Broken processes create frustration for employees, customers, even vendors and suppliers. Here are the top four reasons for broken processes that appear during process mapping sessions.

Unmet Needs – It is important to know what is required by each person performing tasks within the process. Unmet needs create rework and delays in the process when team members are not provided with the proper elements (information, product, etc.) that allow them to complete their process tasks. The needs of each team member must be clearly defined to ensure process effectiveness.

Poor process communication – Considering most processes flow across departments – and even out to suppliers/vendors – communication within the process is critical to its success. It is important to identify critical communication points in the process, methods of communication utilized and communication content. Poor process communication creates unnecessary delays, employee and customer frustration – possibly leading to revenue decline as well as unnecessary employee turnover.

The process does not fit the current business status – When a company grows, quite often the processes are not updated to accommodate additional volume such growth may create. Bottlenecks are often the result when consideration is not given to infrastructure requirements. Once again delays appear in the process – which can lead to – you guessed it – employee and customer frustration. Process mapping allows one to identify adjustment opportunities that reflect new growth

Process results are not measured/monitored – Quite often, process performance is either not measured or not consistently monitored. It is a must to determine key performance indicators (KPIs) for critical processes – especially those connected to revenue generation and customer experience – then consistently monitor performance. Process mapping assists in the ability to determine what is to be measured within the process.

Consider these four reasons when building new or analyzing current processes. The goal is to ensure your processes are efficient, effective and meet the needs of all participating in or impacted by their performance.

“Haste makes waste boy.”

I heard this statement from my Dad a lot as a kid. I would often get in a hurry which usually resulted in me making mistakes. In one instance, there was a hole in a heater hose on my car. In my haste to change the hose, I created a bigger problem. Well, you know who shows up asking questions ( I guess that’s where I get asking questions from.) to gain an understanding of what created the situation that I now found myself facing. After determining that it was haste that contributed to the now bigger issue, he uttered that statement – “Haste makes waste, boy.” He wasn’t upset, wasn’t yelling (My Dad was the calmest person that I have ever known.) just said it in that low tone of his.

It eventually hit me that he was trying to get me to think things through before taking action. What is the situation? What steps are necessary for taking the right action? What is needed to assist in taking the right action.
It’s the same method that I utilize with clients when creating processes – asking questions. Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? Getting answers to these questions requires one to think things through which leads to creating efficient and effective processes.

Even now, when tempted to get in a hurry, I can still hear my Dad say “Haste makes waste boy.”

While it is important to focus on sales growth and profit margins, it’s also critical to understand what is connected to a company’s ability to function well internally. You know how the saying goes – “what happens on the inside becomes visible on the outside.” Here are 3 ways to determine how well your company is connected internally.

Core Values

It is a good idea to have a set of core values as they are connected to the culture of the company. Core values should define:

How the company will treat the employees.

How the employees will treat one another.

How everyone will treat the customer.

When these are defined with core value statements and adhered to, the culture should be a positive one where everyone is treated with respect and dignity – even when disagreeing. No one is allowed to violate the core values as they are the foundation of the company. Are your core values well defined and adhered to by all?

Role Descriptions and Performance Standards

Role descriptions act as another agent of connectivity in two ways. First, they provide detailed information regarding what role is responsible for what tasks. Secondly role descriptions are connected to the training experience as they act as the training outline for the role. When a new employee or an employee moving to a new role is trained, the role description is utilized to ensure the person receives training for each task that they will be held accountable for performing.

Performance standards are connected to a couple of items as well. They speak to the standard to which the person is held accountable when performing tasks listed on the role description. When combined with the role description, this is connected to employees receiving an objective performance review. Most employees prefer objectivity vs subjectivity when it comes to performance reviews. When employees feel that they are managed objectively, morale tends to be higher. So, we can say that objectively managing employees is connected to employee morale. How well is your company connected in this area?

Processes

Remember, when we listed the role tasks on the role description? Well, more than likely there is a process for completing the tasks. Analyzing your current processes is connected to your company’s ability to operate efficiently and effectively. When processes are analyzed with employees that participate in the process and or are impacted by the process, cross functional connectivity is addressed to ensure the needs of all within the process are met.

As a consultant, I often find that task completion procedures are not captured in any format. Creating written or video procedures for completing tasks is connected to employees being properly trained which is connected to customers – both internal and external customers – receiving a good experience. Procedure creation is also connected to the retention of task completion knowledge vs someone having this critical information in their head. What are the consequences should this person decide to leave the company? How well is your company connected in this area?

Internal connectivity is important to a company’s long-term viability. Look at the three areas discussed in this article. What does the internal connectivity look like at your company? Check your connections to ensure you stay on the path to longevity.

The difference between a boss and a leader:

A boss thinks their opinion is the only one that matters.

A leader knows the importance of taking the opinion of others into consideration.

A boss demeans and disrespects them who can contribute to the success of the entity.

A leader understands the importance of everyone’s contribution and seeks to treat others respectfully.

A boss throws temper tantrums in order to get others to comply.

A leader is mature enough to know the importance of maintaining self control.

A boss will enlist the assistance of “yes” people in an attempt to “shame” someone into compliance.

A leader asks questions to understand why people think the way they do.

Be a leader, not a boss. Leaders never run out of people willing to assist them on their mission. Bosses find themselves constantly starting over again.

Here’s a leadership related article that you may find interesting – “10 Rules of Leadership to Build (and Retain!) the Best Team”.