December 28, 2024

[Transcript taken from a talk Jason gave at a coaches and consultants dinner]

You likely know that I specialize in helping businesses streamline their operations by creating well-documented, accessible playbooks. At Henderberg Business Solutions, I’ve seen firsthand how every business challenge, big or small, ultimately ties back to one thing: Its processes.

A powerful concept I’ve realized over my career is that every business problem is a process-related situation. Whether you’re grappling with missed deadlines, operational inefficiencies, or frustrated team members, it often boils down to one of these three scenarios:

  1. You don’t have a process in place.
  2. Someone isn’t following a documented process.
  3. You’re using an outdated process.

Why Are Processes So Critical?

Processes are the backbone of any organization, regardless of size or industry. They’re the fabric that ensures consistency, quality, and efficiency. Without clear processes, even the best-intentioned teams can falter.  Let’s break it down further.

1. The Absence of Processes

Imagine building a house without a blueprint. After hiring the best plumbers, framers, electricians and such, would you simply invite them to your property and direct them to "build you a nice house"?  No!  Your team might have all the skills to do their job well, but without a shared plan, chaos is inevitable. Mistakes, wasted time, and confusion are the result when teammates don't know how their job fits in with their coworkers.

Another example: a client once shared with me that their employee, Bill, failed to submit payroll on time. The client was quick to blame Bill. But when I asked if Bill had a clear, approved process to follow, the answer was no. The lesson? As leaders, we must provide our teams with the tools and instructions they need to succeed. A missing process isn’t an employee failure—it’s a leadership gap.

2. Failure to Follow Documented Processes

Even with established processes, problems can arise if they aren’t followed. This typically happens when:

  • Processes aren’t readily accessible.
  • Instructions are overly complex.
  • Accountability isn’t emphasized.

For example, imagine a call center with a set process for qualifying leads. If team members skip steps, they could waste resources bringing in unqualified leads. Whats worse, the sales team might pursue those same unqualified leads, doubling the waste and inefficiency. Processes aren’t just guidelines—they’re systems designed to deliver consistent, reliable outcomes.

3. Following Outdated Processes

The business world is evolving more rapidly than ever so this situation is one that I see most often. What worked five years ago may no longer be effective today. With that in mind, if you did a nice job documenting a specific role several years ago, if you failed to update the documented process when something changed, you now have an opportunity for a potential failure,  Outdated processes that are no longer valid can frustrate employees and leave your company at a competitive disadvantage.

Let’s revisit Bill in Accounting. Suppose he had a documented payroll process to follow when he was covering for his coworker but was using a newer software version that the process didn’t account for. Despite his best efforts, Bill failed to get the job done right.  Do you know what is worse than Bill feeling bad about his effort?  An employee didn’t get paid on time. This wasn’t Bill’s fault—it was a failure to maintain accurate, up-to-date documentation.

How to Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Creating and maintaining effective processes isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing commitment to improvement. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Deposit: Store your processes in simple, user-friendly software.
  2. Define: Clarify all roles and responsibilities for every team member.
  3. Document: Prioritize documenting your most critical processes first.
  4. Design well: Use a mix of videos, images, and text for clarity.
  5. Delegate: Assign ownership to ensure accountability.
  6. Dissect: Regularly review and update your processes.

Trust the Process

When you commit to documenting and improving your processes, you unlock the ability to solve any challenge. Every problem becomes an opportunity for improvement. And as I like to remind everyone: When in doubt, trust the process.

If your business could benefit from streamlined operations, defined roles, and a playbook that delivers consistency, I’d love to help. Let’s make your business better, together.