Process Ninjas making a difference

With Clear Simple Business, we do process improvement work.? We help organizations clearly see their processes, automate those processes and create drastic improvements.??

We do this by creating a chipotle assembly like type process within the digital office space. What do I mean by that???

Most of us work primarily in the digital world. Almost all our daily tasks in the office are done on our computers. We often can’t see the process we’re part of; however, that does not mean that a process doesn’t exist.??

When we work with organizations to help them see their processes, we often use Chipotle as an example.? Because at chipotle it is so easy to see the process. It's physical and right in front of our eyes.?

It makes perfect sense the way they have everything lined up. Tortillas, bowls and taco shells first. Then meat and rice. Lastly the final fixings: salsa, cheese, lettuce etc.??

It makes perfect sense how and when they hand off your burrito to the next person. Each worker in line knows which items they’re in charge of. They rarely overlap and your burrito can easily and smoothly move down the line.??

It also makes perfect sense that the person in the back is cooking and prepping so that the fresh bucket of chicken is ready and delivered at the exact moment that the chicken up front runs out.??

Nothing extra is in the way of the workers getting their jobs done. Everything is set up perfectly to enable success.??

It's a beautiful thing, really.? All that cleanliness and order.?

However, this is not how 99.9% of the processes we see in the business world are set up.

In the business world our Chipotle example is set up this way:?

We have chicken in 3 different places.??

The tortillas, burrito bowls and taco shells are strewn about the restaurant. Our employees are bumping into each other constantly, fighting each other to get to their respective task.?

There are strawberries, blueberries, chicken nuggets, celery sticks and other random items thrown in amongst the burrito fixings. Items that have nothing to do with making a burrito.?

Then the person in back, instead of preparing the meat ahead of time, that person is waiting for the person in front of them to tell them to start marinading the chicken.? Which means that if you're ordering a chicken burrito when the chicken in front runs out, you’re going to be waiting a long, long time for your order. I hope you weren’t too hungry!!!?

This imaginary scenario may be making you laugh; however, it's really and truly how I see so many organizations operate.??

Until we come in, we help make the unseeable, seeable. And create a clear, simple and seen process.? Ahh, now that’s refreshing!!!?

We have had great success. We’ve regularly transitioned painful and manual 4-hour processes, to 20-minute slices of heaven.? We’ve converted the messy, unseen and clunky practices, to clear, simple and seen process.?? We have had fun and we have had success, most of the time..........? but not all the time.?? And those times that didn’t work, were incredibly painful lessons.??

We quickly realized that the same process changes that had drastic and HUGE impacts at one organization, would go nowhere at another. It got us thinking, what is different about these organizations? Why do these great automations, time savings and process changes work at some organizations and not others? What are the common denominators of our successes and our failures? How can we learn and improve???

We did some soul searching. We wondered, is it us? Are we failures?? Are we doing things wrong? What is going on here??

After our soul searching, deeper observations and some heavy research, we realized that it was all about the environment we walked into.? But what was it about the environments that were different???

Each environment was in a bit of duress by the time they called us in. There was an elevated level of stress and overwork going on. The leaders and employees at each organization knew something wasn’t working and they needed help, that’s why they called us. Each environment had messy chipotle processes, there really wasn’t a difference there.???

However, the environments that adapted to the improvements and the ones that didn’t definitely felt different.?? But the differences weren’t overly visible, they were the undercurrents pushing the organization along without many of the leaders or employees realizing what was happening. The more invisible features of the organization. It was the feelings within the organization. The way that people felt based off the actions that were present within the organization.?

Why does this matter? Because feelings are important.? I'm going to say that again, feelings ARE important!!?

And the way you make people feel, it’s important. It has an impact.??

Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”?

This means your actions are influencing how people around you feel. And these feelings don’t leave or evaporate after that person is out of your presence. These feelings linger and have an impact deeper than many of us may realize.??

How you make people feel matters. It impacts them and it impacts your organization.??

We dug deeper into the positive and negative feelings present within the different organizations we were working with and found that there were some common themes. We then took these themes and categorized them into 6 Foundational Elements. We found that when these elements were done well, our process changes soared and took the whole organization to another level. When these elements were lacking, our processes changes sunk.??

These 6 Foundational Elements are:?

Stability, Connection, Trust & Influence, Boundaries, Fairness and Innovation.?

These 6 Foundational Elements create the Back to Basics index. This index helps you understand how your employees truly feel when they’re their doing their work and digs deep into the challenges and problems your company might be experiencing.?

And when these are done well, your organization will have strong roots.??

The Stronger the Roots, the Stronger the Organization…....The Stronger the Organization, the more…...?

Innovation, Employee Engagement, Talent Retention and Attraction, Productivity, Creativity, Reliability, Safety, Happiness and so much more ?

If they are ignored your organization will see more…..?

Distrust, Anxiety, Disengagement, Silos, infighting, Lower productivity and so much more. ?

And just like roots, these elements are underneath, they are invisible. These elements make up the invisible undercurrents we became aware of within organizations.??

Because these elements are invisible, it can be hard to understand and become aware of how these are operating within an organization. One of the best ways I’ve found to explain and help create awareness around these elements to relating them to a sports team.??

Many of us have been on a sports team before, or if it wasn’t a sports team, some sort of team, maybe a math team, drama club, or any other organization that required you to work, rely on and connect with others.??

So many of us have been on a team before. We have been on good teams and we have been on bad teams. And many times it is hard to understand and pinpoint the differences between what created a good team and what created a bad team. The reason it’s hard to pinpoint is that it is the invisible undercurrents that make the difference.??

I played ice hockey, so I am going to use ice hockey to explain this concept further. You can imagine how it works with your sport or team.??

All ice hockey teams have the same bare minimum requirements. They’re all the same. They each have ice, equipment, players, coaches and drills/skills/practice. At the base level, all hockey teams are the same. They have the same elements; however, we know that not all teams are the same. Not all teams are successful. Not all teams excel.??

The teams that are different and excel beyond others have the next level traits. These teams have Respect and Trust. They have Expectations and Discipline. There is Confidence and Teamwork.? Players are valued and enabled to use their unique and diverse skills. For instance, a hockey team does not succeed by having 6 goalies on the ice, or 6 defense or 6 offense. A hockey team succeeds because there?are different players with different responsibilities and skills. These skills complement each other and amplify each unique skillset.??

And lastly, a successful team has strong undercurrents of fairness. This does not necessarily mean equal playing time. Fairness can mean that some players play more often than others.? When a team creates fairness is a strong way, each player understands what it takes to play more. They understand the expectations, skills and values they must exhibit to be provided with that ice time. When others get more ice time, they can see why. They understand where they need to learn and grow. They don’t blame others.??

A good team looks different. It feels different. Have you felt it before? Have you felt a great team atmosphere. I have. I have in both sport and business. And it’s wonderful. It feels great to be a part of a cohesive team. It’s great to have the freedom and safety to be creative, to have spontaneity. To have purpose and acceptance.??

Ahhh, it feels so wonderful!!!?

It feels so incredibly different than others. The undercurrents are supportive. They are not rocking the boat. They are not tossing you around and around. You feel settled, supported, grounded and safe.??

It is a wonderful feeling.??

Now when we transition this concept to the business world. We can that it relates strongly the business culture.??

Just like sports, all a business really needs to function is the bare minimum. The business bare minimums are: A service/product to sell, employees, managers and processes/training. A business can function with only these. In the same way that a hockey team can function with only ice, equipment and players.??

But it doesn’t mean that a business will function well. It does not mean that it will win many games, or create a strong atmosphere of growth.??

What’s needed for this is a strong root system.??

A strong root system includes:?

Stability, Connection/Teamwork, Trust & Influence, Boundaries, Fairness, Strengths, Process and Structure.?

When all of these are present. When leaders are aware of how their actions impact these elements, your organization can soar. Your employees will experience fulfillment and achievement through innovation, creativity, meaning and purpose and best of all, in my mind, continuous improvement.??

It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s an amazing atmosphere to work and live in.??

Now how can we create this atmosphere within our organizations?? We can use the Back to Basics Assessment.??

Check out the Back to Basics Index here -

https://clearsimplebusiness.com/back-to-basics-index

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