Some people don’t feel like they’re working unless their hair’s on fire. Somehow, they think it’s admirable to be feverish at a frenzied pace, breathless and full of urgency, turning tasks in record time and pushing the team to accelerate. Surely others will take notice and marvel at such hard work.

But it’s not necessary. In fact, it’s not even the best way. Taking extra time to do it right the first time is a solid tenet of total quality management. The concept even has its own acronym (an essential badge in QA, QC, and TQM, where acronyms abound). Whether it’s called RFT (right first time), FTR (first-time right), or DRIFT (do it right the first time), eliminating defects at the start of the process improves overall quality and increases customer satisfaction.

Naturally, there’s resistance to the idea of proceeding more methodically and taking the time to make sure it’s right. At a time when “move fast and break things” is a trendy business maxim, you might be pushed aside if you raise your hand and suggest a pause or a slower rate. Chief among these detractors are the daily saviors, those who instigate and encourage a mad rush, only to step in later to heroically “save the day” when things predictably go wrong. That’s exhilarating and elevating for them, but not so great for the product or the enterprise.

Correcting problems early in the process, rather than passing them along for someone else to discover and solve, actually increases efficiency. Downstream quality checks are more effective when not wading through earlier mistakes. Not having to fix things that should have been fixed earlier smooths the process, allowing more time to take a closer look or wider view for additional issues. There’s less stoppage, downtime, and rework, saving time and money. Everything and everybody is more organized—and that makes the process more predictable, and the product more likely to be delivered on time.

A better to the editors

I have no experience as a plant manager or quality engineer, but I can offer an illustrative example of RFT from the field of publishing.

I might get an argument from other quality professionals, but every 1,200-word composition carries more potential for error than any widget. I’ve seen editorial staffs become more lean (downsized), and carefully metered deadlines turn into asap. It’s no accident that newspapers, magazines, and books have more typos and errors than ever. (Actually, there are more accidents.) It makes my blood boil when I see a note at the end of a news article encouraging readers to let the editors know if they spot an error. I think to myself (and now you), what have you been doing? I thought that was your job. Are you farming it out?

I suppose most readers are resigned to the current state of horseshoes-and-hand-grenades journalism. But while daily newspapers have to rush to meet deadlines so they can be as current as possible (breaking news!), most publishers don’t have that excuse. They just want to spend less time (money).

The whole enterprise suffers when content is thrown at the wall to see what sticks. Without careful writing and editing at the onset, the end of the line suffers. Designers have to spend more time on corrections than design. Post-editing production is slowed by errors that shouldn’t have made it anywhere close to the finish. And if something’s badly wrong, editors—yea, even the bosses—have to spend more time dashing about to put out fires.

It’s not a stretch to imagine the same sequence of events and damage control on the factory floor or in customer service. But that’s about as far as I can carry the analogy. The siren songs of automation and AI have lured many once-respectable publishers onto the rocks. Close is good enough. We can always fix it online.

What can you do to cultivate RFT?

In an article for ServiceChannel, Jonathan Haney, senior director at Marketplaces, suggested these basic steps to address and improve RFT.

Staff training: Comprehensive instructions to ensure understanding of what’s right in the first place.

Process standardization: Standard operating procedures to minimize variability and mistakes.

Quality assurance: More rigorous checks throughout the process to correct errors promptly. (It’s worth mentioning again that if it’s done right the first time, subsequent review takes less time.)

Feedback mechanisms: Established communication channels that enable continuous improvement and learning from mistakes.

Technological support: Using technology, such as automated systems or checklists, to help meet standards without errors.

Quality is free

Writing about DRIFT in Leading Business Improvement, Robert Chapman traces the philosophy’s origins to the early 20th century and cites Philip Crosby as an influential proponent.

In his book, Quality Is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain (McGraw-Hill, 1979), Crosby writes, “Do things right in the first place, and you won’t have to pay to fix them or do them over. Whether you manage a large plant or run your own small business, applying this simple principle of quality control will boost your profits and your career.”

Do it now

The most important deadlines in any enterprise are the first ones. Not the late stages or last minute when habitual heroes rush in to pull the fat out the fire, but the very first ones. Meet those well and everything after is smoother, people are happier, money is saved, and the product is better.

Best of all, everything’s easier when your hair’s not on fire.