Do you have systems in place?
- Systems run your business
- People run your systems
- You lead your people
There are four basic steps to systemization:
- Flowchart your processes.?This will show you how it all fits together.
- Document how it gets done.?Get the team member who is currently doing the job to write down every step in performing a task. This person then gets a new person to do the task following the written down steps. If the person currently doing the task has to step in and explain anything to the new person then that information is added to the step, etc. Once completed start again with another person until you have demonstrated that any person can do the task without intervention.
- Measure results using key performance indicators.?Typically, these will be the top five measures to show system performance. Get these from the person doing the job (i.e., in sales you could use no. of leads, conversion rate, average $ sale etc.)
- Allow the system to change/grow as your business changes and grows. Ensure that the system is self-correcting to allow it to evolve at the same pace that your business evolves.
When determining where to start systemizing, ask yourself:
- What are you doing on a regular basis that could be done by more people on the team if it were systemized? Systemize it. Both your team and your customers will appreciate the consistency and broader team approach.
- Is there anything you/your team hates doing which could be automated or reduced in frequency if you had audit process in place to ensure accuracy? Automate it.?
- Keep it simple. Don't over complicate systems or people won't follow them.
- Use a little text and lots of images, drawings, photos, videos, etc. This may be as simple as printing a computer screen or videoing someone doing the task at hand. This will make the systems much easier to follow.
- Document your system in a policies and procedures or operations manual in an easy to access format. And make sure everyone has one or knows where it is! All team members should regularly review the manual with the goal of identifying needed changes on a timely and qualitative basis.
- Keep documentation current. The only thing worse than no documentation is documentation that is out of date!
Only?Action?gets you closer to your dreams - do something today that your future self will thank you for."
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