Quite often I’ll find myself astonished when learning to know an organization.

In the beginning, everything seems to be running smoothly and as I expect it.

After a while, I’ll realize how little I knew about the organization. Usually, these realizations will be triggered by some problems in the relationship or some details I’ll notice as unexpected.

It is then that I’ll be reminded of how different my expectations are from those others may have about what a well-organized and well-run organization is. And sometimes I’ll be in awe at what works and what of it is truly visible to the outside.

In this respect, organizations function like human beings. A lot is happening on the inside that isn’t visible to the outside. And, the perception of what is happening on the inside is very different from the one that exists on the outside.

Some organizations need to install perfection to achieve quality. But it rarely means that the organization itself is perfect. And it never means that the organization can be perceived by everyone as being perfect and providing the best quality.

Quality is what people perceive it to be.

The hard work is to let them find an agreement on what quality is.