You compromise only once

There are times when we are running into deadlines and we have to deliver with some compromise on quality.
There are times when your client is a very demanding person, but with no additional budget.
There are times when your software developer will feel (or he may shout aloud) that you are becoming too finicky about small quality control details.
There are times when your friends will feel that you are being too rigid. 
There are times when you feel that this is wrong and I should stop it. But then your Lizard brain asks you to just avoid it.
There are times when you feel you will start exercising; from tomorrow.
That is the time when you stand up and act.
Because you compromise only once, thereafter it will be a habit.


Be a yardstick of quality. Don’t be flexible in your expectations.
Tell that client that any new changes will be billed afresh. She might feel offended but if you deliver great quality she will understand.
Tell your friends that I can’t be flexible on this. This might feel anti majority but this is what I feel. 
Tell your developer one more time that god lies in details and quality is the most important.
Compromise is Sin.

Presentation mirage

People claim highest, portray best and promise maximum in presentations. Is your management team claiming a lot in presentations? ‘Accrued saving of $50,000’, ‘possible saving of $225,000’ blah blah. Does this sound familiar? Why all the presentations make things look good, rosy and optimistic?

People claim tall in presentations because:

- Presentations are not connected with any statistical database so fabricated claims can’t be impromptu cross verified

- Presentations are never stored in any centralised repository. So whatever claims made last quarter are already forgotten so you can make fresh big delusive claims, yet again, and earn accolades.

- Presentations are short, one side communication meetings. People don’t ask right questions because of ever pervasive ‘time shortage’. When few people do ask some probing questions, they are replied with mundane gibberish jargon for every question. No more cross questions asked as that might seem argument and people shy away from arguments in meetings. Am good to you, you all remain good to me doesn’t solve anything.

Don’t fall prey to delusional claims. 

Make sure all claims are verified, tracked and monitored against centralised statistics repository. 

Don’t allow people give you some general jargoned nice circuitous answer to your question. Ask right question and expect right direct answer. Anything less is blasphemy.

Don’t feel guilty that you might put people in a fix in the meeting. Don’t give people leeway on their non-performance. 

Be the yardstick of quality, to yourself, to others, always.