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When I was entrenched in a big global firm, part of the worldview was that our “quality” was better than any competitor.
Quality there meant executing well—from big strategy projects to messy M+A work to recurring analytical reporting—and treating clients with respect.
It was part of the belief system they taught to every new consultant.
But it wasn’t just lip service—“quality” was baked into the firm in the form of human and operating systems with multiple back-ups. All of us knew that expertise—and its thoughtful execution on behalf of clients—was central to our success.
Building (and selling) my own firms afterwards made me appreciate that defining and committing to quality is a critical foundational task—worth of a daily mantra.
And when you’re a Soloist that’s even MORE important because all you have is your reputation.
Every good “quality” move you make enhances your client cred, while every questionable one chips away at it.
But what exactly are your quality measures?
Perhaps it’s that you’re delighting your clients, operating at your highest best use (AKA your genius zone 
) and delivering outsized transformations that stick after you’re gone.
You’re constantly asking questions and applying new knowledge—experimenting—to make your expertise sharper and your delivery more precise.
Maybe you continually contribute to thought leadership in your field, not just to attract new clients but because you generously wish to share.
You push yourself to be—and do—better.
Because you know quality is part of your journey to mastery.
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