Stacking firewood this weekend, brought out a bit
of the craftsmen in me. Stability was somewhat important,
of course, finishing was most important, and perfection
was not on the list. Nonetheless, I faced ample temptation
to build a fabulous wood pile.
It must be human nature - pride in workmanship, a
little aesthetic compulsion, the intrinsic reward
of insights, finding the challenge to combat tedium.
Who hasn't found themselves doing a job better than
necessary? And who hasn't been proud of delivering
a better than expected result? Don't we applaud such
excellence at every turn?
Well, yes, until we decide it is eroding profits!
Companies everywhere struggle with gold-plating -
quality and features beyond the requirements. Whether
your employees are polishing lenses, engineering complex
systems, writing something, or developing software,
most of your employees are naturally inclined to do
more than is necessary in some aspect of their job.
And there is a fine line between encouraging excellence
and discouraging gold-plating.
I wasn't stacking wood alone. I had the opportunity
to compare the height of my section to another any
time I chose. A bit of competitiveness and a simple
desire to do my fair share, also common elements of
human nature, kept my craftsmanship in check.
The greatest minds in process management extol the
virtues of constant visual feedback such as was offered
by our side-by-side woodpiles. You can't beat it.
People need to know and want to know how well they
are doing. Immediate visual feedback is the best and
provides an excellent antidote for perfectionism.
Thus, to minimize gold-plating, find frequent opportunities
to:
- Discuss priorities and the temptations to do more
than is necessary
- Provide feedback, preferably immediate, visual
feedback
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