System + Processes
01 Jun 2019
Companies and teams can work like a well-oiled machine. It does not have to be chaotic at work. A lot of misery can be put to rest if people at companies documented processes and systems in place. When I consult with companies, this is one of the first things I look for. How prepared is this company to scale?
People create processes (the way they work) but never document them.
Is it because they are afraid that their job will be dispensible now that they have given an exact blueprint of how they work and what needs to be done? Are they lazy to get this done because “why bother, the works getting done” mentality? This to me is a “hoarders” mindset - people who want to protect their jobs at any cost. These people stick to the same routine and seldom grow. They love the comfort of repetative tasks that have a predictable outcome.
Instead, companies need people who learn, teach others let go and grow. You don’t need to move between jobs at a company but by creating processes (documenting, letting go or improving the way you work) you can get your current work done more efficiently and can focus on higher-value core work. For example, a manager who is spending most of his week fire-fighting with clients and co-ordinate with vendors can set up systems so that others in his team (or a new employee in the future) can help him do some of the busy work while he uses his energy on more important work!
Here are a few examples of processes that you can think of creating to speed up work and save time:
- Document outlining what to do when your website/servers go offline so you are not scrambling when shit hits the roof!
- A document for the next feature in your software project so programmers have all the specs needed (gathers from all the stakeholders at once) to get the project done well before the deadline.
- A writer’s manual outlining common mistakes and the overall tone for the company/brand so that as you scale and hire more writers the tone and message of the content will remain in-sync.
Systems and processes are cogs in a company. It just depends on how well-oiled they are!