Processes are desirable – systematic ways to achieve a reliable result. All organizations should develop and use processes for both efficiency and effectiveness. The maxim “good processes generate good results” is true.
However, even the best process work can go awry. Process-oriented organizations need to avoid “the dark side” behaviors which undermine the value of having good processes at all.
Here are six traps and problems to avoid:
Cynically accepting inferior data/deliverables to meet your “checklists”
Have you ever thought, “I could submit Lorem ipsum gibberish into this mandatory report and get away with it because no one actually checks the content – as long as I file something on time”? If so, your organization is breeding cynicism about the value of processes. People “going through the motions” or “putting in the appearance of work” are subtracting value from your organization.
Allowing some people to go around the process
“Special people” get an exemption from following the standard practices and processes. Maybe it’s because they have CEO or VP in their title. This often shows up in sales and project management work. Understandable, but the organizational tone is set as much by exemptions as it is example. If a process is really that inconvenient or doesn’t have to be followed uniformly, consider improving the process.
Failing to educate people about the purpose of a process
Most participants in a process only see a fraction of the total end-to-end process. “Why am I wasting hours filling out this report every week? Typical bureaucrats collecting data they won’t use.” Help them see the overall value, especially if there is no immediate feedback value to them individually. Be sure to express appreciation for their cooperation.
Focusing too much attention on the managing layer of a process at the expense of execution that leads to results
Complex processes (like managing a big project) do need people who are focused on managing processes. All too often organizations over-allocate process oversight energy and under-allocate process execution energy. It’s not a healthy sign when your team is spending as much time on weekly update charts about a project than actually executing a project. I recommend you shoot for 10-15% of the energy on process oversight, and 85-90% on execution, without giving up on reporting and milestone tracking altogether.
Not holding people accountable for results if “they followed the process”
One of the subtle dangers of process orientation is that employees feel “safe” and not responsible for results, so long as they following the correct process to the letter. Good leaders don’t punish people for following the process, but should still aim for accountability for results. If 12 participants in a process can all point fingers at someone else, you’ve allowed people to worship at the foot of PROCESS and lose sight of the purpose.
Failing to prune and update processes
Did you hear about the newlywed husband who asked his wife why she cut the end off the ham before baking it in the oven? “My mom always did it that way,” she said. Her mother said “Grandma always did it that way.” When they asked Grandma about this process, she said, “My pan wasn’t big enough for a whole ham.”
I bet your organization has a few of these “cut the end off the ham before baking” processes.
All processes need to be reviewed and adjusted as circumstances change. Often you can drop steps that got added along the way because of an unusual situation that is no longer relevant. Don’t permit your processes to get petrified in place. Challenge people to review your three most important processes and find ways to make them better.
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