You can’t change history

Another tax year has come to an end and, for many, it is time to take stock of the last year’s results. What will they tell you and what will you do with them?

Results are about history; we can’t go back and change what happened. What they tell us is about how well the business performed last year, and those results impact all kinds of decisions by all kinds of stakeholders The real value of results is not what they tell us about the past, what we learn from them to make a better future.

There is a simple cycle that enables organisations to become ever more successful; it is called PCDA, or plan-do-check-act. It is a principle that quality practitioners know well; it is most effective when used organisation-wide, an approach known as TQM (Total Quality Management).

So, for those of you whose job titles don’t include the word quality and have stopped reading, because it is nothing to do with your role, maybe a little explanation might help.

Total Means everyone and everywhere, the whole organisation - you can’t avoid it.

Quality Means always getting things right first time, on time and at cost; it is consistently achieving the desired results in all areas (yes, even yours).

Management Is making sure that everything necessary to achieve total quality is in place and being used - by your team as well

PDCA is an equally straightforward approach; unfortunately it is so often only half done. Hopefully you have;

A PLAN - a number of objectives for the year ahead,

A way to DO it - a set of operating practices that you believe will get you there, and managers who make sure what should be done is done.

What is commonly overlooked is the need to CHECK - to regularly and routinely make sure that what you are doing is getting you to where you expected to be. Waiting to see the year-end results is too late. Of course, if you don’t have valid measures, then you’ve nothing to check against; well-designed kpi’s are essential

By regularly checking what you are getting you will be able to ACT - to make changes and corrections that will keep you on course to achieve your objectives. Failing to check or act in a timely manner can only lead you to results you didn’t plan; and what you get is rarely if ever better that you hoped! 

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. 

Lao Tzu