MANAGE PROCESSES
WHY IT MATTERS
Processes create clarity, accountability, and organization. They make order out of chaos and complexity. They help people know what to do, and in what order, so they get their work done correctly and predictably. Processes are the means of making sure nothing gets missed, everything gets done in the very best way, and people know their responsibilities and the individual role they play. Leaders that manage processes lead the organization to get their work done in the most effective and efficient way. They give the organization the stability and structure it needs to succeed. Leaders that don’t manage processes effectively can cause disorder, confusion, frustration, and loss of productivity.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that excel at process management utilize processes to organize and manage the day-to-day work of their organization. The processes they create become the means by which they lead the work. They rely on processes to ensure work is delivered in a predictable, controlled, standardized, effective, measurable, and efficient way. They use processes to ensure they consistently deliver quality products and services to their customers and stakeholders.
Leaders that manage by process know the vision and strategy of their organization. They look to their core processes as the means by which their vision and strategy take shape. They translate the vision and strategy into their core and supporting work, then design processes for delivering each. They ensure there is easily recognizable alignment between their core processes and their vision so everyone in the organization can readily see how everything fits together.
Leaders that manage processes map their processes. They include as many people as needed in the mapping exercise. They know that those who understand the processes best are those that work in them each day. They define each process step, then document the sub processes and activities for each step. They sequence the work in the most logical and efficient way. As part of the mapping process they identify who is ultimately responsible for each part of the work.
Leaders that manage processes communicate and teach the processes broadly. They ensure employees understand the big picture of the process in which they work and how their role ties back to the big picture. They provide employees the training they need to perform their work effectively and give them the tools to do their job.
Leaders that manage processes create metrics to track process effectiveness. They put in place measures to act as indicators of process performance. They monitor processes regularly to ensure each one meets its goals. The metrics they set allow them to know where things are going well and where process improvements can be made.
Leaders that manage processes invest in strategies to improve them. They use proven methodologies for creating greater efficiencies, cutting waste, and eliminating duplication. They look for how to improve processes at every level of the organization. They are committed to ensuring their processes deliver consistent, reliable and continuously improving results.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
Processes create clarity, accountability, and organization. They make order out of chaos and complexity. They help people know what to do, and in what order, so they get their work done correctly and predictably. Processes are the means of making sure nothing gets missed, everything gets done in the very best way, and people know their responsibilities and the individual role they play. Leaders that manage processes lead the organization to get their work done in the most effective and efficient way. They give the organization the stability and structure it needs to succeed. Leaders that don’t manage processes effectively can cause disorder, confusion, frustration, and loss of productivity.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that excel at process management utilize processes to organize and manage the day-to-day work of their organization. The processes they create become the means by which they lead the work. They rely on processes to ensure work is delivered in a predictable, controlled, standardized, effective, measurable, and efficient way. They use processes to ensure they consistently deliver quality products and services to their customers and stakeholders.
Leaders that manage by process know the vision and strategy of their organization. They look to their core processes as the means by which their vision and strategy take shape. They translate the vision and strategy into their core and supporting work, then design processes for delivering each. They ensure there is easily recognizable alignment between their core processes and their vision so everyone in the organization can readily see how everything fits together.
Leaders that manage processes map their processes. They include as many people as needed in the mapping exercise. They know that those who understand the processes best are those that work in them each day. They define each process step, then document the sub processes and activities for each step. They sequence the work in the most logical and efficient way. As part of the mapping process they identify who is ultimately responsible for each part of the work.
Leaders that manage processes communicate and teach the processes broadly. They ensure employees understand the big picture of the process in which they work and how their role ties back to the big picture. They provide employees the training they need to perform their work effectively and give them the tools to do their job.
Leaders that manage processes create metrics to track process effectiveness. They put in place measures to act as indicators of process performance. They monitor processes regularly to ensure each one meets its goals. The metrics they set allow them to know where things are going well and where process improvements can be made.
Leaders that manage processes invest in strategies to improve them. They use proven methodologies for creating greater efficiencies, cutting waste, and eliminating duplication. They look for how to improve processes at every level of the organization. They are committed to ensuring their processes deliver consistent, reliable and continuously improving results.
BELIEFS
- Process management is not just a methodology to standardize and organize work. It is leadership mindset.
- Process management can be the most effective way to manage the day-to-day work of an organization successfully.
- The purpose of processes is not to have pretty flowcharts that hang on the wall. It is to bring clarity and order to the work.
- Well defined process can help an organization provide repeatable and reliable results to their customers every time.
- Process management can help ensure that every individual knows exactly which is their role to play and how they fit in.
- A process approach to leadership is not restricting to the creative mind. Just the opposite, it allows the creative mind to be free.
- Results can be standardized when the work that produces those results is standardized.
- Processes require work to get established, but afterwards their benefit is a clock-like machine that produces results.
BEST PRACTICES
- Align processes to the vision and strategy.
- Create organization-wide processes.
- Drive commitment to using processes.
- See your work through the lens of process.
- Design the organization around core processes.
- Ensure employees use standardized processes.
- Sequence and group work correctly.
- Make sure processes deliver your key work.
- Build a culture around process management.
- Define your work in terms of core processes.
- Leverage technology to deliver processes.
- Break processes down into sub processes.
- Make complex processes simple as possible.
- Establish core metrics to measure processes.
- Get customer feedback on your processes.
- Ensure clear ownership for each process.
- Set process performance standards.
- Look for ways to improve processes.
- Get rid of redundancies between processes.
- Eliminate unnecessary steps and activities.
- Review organizational processes regularly.
- Try to mitigate any process variances.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I use processes to manage the day-to-day work of the organization, or do I allow the work to happen without order?
- Do I have processes that deliver the strategy of the organization, or do I leave the strategy without a delivery channel?
- Do I ensure recognizable alignment between core process and vision, or do I leave people wondering how they fit together?
- Do I have a map of my core and supporting processes, or do I have yet to actually get my processes down on paper?
- Do I rely on the people who actually use the processes to help define them, or do I think I know more than they do?
- Do I define who is accountable for each part of each process, or do I leave people wondering who does what?
- Do I have metrics to measure the success of each process, or do I leave myself without a way to track process success?
- Do I invest in process improvement efforts, or do I stay too satisfied with the current effectiveness of existing processes?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t implement so many processes at such a detailed level that they become a hindrance to the work instead of a support.
- Don’t be so strict with process adherence that you steal people’s ability to be creative and find better ways of doing things.
- Don’t forget that processes are nothing without dedicated people who know how to perform them and improve them.
- The single greatest factor for success is replication.
- It’s not the steps that get me there, but the knowledge of what I’m doing is right.
- Even if it’s successful, any process should be continually evaluated for improvement.
- If there is a budget allotment, it should always be spent.
- I teach my peers that following a process is just as important as the goal we’re aiming for.