Earlier this week, I was meeting with one of my work colleagues and we got into a conversation about errors that are made at work. It’s not unusual for someone to say, “Well, I do it correctly 99% of the time.” For some people, that might seem like a pretty good ratio.
But when this came up in our conversation, I was reminded of the work I did more than 30 years ago studying and implementing TQM (Total Quality Management). The following list is discussed often when it comes to 99.99% quality:
Possible Outcomes of 99.99% Quality
What is the potential outcome if 99.99% is the quality metric standard?
119,760 income tax returns will be processed incorrectly this year.
144 incorrect medical procedures occur daily.
110,600 mismatched pairs of shoes will be shipped this year.
18 babies will be given to the wrong parents each day.
23,666 defective computers will be shipped this year.
22,792 pieces of mail will be mishandled in the next hour.
2,434,300 books will be sent in the next 12 months with the wrong cover.
20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions will be written in the next 12 months.
56,700 checks will be deducted from false bank accounts in the next hour.
567 pacemaker operations will be performed incorrectly this year.
315 entries in the most recent Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language (unabridged) will be misspelled.
69 malfunctioning ATMs will be installed in the next 12 months.
810 commercial airline flights would crash every month.
880,000 credit cards in circulation will turn out to have incorrect cardholder information on their magnetic strips.
2 million documents will be lost by the IRS this year.
2 plane landings daily at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago will be unsafe.
When we consider the implications in medical procedures or commercial airline flights, it puts things in perspective.
What is your expectation for yourself and for others when it comes to accomplishing tasks? Whether it is at home or work, or with family, friends or coworkers, we set the standard in terms of acceptable expectations with our own self-standards.
I know that I oftentimes drive my coworkers and family crazy with my goal of 100% accuracy—but after reviewing this list, perhaps they will understand why I ask so many questions and strive for 100%.
So, as you transition this week into another year, perhaps you will consider what percentage of accuracy and accomplishment are acceptable to you. What will you tolerate?
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
And I didn’t imagine ever saying this … I am actually looking forward to seeing the Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA, this Saturday morning, after it was cancelled last year. It will make me feel like things are getting back to normal!
Karen
About this time last year, I wrote about visiting the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, CA. Due to COVID, the library was only partially open to visitors, so that visit left me with the feeling that I should return to see more.
So during this past year, I not only visited the Nixon Presidential Library for a second time, but I also made the trek to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA (a two-hour drive from where I live).
What a contrast! The Nixon Library is tucked in a heavily residential area, and is a popular venue for weddings, proms and other events. The teeny-tiny home where Richard Nixon and his four brothers grew up in are part of the Presidential Library complex. You get the feeling of Nixon’s humble beginnings. And through the permanent exhibits, I got a real feeling about the challenges of Nixon’s Presidency and the world in which he had to function as the leader of the free world.
In contrast, the Reagan Presidential Library sits on more than 100 acres and the main building is an enormous Spanish-style hacienda surrounded by gardens, plus both Reagan and his beloved wife Nancy, are buried there. There is a replica of the Oval Office with a curious twist. According to our tour guide, when President Reagan came to visit the Presidential Library while it was being built, he commented that the ceiling wasn’t high enough and he wanted it to be an actual replica of the real Oval Office in The White House. So, the architect measured it, and indeed it was a few inches too short! So, the replica Oval Office was modified with a couple of steps down leading into the Oval Office, so that the ceiling was at the proper height (and when you exit, you walk up a short ramp, to put you back at the level of the rest of the museum).
But, the most magnificent part of the Reagan Library is the pavilion in which Air Force One is displayed. More than one-half of the room is glass, so that it appears (if you use your imagination) as if the plane is ready for takeoff. It is truly breathtaking to see the airplane, which carried several presidents and their entourages around the world. Frankly, it appears much less techy and fancy than the images you see on television.
As I walked through the many exhibits at the Reagan Library that were open that day, I was struck by exactly how numerous the challenges are that a sitting President faces on any given day. Literally, I turned to Jack while we were walking through one of the galleries at the Reagan Library and commented on how incredible the amount of pressure was and how many big decisions needed to be made by the sitting President—it was quite daunting.
Philosopher George Santayana is credited with saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I find studying history is most interesting and memorable, and I believe there is a great opportunity to learn lessons from the past. And it seems so much more real to me when I do it through the lens of people. That must be why I like biographies and autobiographies so much.
Visiting the Presidential Libraries allows me to learn about our own American history through the eyes of Presidents, past and present. One of the surprises for me was that there is so much more on display in addition to memorabilia of the President. There are temporary exhibits including other presidents, world events, books, movies and more. Most of the Presidential Libraries are set up for students to visit and to be a learning lab. And just like when you visit Washington, D.C., and our nation’s capitol for the first time—including all the monuments and museums—you leave with a new appreciation of our nation’s roots and the complicated journey over the past 200-plus years.
And so it has been for me. I’ve been able to relive the era around Nixon’s Presidency (1969–1974) and Reagan’s Presidency (1981–1989) from the time I was still in elementary school through when I gave birth to my first child.
The added bonus? While at the Nixon Library, there was an exhibit highlighting books on all the Presidents. I snapped a photo of one, which I read last week titled, Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump by Kate Anderson Brower. Brower is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, and this book looks at the relationships between members of the Presidents Club and includes an Oval Office interview with President Trump. The “Presidents Club” is made up of the living Presidents and is an informal, yet important support group for the current acting President of the United States. The book was fascinating, as she spoke specifically about the personal and professional relationships between former Presidents Carter, Bush 41, Obama, Bush 43, and Clinton (jokingly called Bush 42 due to his close personal relationship with George H.W. Bush after they both left office) along with insights from her personal interview with Trump while in office.
So, as you are making travel plans for 2022, I encourage you make time to visit one of these amazing fifteen repositories of American History that represent these Presidents:
Can’t wait to learn more history this next year when I visit at least a couple more!
Karen
I admit to falling for many of those ads I see whenever I am on Instagram, Facebook, browsing the internet or reading an online article.
However, some of my best new gift ideas have come from referrals from friends.
And so, as you are doing last-minute shopping for holiday gifts, here are several of my favorites:
ONDO socks: Once I tried these thin, no slip socks, I was hooked! When I wear non-running sneakers or loafers, I like to wear a light sock, as it makes the shoes more comfortable and eliminates the sweaty, sticky feeling. And they really DO NOT slip! They come in a few colors, and I’ve even gifted them to a few friends and houseguests.
VASTITCH Comfortable Leggings: For many of the holidays (St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, etc.) it’s fun to dress up. I have found the easiest way to dress up is with my exercise outfits, and it’s so easy since I found this website. Instead of trying to find decorative sweaters or T-shirts, now when I go for a run on a weekend near a Hallmark holiday, I go into my drawer and choose a color-coordinated pair of leggings. They make a perfect gift and ARE super comfortable.
ETSY for wine bags: Have you ever been going to a friend’s home for a party and want to bring a bottle of wine? You want to wrap it, and look all over for a wine bag. What’s a neutral color scheme that doesn’t look like you are reusing a wine bag from Christmas when it’s for a housewarming gift? Well check out this designer.
Etsy (an American e-commerce company focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies) is where many independent artists sell their wares. I was looking for personalized wine bags last year and came across this woman in Florida who makes custom-printed canvas wine bags and delivers them quickly with an incredible personal touch. Heyar (the owner), whose Etsy handle is Socialholic, is so busy that she is taking a break from new orders until January 3—but check out her offerings after the new year.
VISTAPRINT for address labels: One of the most surprising and appreciated gifts I ever received was when my dear friend Miriam sent me 10-20 postage stamps with a red heart on them! Miriam knows that I am all about love, and that I write a lot of handwritten notes, so postage stamps with a heart on them was a perfect gift for me! And we all know you can never have enough stamps handy … so, what about gifting a friend some custom-designed return address labels? Professionally printed address labels plus a page of postage stamps is the perfect gift.
I would love to learn about your favorite go-to or signature gifts. We all have them! Perhaps they are a brand of candles or stationery.
Gifts this year don’t have to be expensive, but they should come from the heart!
Enjoy!
Karen
In my office, I noticed a giant stack of newspapers and magazines piling up on my assistant’s desk. Turns out, we receive more than 10 paper copies of each industry newspaper, plus at least two or three copies of each magazine.
So I grabbed a stack of the 10 duplicate newspapers and walked around the office asking, “Do you want a copy of this newspaper?” The vast majority of everyone said “no thanks”, as they get a daily electronic version via email. Since my co-workers are on their computers all day long, plus many of them work remotely from their home offices, they have gotten used to reading the headlines on their computer and only clicking through on the super interesting stories for more info. I did find a few people who were interested in the physical paper, but honestly, they were the other baby boomers in my office (we have a great mix of team members in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s).
So here I was with eight copies of the industry paper and thinking, “what a waste of natural resources.” What was even weirder about this situation was that I remember cancelling all our subscriptions to these physical copies when I realized times had changed and many people found it easier just to read on online. It seems as if the publisher of these industry papers continued to send them out, probably as a way to keep their circulation numbers high.
So, this mini-experiment made me think—how many other opportunities are there to make the choice: Paper or electronic?
Airplane tickets/Boarding passes — I love getting my boarding passes on my smartphone, via the airline app. No need to print the boarding pass ahead of time or stand in line when I get to the airport to print a ticket.
Reading books on a Kindle — Many people swear by the Kindle—only one small screen to carry instead of those large, heavy, paper books.
Music — Most of us use a device for our music—but back in the day, we had to purchase cassette tapes or CDs in order to listen to our favorite music. Now, thanks to our smartphones plus wireless speakers, we can get our music anytime, any place.
Coupons — Remember clipping coupons? Now, almost all coupons can be downloaded digitally and you have them handy on your smartphone and your smart wallet.
To-do lists — I admit, I still like to make paper lists for food shopping or my things to do, but many people use the “notes” app on their phone to make those lists, or they use the list function on Amazon or Out of Milk.
Movies — Don’t get me started on the revolution in this business. First you could only see movies by going to a physical movie theater. Then, do you remember purchasing movie DVDs? After that you could rent them at Blockbuster; then Netflix started mailing them to your home. Now, we have Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon+, etc. You can get any movie, any place. And with your smartphone or tablet, you can even watch them while on an airplane.
Magazines — Okay, I’m a little old fashioned here. We get subscriptions to at least 10 monthly magazines at our home. And, yes they do pile up sometimes … but they do get read. It’s kind of fun thumbing through the magazines, ripping out pages of stories I want to share or save. I am aware that every one of these magazines also has my email address and drops a teaser headliner email too frequently into my inbox. But I can hit that delete button pretty easily.
Thank-you notes — I still hand write thank you notes—to the tune of 290 handwritten notes so far this year. Yes, that’s more than one a day! Sure, I could send a text or an email … but in the last two weeks I’ve gotten three separate emails from recipients of my handwritten thank-you notes with essentially the same comment: “I know this seems ridiculous to send you a thank-you note for the thank-you note. But thank you! You really made me feel special. And I rarely, if ever, get a paper note anymore.”
I could go on and on with examples of how my world has shifted from being paper-based to electronic. Most of these changes are for the better, but some are a definite adjustment.
Since the pendulum has swung very far to the “electronic everything,” this means you can really stand out if you do something on paper. I predict printed company brochures, magazines, and personalized stationery are making a comeback.
