Getting a Grip on Your Business
I am adamant about the use of processes. I believe that everyone who is organized and interested in minimizing grief in their business as well as their personal life uses processes. For me, processes are an integral part of my life. I use them everywhere and often. Some people would say that I am too process oriented at times, and maybe I am. I, however, find that my life is simplified by processes and they allow me to spend my time thinking about the important things in my life instead of the routine.
I first realized the value of creating and following processes way back in my youth and have allowed them to be a part of my life ever since. When I was in the military, I found that while in basic training many of the recruits, as well as myself, were struggling to respond to verbal commands from the drill instructor. He would fire these orders out rapidly and with a vengeance. “Left Face. Column right.” When a recruit would turn left instead of right or right instead of left the drill sergeant would get right in his face and make him look and feel like a fool for not knowing right from left.
The problem is, that when you are under stress and responding to rapid fire orders it is very easy to make that type of mistake, turning the wrong way. So I realized that to keep from making that mistake, I had to create a process that would allow me to turn immediately in the correct direction without having to think about it. It had to be subtle and consistent. Here is what I did. While standing at attention I would slightly grip the seam of my right trousers. While marching I would grip my right index finger and thumb together as if I were gripping the seam of my trousers. (Because your arms move while marching, I could not keep a grip on my trousers, so I gripped my fingers to get the same feel.) I then told my brain that when ever I heard an order to turn right I would turn in the direction of my gripped fingers. It worked, and I never had to endure the drill sergeant yelling at me for turning the wrong direction again.
I don’t know why this worked, but it did. Your brain is an amazing thing and when given a process to follow, it will take over for you. This is why it is so important to have processes in your business as well. Your company must be able to run on autopilot for all of the routine situations. This will allow you to concentrate on the important things in your business, such as customer service, product development, marketing strategies, etc.
If you will establish processes for all of the routines in you business, amazing things will happen. So taking a lesson from my military basic training let me just say, “Get a Grip!”
To Your Success -
Hi Rick,
I appreciated your analogy - I’m glad I’m not the only one to confuse right with left! I need processes to overcome Attention Deficit Disorder. (only partly kidding).
Do you use software to help you learn and execute processes? I was thinking about putting diagrams on my wall to help me remember!
Best regards,
Van Wiles
BMC Software
Comment by Van Wiles — May 15, 2007 @ 4:20 pm
Thanks for your comment Van - I do appreciate your interest in my blog.
I could go on forever about the processes I use - Most of which drive my wife (Not process oriented ) nuts. For example; When I am filling our drink glasses, hers is always on the right, mine left. Preparing dinner plates, hers right, mine left, etc . When she does the same it is random as to which side the glass or plate is on - thereby driving me crazy not knowing which one I should be using - So I have to ask - If she followed the same processes as I do, (or even have her own which was communicated to me)no one would have to ask - it would be routine.
As you put it processes “…overcome [my] Attention Deficit Disorder.”
To Your Success -
Rick
Comment by Rick — May 15, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
Processes is that kind of like policies? I recently wrote an entry on my blog, “The Need for Policies and Strategies”. I believe we are leading in the same direction saying we need them to keep us focused.
Carole DeJarnatt
Alliance Advisors, Inc.
Comment by Carole DeJarnatt — June 12, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
Thanks for your comment Carole. I do think there is a relationship between Policies and Procedures, and I agree with the remarks you made in your article on Policies and Strategies that Policies …”provide guidance for those in the organization.” It is critical that owners understand the importance of having Procedures (Policies) to take the decision making out of the routine daily operations. The closer a business owner can get to running on “Automatic” the easier their life will be regarding the business itself.
I had a Lieutenant friend while in the service who used the phrase “Auto Magic” to refer to procedures that made things happen without direct intervention. We should try to put our business in “Auto Magic” Mode where possible.
Thanks again for your comment.
Comment by Rick — June 13, 2007 @ 7:51 am
Great Blog.
Processes are not the only major issue.
You should pay attention for business control as well.
Comment by Business Control — September 25, 2007 @ 2:54 am
Thanks for your comment, but don’t business controls require processes to be effective?
Rick
Comment by Rick — September 25, 2007 @ 6:02 am
Rick
Very interesting post.
Your point is great.
Comment by Application Transaction Tracking — October 28, 2007 @ 4:53 am
Great discussion.
We really should pay attention to processes to be effective.
Comment by CRM for insurance industry — October 28, 2007 @ 4:57 am