A Patient Process
Slow motion gets you there faster.
The foundation to a successful business is process. While process may seem like a dirty word to many business managers, in reality most of our life reflects a process. One thing comes before the other and it continues day after day. This morning you probably brushed your teeth prior to beginning your day. Have you ever forgotten to? I have, and I regretted it all morning. Missing one step of my morning process left a horrible taste in my mouth. This is a perfect analogy for the importance of process in the work place.
Most business types I encounter react one of three ways to the idea of process:
Impossibility: “Sure, in a perfect world.”
Urgency: “That's great, but right now I need to do (fill in the blank).”
Vanity: “I have my process, now get out of my way.”
I think it's typical to react to the situation at hand and just get it done. Especially with the speed of technology, we seem to run out of time to stop and think about what it is we are trying to accomplish. Without an appropriate process things are constantly being redone, reevaluated and recovered.
However, successful businesses are full of processes. Thanks to companies like UPS and FedEx, not to mention the U.S. Postal Service, retailers have perfected the processes needed for us to get a new sweater in the mail. Netflix has built a successful business model around the process of getting people movies through the mail quickly and made returning them efficient.
Making the Process Work
In order for your business to establish its own process a few things must be accomplished first. Beginning a process without these fundamentals can be painful and counter-productive.
Character: Getting the right people.
Expectation: Getting the right people in the right place by clearly defining roles.
Detachment: Letting go of the task and empowering your process.
Detachment is the hardest step in ensuring a successful process. Once the first two fundamentals have been accomplished, the third should theoretically fall into place, although this is rarely the case. Many of us believe we can do it best. Even strong leaders find themselves still emotionally connected to the task they’ve delegated. Detachment is not a wall between the owner of the task and the do-er, it is a bond of mutual respect for one another's individuality. Process is about respecting yourself and empowering others.
With these fundamentals in place, your process can begin working smoothly and provide a strong foundation for success.
by Angie Rice
Having studied design at the UC School of Design, Angie brings her design know-how and her experience in fast-paced print management to her position. Angie also writes at her blog, Organized Manager.
Related Articles
Good Article?
- Save as PDF