Process Matters More Than You Think

Written by The Business Edit

Over my years of leadership experience in corporate and entrepreneurial endeavors, I discovered one critical business aspect that frequently gets minimized, taken for granted, and overlooked… PROCESS.

For many executives, managers, and supervisors, processes are the stuff that just happens; however, process inhibits, shapes, or evolves the success of your people product and, ultimately, your bottom line. According to market research firm IDC, companies lose 20 to 30% revenue in operational inefficiency every year.

Your processes can be your superpower or your Achilles heel or arch enemy. With our She Advisors clients, we radically detonate the land mines businesses don’t even realize exist.

The landmines we find most often are buried deep in your processes, those things that just happen from your vantage point.

Turbulent times, like now with COVID-19, fill companies and the people in them with doubt, uncertainty, confusion, and fear. Leading effectively through chaos demands clarity, consistency, and ultimately change. Now more than ever, change is essential, you can’t keep doing things the way you have always done them, or you won’t come through or rise out of this pandemic unscathed.

You must quickly change and adapt, and the first step to any change is awareness. Understand what you currently have so that you can create an intentional landscape for future success. The best way to do this is through an assessment. Now you may think, “I don’t have time for an assessment. I just need to take immediate action.” I have some good news for you! Assessments don’t have to take a long time; they simply require a curious mind. Take on the mindset of an excellent investigative journalist—leverage the 5 Ws Who, Where, What, When, and Why.

Here are some examples of questions in each of the Ws:

• Who - Who is involved in the process? Who is impacted by the process? Who “should” the process serve? Who has handoffs in the process? Who has to make decisions in the process?
• What - What is the detailed process step? What parts of the action do you perform manually? What parts of the process do you leverage technology? What are the exceptions to the process step? What outcome does the process deliver?
• Where - Where does this process happen in the flow? Is it in the right order? Is it in the correct department? Where does the process experience delays or stops?
• When - When does the process happen? When did the process get created?
• Why - Why does the process exist? Why does the process add value? Why does the process make sense? Why doesn’t the process add value?

Asking targeted questions is the fastest way to assess your operational processes across your company. Processes inhibit, shape, evolve, or enhance the success of your people, your products, and the profitability of your organization. Processes fuel to the chaos and disorder or bring peace and order.

While evaluating processes may appear daunting, make time to use the 5w methodology to assess all of your key processes - you will be amazed at what you uncover.

And if you feel too daunted, The Business Edit is here to help. We will give you a taste of what a quick assessment looks like when you email us at [email protected]

We are excited to help you lead through the seeming chaos. Remember, we are all in this together.

To read more blogs like this, check out https://www.thebe.co/blog