Standards. Standards of behavior. Standards of product quality. Standards of currency. We know them- we think.
I know what standards I expect from our efforts. I clearly and concisely define what standards I expect from my staff and from myself. We all clearly explain our standards to our clients or customers- it is what sets their expectations. Of course, our clients and customers can and do dictate what standards they expect from us- and if we don’t meet them, they are no longer our customers or clients.
What you may not recognize is how basic the use of standards are. Our language involves standards- the dictionaries explain the standards for spelling the words we use, but like all standards, they don’t always keep up with the changes in society. The further behind they fall, the worse it is for us to comprehend new words and expressions.
We have standards we expect from our elected leaders. And, from the cacophony I hear, it seems as if they are not meeting them. Yet, it is not clear to me that we plan to remove them from office- but that is not the subject of this blog, anyway.
Lawrence Busch, a professor at Michigan State University, has written a 390 page book “Standards: Recipes for Reality” (MIT Press). In it, he describes why and how we develop standards. (Note: I have served on several standards-setting committees and I generally agree with his conclusions; it’s the politics that I think need to be removed from the equation (and aren’t).)
We need standards so that things are predictable, so things work the way we expect. Dr. Busch believes that the Enlightenment Project (18th Century) is what led to standards, based upon the work of Smith, Diderot, Scholler, Kant, Hume, and Rousseau. Their goal was to insure that society would have a rational and progressive founding, based upon the laws of nature and humanity. This led to the rapid industrialization of the West- but many people rejected standards due to their beliefs their use would make things boring and inconsequential. But what really happened, according to Busch, is that standards have served to differentiate rather than to normalize items- we standardize things by attributes.
While Busch recognizes that standards have let trade and industry operate globally (standard shipping containers, uniform communication methodology), he knows that industrial groups have now taken over many of these matters, with self-regulation and adherence to consortia-developed standards (like those with which I have been involved). He also recognizes that standards have unintended consequences. (He includes the failure of many schools to educate students even though they “adhere” to the No Child Left Behind” standard- since it’s the scores that are monitored.) That is the issue for most of us who try to develop useful standards- to insure that the performance desired is the one obtained.
Another example of the law of unintended circumstances. But, the alternative- the lack of standards- would leave us in a much worse position.
Standards? People have those? 😉
Elise recently posted..Good Morning Sunshine
One can only hope, Elise 🙂
Roy
Great post in a day & age when standards in general seem to have fallen by the wayside. Without standards, there is no integrity–our illustrious politicians are a prime example. We’re homeschooling our kids because the standards in the schools weren’t high enough to suit us. I hope today’s generation does a 180–and soon.
Jenny recently posted..How Can We Make Today’s Generation See Past the Dollar Signs?
Great addition, Jenny!
Thanks so much for bringing that fact to folk’s attention!!!!!!
Roy
Roy the only thing I don’t like about your posts is that I want more on any topic you talk about! You are the ultimate in word teases, my friend. Because I could talk for hours on this topic! Standards, are needed I know, but they also scare the heck out of me! And there isn’t an aspect of life this subject doesn’t touch. I don’t think people realize how wonderful and dangerous they are. They are what keeps us safe at times, and oppressed in others. Thought provoking post as always!
Lisa:
That’s why I often provide a mini-series of sorts. I understand your desire for more- I, too, am desperate for more information on almost any topic. However, I try (and fail occasionally) to keep my posts of a length that can be read comfortably in w minutes. That way I don’t take too much time out of anyone’s day- and entice them to return tomorrow and tomorrow….
Standards are critical. In nefarious hands, they are highly dangerous- they can be used to stifle competition, to disallow new entrants, and to enrich a few. But, standards, done right, set the bar to insure that our medications are safe, that our drinking water is just that- drinkable, that I can buy a size 14 shoe and be certain it will fit, that my car will not let me down and protect me from that SUV driver that just went through a red light…
Roy
Roy,
What a great subject and so open to many branches of discussion.
I find I like when standards are set high. Why? I truly believe human beings will always rise to the expectations to meet them. But standards have lowered so people have gotten lazy. We need to raise standards and expectations again.
~Allie
Allie | Ramblings of a WAHM recently posted..Blogging Success Starts with Failure
Thanks for visiting, Allie!
Raising expectations and standards on personal performance- you bet.
But, would you want the standard to fill containers to the litre level to be tightened? Just so you would not be shortchanged (or overfilled) by 1 ml – that would cost you another 10 cents per bottle of pop? Because there would be higher costs in that change. I think not.
Roy
Would you like to guest blog this post on my new client’s website?–You know where to find me.–Annie
Ann recently posted..SEO and Three Other Ways to Get Your Business Blog on Page One
I am honored by your request. I would love to do so; it will have to wait about 10 days, since it’s the end of the month, federal filing date (almost) for corporations, and I am working to set up two new enterprises this week…
Roy