When to Advocate for Process

Introduction

One challenge we face as process ambassadors is determining when and how we should advocate for creating new processes. Sometimes it's just not the right time or the right company, and that’s OK. Whatever the reason, we need to be mindful of our preferences and biases and understand that there will be instances where implementing procedures, workflows, and processes isn't the best option.

Making the Determination

"Let's take a look-see, shall we?"

So, before we make our case as to how implementing a new process can transform things, we first need to pause and think about whether we actually should! By conducting unbiased research from both a data-driven and a company culture perspective, we are ensuring that we can make an informed decision, considering the costs, benefits, and risks of a new process.

Step 1. From a data standpoint, we can look at trends to build a picture of the current landscape, highlighting strengths and areas of concern. If the data is indicating that processes are functioning and the business is thriving, then maybe a process might just get in the way. If our analysis suggests that there are major concerns, then we need to highlight those issues if we plan to advocate for a new process as the solution. Some common metrics to look for when performing a technical evaluation:

• Error rate & severity - What errors are happening, how often, and how severe? Also, how hard are the fixes?
• Conversion rate - Are customers sticking with us and buying?
• Revenue trends - Are they headed up or down, and why?
• Employee attrition - Who's leaving, what's it costing us, why did they leave?
• Customer attrition - Who's leaving, what's it costing us, why did they leave?

Of course, this is by no means a comprehensive list of everything we need to analyze, but it's a great start! I would also say that most issues can ultimately be linked back to one or more of these items.

Step 2. From a company culture standpoint, we need to do a little introspection and reflect on what we already know of the company from our own experience (remember to trust your intuition ??). Yes, this part will be partly biased, as it should be, because pretending bias doesn't exist will not serve us well. We need to acknowledge it, process it, and then move forward with an open mind as we dig deeper. What are trying to determine is if the current culture is likely to accept and embrace a more structured approach, and if not, is there value in trying to "sell" process at this point in their corporate journey? Key points to consider when evaluating the current environment:

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• Is this company ready for processes? If not, let's find out why.
• Do their values and mission align with using processes?
• Could the company benefit from processes in the future?
• How have prior implementations worked out?
• Can the culture be changed, and more to the point, should it?

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Step 3. Examine your results and synthesize them into a cohesive summary. Now it's time to let the data do the talking! We already allowed our biases to have a small impact on the research, now we need to look at the entire picture and ask ourselves, "Will this organization benefit from a process approach, or are they off sticking with their current model?". If the answer is still unclear, it's best to conduct more research and ask more questions. The answer is always there, it's just not always visible to us...and it also may not be the answer we want!

Delivering the Recommendation

"And the winner is..."

Now that we have completed our research and determined what our recommendation will be, we need to deliver that message effectively. We can't just say, "The data says you need process, end of conversation.", or anything else equally as polarizing, this will only serve to create barriers. We need to approach these situations with diplomacy and impartiality. By doing so, we actually work to create an environment in which we can also express our individual opinions and recommendations, even if they don't exactly align with the data. It's ok to be wrong, and I would argue that it's better to take a chance and risk being wrong, than simply to look at the data and disregard everything else. A blended approach usually works best ?

Leaving the Door Open

"Let's circle back on this one!"

Not much to say about this one. This is simply a reminder that things always change, and as such, any decisions we make today should be revisited at regular intervals to ensure that those choices will continue to serve us tomorrow. We should make sure that we consistently deliver our message with this perspective, which will also go a long way to building relationships and creating new opportunities.

What's next?

Next edition we are going to talk about assumptions, what they really are, and why they are not necessarily a bad thing! Processes and assumptions are deeply connected, it is our job to ensure that they are in balance.

Author?- Marc Jobin?