Quality Is An Attitude

Let us assume, rightly or wrongly, that babies are not born with attitudes. Or if they are, not very many. Babies mimic attitudes from their parents and caregivers initially. As they grow, they experiment with copying other attitudes they see around them (helpful, demanding, loving, belligerent, etc.), and adopt those that produce the results they want. In short, attitudes are adopted, by choice. Conscious or unconscious choice, but by choice nonetheless.

Unfortunately, the attitude of quality is uncommon, so is seldom adopted. In fact, the opposite is far more common, the attitude of anti-quality. Children who enjoy study and get good grades are eggheads. Those who excel at math are nerds. Neat and well-behaved kids are squares, or whatever the latest derogatory term is. Meticulous, detail-oriented people are nitpickers. Self-respecting teens are prudes.

By the time one reaches adulthood, with all its responsibilities, most people's attitudes are pretty well set in stone. More often than not, these attitudes include a certain degree of resignation, as evidenced by some common expressions:

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
"Good enough for government work."
"You get what you pay for."
"No one expects it to be perfect."

The result is the world we live in: full of error, mediocrity, bad drivers, high school drop-outs, unreliable technology, and daily unpleasant surprises. The idea of quality being a standard operating basis is completely unthinkable by almost anyone.

But why? Attitudes are adopted, not innate. Anyone can adopt an attitude. Why not adopt the attitude of doing things as well as you can? Of looking for ways to make things better? Of helping others do things better? No one can make you adopt an attitude, but no one can stop you either. And if adopting an attitude of quality means giving up the attitudes of defeat and just-try-to-get-by to make room for it, is that a bad thing?

Things are not the way they are because that's the way they are. Things are the way they are because people make them that way. People. Not cats or dogs or trees or computers. People. If a person wants to do something right, he can. If a lot of people wanted to do things right, then things wouldn't be so wrong.

That's all a Quality Attitude is: Wanting to do things right. Even if it isn't "necessary." Even if it takes a little longer. Even if you're "not paid enough."

Why bother? Because doing things better gets better results. Neat stuff, like happiness and respect and pride, and who knows, maybe even a raise, or a happier family. Do it long enough, keep doing things better and better, and the sky's the limit. Not overnight, but sooner than you think, and as certainly as the sun will rise.

Quality is first and foremost an attitude. It's yours for the taking. Adopt it and win.