Quality Talks Podcast
The Next Chapter: The First 30 Days - Start With Understanding
Summary Starting a new role or trying to influence change can create a strong urge to make an immediate impact. But what if the most important thing you can do first is simply understand? In this episode of Quality Talks, Chris Pratt and Stu Day explore what the first 30 days of a new role — or a new chapter of change — can look like. They discuss the importance of listening, empathy, building relationships, understanding context and resisting the temptation to change things simply because they worked somewhere else. They also explore Stu's approach to using a quality framework to gather information, understand where teams are today and start shaping a vision for where they could go next. Key Takeaways: The first 30 days should start with understanding, listening and empathy. Building meaningful relationships is critical to establishing trust and credibility. Don't assume that something needs changing simply because it worked differently somewhere else. Understand the history and context behind why things are the way they are. Impact doesn't always mean making immediate, tangible change. Quality assessments should be used to gather information and drive conversations, not simply generate scores. The conversation and the "why" behind the data are more important than the score itself. Quality should be considered through People, Process, Tools and Outcomes. Start with outcomes and value rather than simply implementing tools or automation. A framework should help you understand an organisation, not become something you try to force onto it. Don't expect a 30- or 90-day plan to happen perfectly or to a fixed timetable. Build a vision collaboratively, and remain open to where the journey takes you. Sometimes the first step towards change is simply asking better questions. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & The Romesh Ranganathan Show 02:53 – What's Been Happening Since The Last Episode? 05:17 – The Power Of Lived Experience 08:51 – Looking Ahead To MoTaCon 10:32 – We've Had A Letter! 11:04 – The Breadth Gap 13:47 – Are You Applying For The Title Or The Role? 14:19 – Finding The Right Role For You 16:28 – Stepping Into Change 17:57 – What Do The First 30–90 Days Look Like? 18:47 – Applying The Approach Beyond Work 19:50 – The First 30 Days Start With Understanding 21:00 – Building Human & Historical Connections 22:24 – Trust & Credibility 23:20 – Understanding Why Things Are The Way They Are 23:48 – Empathy Starts With Listening 25:39 – Resist The Urge To Make An Immediate Impact 26:12 – Impact Doesn't Always Mean Change 28:23 – We've Seen This Before... 29:13 – When You Really Do Need To Make A Change 30:07 – Focus On Outcomes, Not Change For Change's Sake 30:36 – Don't Just Replicate Your Previous Organisation 31:25 – The Importance Of An Open Mind 32:58 – The Continuous Quality Assessment 33:27 – People, Process, Tools & Outcomes 34:00 – Understanding Psychological Safety 35:47 – Don't Overkill The Assessment 37:18 – It's About The Story, Not The Score 38:19 – What Should We Be Looking At? 40:42 – Quality Gates & Feedback Loops 42:58 – Tools Should Solve Problems 43:11 – Outcomes & Value 44:29 – What Happens To The Time We Save? 45:29 – More Isn't Always Better 46:22 – Are We Still In The First 30 Days? 47:12 – Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself 48:35 – Curiosity Never Stops 50:54 – Other Ways To Assess Quality 51:51 – What Happens After The Assessment? 52:38 – Don't Just Share The Scores 53:00 – What Does Better Look Like? 54:59 – Vision Without Attachment 56:18 – Bringing It All Together 56:52 – This Isn't A Maturity Model... Yet 57:34 – The Right Approach For The Organisation 58:35 – That's A Wrap! 59:19 – What Has Quality Talks Ever Done For Us?
