” Inspection to improve quality is too late, ineffective, costly. Quality comes not from inspection, but from the improvement of the production process.” Out of the Crisis, 1982. ~ William Edward Deming
The World’s Most pointless job
In 2013, I found myself in a role at Asaleo Care(Click Here) that felt like an inside joke—a job designed to look productive but with no real impact. My task list was curious:
- Weigh sanitary napkins—products crafted to bring comfort and assurance
- Test the side seals’ contours, probing each connection with near-absurd detail
- Conduct a series of inspections that, ironically, weren’t even mandated
A Factory with a pulse
The factory was more than just a place; it was an entity. Its vast, sterile expanse felt thick with the hum of machinery, each beat a reminder of labor, repetition, and routine. Rows of conveyors and towering shelves stood like silent giants in an industrial landscape, indifferent to the people moving among them. The place had its own relentless pulse that seemed to drown my own, swallowing individuality and purpose.
At first, I felt drawn to the strange allure of precision and purpose. But that allure soon faded, replaced by a creeping sense of futility. It felt like being part of a dance where every step was memorized and scripted, yet no one ever questioned the choreography. My work became polishing the underside of a bridge—meticulously brushing over details no one would ever see, hidden from those who actually mattered.
The Illusion of Productivity
These quality assurance tests gave an illusion of productivity but delivered no tangible value:
- Not decreed by the boardroom—decisions came from routine rather than leadership
- Activity over results—designed to look busy without delivering true outcomes
It didn’t take long to question these rituals. It was like donning a tuxedo for a dinner in the dark—getting dressed up for an audience that would never see the shine. Each inspection felt as needless as buffing the hidden curve of a bridge’s underside.
Challenging Routines that add no value
Have you ever felt trapped in routines that only skim the surface, disconnected from the real desires of those you aim to serve? These tasks siphoned away energy that could be focused on what customers genuinely care about.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Are your quality assurance processes adding real value?
- Do they meet your customers’ diverse needs?
- Or are they merely going through the motions, giving a false sense of satisfaction?
Using Data-Driven Insights to Find Inefficiencies
By tuning into customer needs and leveraging data-driven insights, I uncovered glaring inefficiencies. These inspections, like endless caresses over a hidden part of the bridge, drained resources that could have been directed toward meaningful process improvements.
Moving from Pointless Tasks to Real Impact
Each minute wasted on redundant inspections stole time from meaningful progress. Polishing the underside of a bridge serves as a reminder to focus on what counts.
Challenging the Status Quo
The factory echoed with missed opportunities as I learned to:
- Challenge outdated rituals
- Eliminate redundant, performative tests
- Refocus on what the customer truly values
This shift saved $75,000. Removing pointless routines—just as one might forgo embellishing unseen details—allowed us to reinvest in areas that truly mattered, amplifying diverse voices and driving progress.
Unlocking your team’s potential
Imagine a quality assurance team that is:
- Lean—free from unnecessary tasks
- Sharp—focused on real impact
- Empowered—bringing true value to the table
This team wouldn’t just be going through the motions; they’d be sculpting genuine change, creating experiences that resonate deeply with customers and communities alike.
A Vision for Change
I’m guessing you haven’t gotten around to making a decision on this yet, have you? After all, there’s always that hesitation—the “what if” of keeping things as they are. But think about it: How long will you keep investing in routines that don’t move the needle? The cost of missed opportunities, wasted resources, and potential slipping away—these are real and right in front of you.
I bet you are a bit like me—interested in real progress, not just the appearance of it. So, let me ask: How open-minded are you to reaching out and exploring what this transformation could look like for your team? Imagine leveraging a streamlined, customer-focused process that drives real impact. Imagine cutting away the fluff, making decisions that resonate, and finally polishing what shines—right where your customers can see it.
If you’re ready to stop investing in invisible routines and start focusing on what genuinely matters, we offer one-on-one consultancy ( Click Here )to help you shape that vision into reality. It’s time to make each decision, each process, and each dollar count. Don’t let inefficiencies be the invisible anchor holding your team back. Rise to the opportunity to transform, innovate, and lead with purpose.
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