Zero Defect Mentality

Lean Six Sigma has a philosophy that states a company can reduce cost by "getting it right from the start." https://thinkleansixsigma.com/article/zero-defect

The idea is that a company can reduce errors, rework, and quality rejections to near zero by implementing strict quality controls at critical areas in a production process. Mistakes are catalogued and solutions are designed to avoid recurrence. (Ryan would be proud! IYKYK)

Servant leadership has a philosophy that elevates grace over discipline. Employees don't enjoy unlimited failures, and grace doesn't apply to products or product delivery. But grace also allows employees to learn, to fail fast, and to grow. Grace is derived from the Chrisian principle that all are sinners and therefore none is worthy of judging another.

Grace and the Zero Defect Mentality aren't anathema, but they are often at odds. Servant leaders are often criticized as "weak leaders" or "too attached" to our employees to discipline them "appropriately" when mistakes are made. Employees, customers, and peers who feel injured by mistakes often cry the loudest when we, as servant leaders, choose to thoughtfully guide and correct our people in their errors rather than doling out harsh punishments. They say things like, "Do you know how much work I put into that?" or "That mistake will cost us more than money. It'll cost us opportunity." Some will even give record of mistakes, omitting their own and demanding action.

Servant leaders don't discount these concerns, but we do refocus them based on grace rather than on a zero-defect approach. We don't punish - we teach. We don't belittle - we lift up. We don't discount the impact of mistakes - we guide our employees in ways to prevent their recurrence. We don't do this because we're weak leaders or too attached to our employees. We do this because we ourselves aren't perfect. We make mistakes. And many of us have suffered at the hands of a zero-defect culture - a culture we refuse to promote.

But why choose grace over punishment?

First, it reflects our intimate relationship with our Creator in recognizing that His sacrifice for us, while we were yet sinners, was the ultimate rejection of the zero-defect human performance culture.

Second, it fosters loyalty within the ranks. Employees who aren't afraid of harsh consequences for making mistakes take bigger calculated risks. In business, bigger risk equals bigger reward.

And third, everyone benefits, learns, and grows from a culture that fosters lessons learned over punishments doled out. Servant leaders have a responsibility to our employers and employees to improve the staff and maintain momentum. Grace fosters both. A Zero Defect Mentality does the opposite.

Finally, what does a servant leader do when an employee simply fails too many times? Well, if discipline or even termination are unavoidable, do so with grace. Be genuine. Be honest. Be graceful. Hard lessons taught through grace add to an employee's toolbox. Or, put differently...

You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

God bless, Servant Leader, and God's grace to you.