Years ago, pride in workmanship was a common virtue and a man’s word was his bond. In today’s fast-paced multitasking culture, and especially in economically trying times, we are all pushed to deliver more with less.
Pushed to deliver:
- More work in less time
- Increased productivity using fewer people
- More value with less money
Like the captain of a storm-tossed ship foundering at sea, the pounding waves of stress can cause the unmindful person to throw valuable cargo overboard – abandoning the important to settle for what seems manageable. The pressure can tempt the audio visual contractor to adopt a survival mindset.
The Destructive “Survival Mindset”:
- Win the job (at all costs)
- Get In (install the equipment)
- Get Out (with check in hand and maximized profits)
We’re all susceptible to the survival mindset, so we must be on guard. Let’s look for a moment at how the survival mindset can impact an audio visual project. The pressure will trickle downhill after the audio visual contractor wins the project. The audio visual system may be designed hastily, without the detailed documentation needed for installation. Rushed, the installation team copes by adopting a “do only what is necessary” approach in order to finish the job and meet aggressive schedules. The survival mindset is infectious and can become a project or company culture if unchecked. Once it takes hold, details are missed, corners are cut, and the final product can be mediocre, unreliable, and beset with problems. Quality is a casualty of the survival mindset.
The Downside of Multitasking
A Stanford University study showed that heavy multitaskers consistently performed poorly in cognitive tests, reflecting an inability to concentrate and high distractibility, compared to those who preferred to complete one task at a time. Many believe the multitasker has superb mind control. On the contrary, the multitasker is easily distracted and a “sucker for irrelevancy,” according to the Stanford study. Sound familiar? This describes many in our culture. Indeed, these days it is common to see tasks skipped or left incomplete, details fall through the cracks, and/or inaccuracies in the details. If we are not careful, mediocrity can be a product of the multitasking so encouraged by our fast-paced culture.
The Cultural Acceptance of Mediocrity Is Unacceptable!
Sadly, the acceptance of mediocrity has become a common coping mechanism in our culture, even within some of the best audio visual systems contracting firms. The maintenance and operation of mediocre systems is very difficult and can be expensive. Even more, mediocre audio visual systems can be dangerous! This is especially true with high-consequence audio visual systems, such as those found in the medical, scientific, exploration or financial industries.
A Higher Standard
Usually, the competent systems contractor is willing to adopt a higher quality standard for systems installation, providing the necessary performance requirements are spelled out in the contract. Therefore, it is very important to define the audio visual systems design and necessary quality standards early in the project process, then incorporate them into the contract placed with the audio visual contractor. Even better, put them in the RFP first. This sounds like common sense, and it is, but all too often this is not practiced, leaving the contractor to determine when “done is done.” However, when the audio visual contract has teeth in it, the project manager is able to counter the survival mindset through the application of quality standards to ensure a quality result. To be most effective, that project manager should have access to an audio visual professional in order to properly monitor the audio visual contractor’s performance.
As mentioned in my previous article (“Audio Visual – No Longer An Afterthought”), many have traditionally considered audio visual to be easy or off the shelf. This has led to insufficient management/oversight of audio visual projects, opening the door for quality issues. The contractual checks and balances suggested herein, managed by an audio visual professional, will go a long way towards offsetting the survival mindset and resulting mediocrity we see in today’s fast-paced multitasking culture. Personally, we must each be mindful to avoid succumbing to the survival mindset (we're all at risk). Let's remember to take pride in the workmanship of our chosen craft.