So it is all about people or all about results, isn't it ? No, it is actually all about process!
Processes are the only way to really improve your bottom line and turn your hard work into gold.
Getting the best people in the world aiming all in sync to the same well defined objectives and achieving great results is not enough to really make it on the long run. Sorry... So let's review a few additional ideas here.
- Waste time to save time
Too often people resist to defining and implementing processes because "it is a waste of time". Yes, highly motivated and fired up, they just want to jump in and start working right away. Is time not the essence? But this could be a deadly mistake.
Taking some time to think about HOW you are going to realize WHAT you have just defined at the previous step (Results) is going to save you and your team a lot of time downstream. Most of what you do is not brand new stuff and so defining the way to do it, documenting it and making sure people know about it is the best way to speed it up later on. Waste time upfront to save time later.
- Enforce your processes to scale
What if each time somebody within your organization has to do something he has to figure out by him-self how to do it. What if these people do not sit at the desk close by your own office but at a different floor, or in a different building, or in another city, or even a foreign country? How do you want to scale if there is not a modus operandi that guarantees that things are done quickly and in a consistent way across the entire organization?
Would you fly a company in which the pilot won't follow the standard comprehensive check list prior the take off and would try to do his best not to forget something critical? Processes are the highway to scale your business and your company up, and improve both productivity and quality. Don't leave it up to luck or common sense (although it is always good to get some). Write down the processes the people has to follow (wikis are perfect for that) and get it done right everywhere.
- Always try to find a better way
Processes are supposed to support the business, not to slow it down. Processes should be written but not in stone. You should definitely keep your mind and ears open to your team's feedback. Some processes look great on a flow chart but just don't work well. Don't fight to death to make it work if there are consistent feedback that it doesn't.
Always try to improve it, to make it strong but lean, comprehensive but simple, well documented but easy to remember. Process is gold, not god, and there is no reason not to challenge it on a regular basis and ask to your team the question "But why do we do it that way? Could we do better, simpler, faster or easier?". Often the answer is "yes"... so just do it. Change the process and do it again!
- Evaluate and measure all the time
There is only three ways to know where you stand: measure, measure and measure! Without a clear understanding of what the situation was, is and should be, you are blind. Is this process effective? Is it better than the other one? Where is the weakest link in this process, or the longest one on which you should focus your attention? Where is the most expensive step? How was the quality before and after implementing this new process? And so on...
Evaluation and measure from a cost, quantity, quality or customer and employee satisfaction stand point are the only way to improve your organization, and take the appropriate decisions to fine tune what you do to reach Excellence.
We are done. We have reviewed the three main things you have to take care of to make your team great.
It is all about people. Hire, train, empower and make accountable the best people you can afford, and get quickly rid of low performers.
It is all about results. Define and articulate a sound vision,smart objectives, clear priorities, a strong business model and write your plan down to easily share it with your team. Keep everything and everybody highly customer centric all the time.
It is all about process. Finally take the time to create and set up processes to make your organization consistent across the board, to improve its productivity, and to enable it to scale. Measure and improve your processes on a regular basis.
I would like to add that on the top of this, you have to have fun! Fun is the dressing that will make your great team standing the test of time. Fun is the bound that will help them to go through tough time. Fun is what will them all keep moving forward, day in, day out.
That's it. I hope these three posts will bring you some value. This is just a map, a highly simplified map, not the territory that is far more complex. But having a map is a great way to know where you are and what to do to go where you want to go! So if you have additional contributions that could help us to make our team great, feel free to post a comment.
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