We’ve been following a recent discussion in ASQ’s LinkedIn Group talking about words of wisdom for those entering the quality field. The majority of these posts have been quite positive and have us thinking about our own lessons learned over the years. With almost three decades of experience, here’s what we know to be true about success in quality: 1) Continuous improvement is mandatory. It’s a way of life. “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” ~Mark Twain 2) Persistence pays. “Never, never, never give up.” ~Winston Churchill 3) Know your stuff. In quality, the gurus offer much wisdom and invaluable tools. (Deming, Juran, Taguchi, Crosby, etc.) “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” ~ Confucius 4) Always have a plan. “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we much vigorously act. There is no other route to success .” ~Pablo Picasso 5) Stay positive. Stay focused on the long-term. “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. POSITIVE thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” ~Zig Ziglar
