The line actually reads, “Marriage isn’t a party dress…you’ve got to wear it morning, noon and night” and is taken from the 1936 Robert Taylor-Joan Crawford movie, “The Gorgeous Hussy“ ( I caught a few minutes of it late night on TCM) during which Crawford’s aunt admonishes her to take her thoughts of marriage serious. It’s not something to enter into lightly. Let’s just say Crawford’s character had a less than admirable reputation, often changing suitors as quickly as she changed dresses.
In similar fashion, those giving thought to starting a quality improvement journey need to consider the long term impact upon their organization and have to be committed to being in it for the long haul. To be successful, all parties involved have to make clear their commitment to see it through to the end. And as we all know, it’s called continuous improvement because the eff0rts never end.
Just like in a marriage where there are ups and downs, good days and bad, your initiative will face challenge after challenge. However, you keep pressing forward knowing that you’ll receive the reward for your willingness to ride out each and every storm. You may have times of course correction, but there’s no exit plan.
Tell me, what are the challenges you have faced along your journey to operational excellence and what lessons can you share?
