15: Quality coaching with Anne-Marie Charrett & Fiona Charles

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we’re joined by two influential voices in the quality community: Anne-Marie Charrett, author of The Quality Coach’s Handbook, and Fiona Charles, founder of Quality Intelligence.

Anne-Marie shares insights from her experience as a quality coach, explaining how the role differs from traditional testing and why quality is ultimately a leadership responsibility.

Fiona dives into the realities of influencing change, facilitating workshops, and navigating resistance in organizations of all sizes.

We discuss:

• The difference between a tester and a quality coach

• How to influence without authority

• Why roadmaps alone don’t drive transformation

• The importance of allies, networks, and facilitation

• Balancing impact with visibility in large organizations

The conversation also touches on career growth, community, the evolution of quality roles, and the human side of transformation. Whether you’re working in a startup or a large enterprise, this episode offers practical insights for anyone expected to lead quality with title or without.

Connect with our guests:

Anne-Marie Charrett: https://www.annemariecharrett.com/ Fiona Charles: @fionaccharles.bsky.social‬

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🌐 Website: https://www.engineeringqualitypodcast.com

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