Tag Archives: high quality

TNF #095: Challenge your work

Welcome Professionals…

…I am currently doing some writing. Actually, I am not referring to this short TNF blog post, but a 3-page article that will be sent to CEOs as a marketing paper. It is a work that I could do all by myself. I could probably come up with a version that is pretty good. At least one that is good enough from my point of view to be distributed. But I know that my view is biased.

To create something that is of an effective quality, I need to challenge my work with some outside-in perspective. Right after I had the first draft – essentially the outline of the article – I brought in a newspaper journalist and a marketing professional who review each iteration. They relentlessly criticize every version of the draft and make me go through it again and again. They do this in a constructive way, they also make some suggestions on improvements.

When we have a final draft, I will show it to a representative of the target audience and also get his comments. I will most likely have to re-work the thing again.

The process hurts. It is a nuisnace to iterate the same text again and again. That is exactly the point. Without the challenge group, I would not do it. I would give in too early. To meet our highest quality targets, we must challenge our work from the outside. By experts who feel comfortable to speak up and call us out.

Not giving up,

Malte

Thursday Night Flight is brought to you by Malte Müller Professionals. Sharing best practices for top management consultants on topics like communication, client handling, problem solving, appearance, and fitness. Check out www.mm-professionals.com for more material and free resources!