Quality Mindfulness: Doing the Right Thing, the Right Way, Every Time

When thinking about quality and its overall importance in everything we do, I wonder why we don’t think about it more holistically. Perhaps, we should begin by working backward to determine the desired outcome, impact and results. Then, we can determine how best to approach what we need to do to make it successful.

I first learned about W. Edwards Deming and Total Quality Management (TQM) while researching how Toyota surpassed other automakers by producing well-made, reliable vehicles, often at the same or lower cost. Deming’s philosophy proved that quality doesn’t happen by accident, it’s designed, measured and improved through continuous learning. His Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) model offers a simple, yet powerful framework for refining how we work, deliver value and minimize the impact of making mistakes.

Quality is more than a standard; it’s a mindset, a discipline and a shared commitment to excellence. It’s about doing the right thing at the right time for the right reasons. It’s about acting with intention and integrity to produce successful outcomes that earn trust and deliver lasting value.

Quality Mindfulness brings that belief to practice. It blends focus, accountability and ideation to strengthen our processes and enhance performance in ensuring that every service and experience we deliver reflects our highest standards. Being quality mindful keeps us fully engaged and focused on our work and always aware of how each decision might affect our results.

Quality Mindfulness means taking a proactive approach to problem management. It’s not only about fixing what’s broken; it’s about preventing recurrence by eliminating the problem, reducing impact and reinforcing trust. When quality isn’t top of mind, the ripple effects impact on our customers, the business and our teams.

With each recurring issue, we should ask ourselves:

• Why did this happen?
• How can we prevent it from happening again?
• What did we learn that makes us better, so we don’t make the same mistake again?

Achieving excellence is what we commit to when being Quality Mindful. Here’s how to get started:

1. Partner across teams: Engage with peers in related technologies and business units to share ownership of quality.
2. Refresh operational checklists: Regularly challenge what’s outdated, irrelevant or ineffective.
3. Plan with patience: Don’t “fail fast” without understanding the impact and cost; plan and design to succeed with purpose.
4. Evaluate continuously: Review and refine processes to build efficiency, effectiveness and predictable outcomes.
5. Own accountability: Measure outcomes, communicate results and celebrate progress.

Let’s all commit to being more Quality Mindful, because when quality is intentional, consistency becomes culture, and excellence becomes our signature.