Set standards, stick to them

as a standard is mere millimetres away from not having any at all. There is a difference between standards and expectations. Expectations are assumed, standards are set. Where standards exceed or meet pre-existing expectations then people are happy, where they do not there is work to be done. Standards are the phrases that promise you how the job will be done, the level of quality, the validity of quotes, and the duration of guarantees.
Set standards, then stick to them. Standards create and clarify expectation. One of my favourite “standards” in the country is the department that promises a 24-hour turnaround for a particular service. That is eight working hours today, eight working hours tomorrow, and eight hours the next day. Their ‘24-hour service’ takes three working days to actually deliver (e-mail me if you can guess the department). That is not a true standard. If you can only deliver in three days then advertise a three-day standard, keep to it, and then try to improve on it.
Standards encourage accountability. There is no hiding from a standard. If you are not up to scratch then you better explain why and improve performance. In a country with a massive unemployment problem there should be no room for substandard performance. There are a million people who would love to have your job and who should be given it if you regularly under perform. Job security died years ago. The only way to ensure security is to make yourself indispensable by the value you bring to the company.
Standards encourage realistic achievement. Rather under promise and over deliver than the opposite. Do not lie. I fail to see how you can happily sit there and tell me that you can do the job in three days when you know fully well that it will take you that long just to get the raw materials. The handyman who repairs my house when things go wrong is a busy man. For non-emergency issues it may take him a couple of days to get to looking at my problem, but he has the decency to tell me he can only get there later in the week. Then on the due date he arrives. He leaves me a proforma invoice that he never has to amend after the job is done; he would rather carry the loss than go back on his word. Then he checks up on his work after a week or so to make sure that the job is holding up.
Push back when standards are not met. Do not stand for second rate excuses any more. Push back against under delivery. Pushing back is not a gripe session; it is a call to people to deliver what they promised. Document not on your desk at the time it was promised — push back. New advertising campaign not ready on time— push back. Hospital food arrives cold at your bed — push back.
Pushing back is not an exercise in anger and a slinging match between departments. It is an objective ‘you said you would but you have not, please explain yourself and then deliver.’ Expect feedback and responsibility. In a company push back is a two way process. Management who are supposed to provide workers with methods to enhance performance (be it finance, plans, a budget, tools and systems) should expect a degree of push back from the bottom up. This is not rebellion or sedition, this is a ‘hey we need this to do our job’.
Pushing back produces results. Learn to receive push back. You know if you are to blame so suck it up if you are and stop it from happening next time. No one really enjoys criticism or to be told they have underperformed. They best way to prevent criticism is to over perform. I know you are not perfect but when it comes use it to propel yourself to better heights.
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