They say you cannot please two Gods; you cannot work for two masters; you cannot put blind faith in two different principles.
They are right. You cannot. Quality and Quantity are two such areas. In an extreme case, one boss (“quality”) tries to get you to do what is right, no matter the cost. If something is broken, fix it. Buy the best raw material, engage in the best (and often the most expensive) tools and produce something that passes the ultimate test in quality.
The other boss (“quantity”) is all about churning. Producing numbers and meeting with production goals. Something is a problem only if it halts the assembly line and deters us from the goal.
We all understand that our reality lies not at either of these extremes, but somewhere in between. It is a compromise. It is a decision that while we might be concerned about and watchful observers of one, we are actually fixated on the other. It is an internal decision, where our bosses are the shareholders, stakeholders and their elk. And for many companies out there, it is this internal decision that makes them who they are. It defines them. It brands them with this reality.
Everything else is just a façade.
I hope, and wish, that we would all do the right thing. I hope we find a way to please both the gods, and if there’s ever a conflict, I hope we find a way to do what’s right, no matter the cost!
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