is a part of the process. Critique pushes us to think about things beyond the obvious, consider alternative solutions, and give our work another look. It helps us achieve #QualityAlways—and lets our pride take a backseat.
Critique is one way to attain #QualityAlways, but how do you create a team culture that holds the bar high? Here’s what I’ve learned.
Start with #RadicalHonesty at the top
When your team feels empowered to speak freely and offer ideas, insights, and critique, your quality level rises. Give your team permission to speak up. Better yet, reiterate why you value different opinions. Sharing and receiving radically honest feedback creates a culture of lower egos and higher standards.
Pro tip: Don’t force people into their own lanes. An intern has insight to offer a founder. Someone in one department has valuable thoughts on the work from another. Create opportunities for collaboration in the review process. Someone's unique perspective may be just what you need to raise the bar.
Set clear expectations
Make sure your team understands what quality means on each and every deliverable. What distinguishes good from great in your world? Is it your positive energy? Unique flavors? Careful artistry? Bullet out the unique characteristics of your standout product or service and share them with your team.
For example, we consistently deliver disruptive ideas and unique creative solutions. One of our internal expectations is that with every new concept, a designer will bring a minimum of three different ideas and variations. Having options allows us to consider multiple solutions and iterate on the best.
Create “check yourself systems”
Set the expectation that each team member will check their own work before it advances. (Depending on the roles/size of your team, advancing work could mean sending to a manager for review or hitting publish.)
Create “check yourself systems” for proofing regular services or deliverables. For example, if you’re in customer service, have a cheat sheet with questions to ask before ending a call to ensure your client feels supported and taken care of. These systems can be particularly helpful for solopreneurs or small business owners wearing many hats.
Our design team follows this checklist before advancing work. It’s a simple way to make sure we’re hitting our quality mark, every time.
Quality isn’t about being perfect, it’s about striving toward your highest potential. Sometimes that looks like having an honest conversation with a team member or adding a quality assurance step to a project. Over the years, I’ve learned that collaboration really is at the heart of great work. Oh, and typos happen every now and again.