Building Accountability in Process Improvement: Setting Realistic Expectations
One of the main concerns most organizations have when doing process improvement is how to make sure the changes made are being followed. Building accountability is key to sustaining the success of any process improvement efforts. But having people make a commitment and be responsible for something new to them can be a little tricky, […]
Debunking Myths About Process Improvement
No one teaches you how to do process in undergrad and business school. No wonder there are lots of misconceptions about process improvement. When you look at textbooks on process and ops, they only cover enormous multibillion-dollar companies. They don’t discuss how process improvement initiatives work for privately held companies. That’s the gap I’m […]
2 of the Biggest Mistakes Organizations Make When Doing Process Improvement
Process improvement can be boring and tedious, but it doesn’t have to be. Oftentimes, it is only due to misconceptions and mistakes organizations make when doing it. But once myths are dispelled and mistakes are avoided, I can guarantee you and your people would enjoy the “process” 😀. This is the first part of […]
Do your processes make your employees hate their jobs?
Organizations often focus on reducing costs and increasing profitability and efficiency when designing a process. In short, it’s all about what the company can gain from the process, even to the detriment of the people who are actually going through the process. Here are ways your processes are hurting your employees: Treating operations like […]
How to Build Recession-Proof Processes
History tells us that while recessions are painful, they are a normal part of the business cycle. Since World War II, the United States has survived 13 economic recessions. The question is not whether it will happen again: it is whether your organization is prepared for when recession happens. Here are three ways you […]
Why a Great Product Is Not Enough
You have a great product, and you know how to sell. Unfortunately, a great product alone and knowing how to sell it do not guarantee success in business. A study from the Journal of Marketing Research reveals that of almost 9,000 new products that achieved wide distribution at a national retailer, only 40% of them […]
Capacity Creation: Why It Matters to Your Business In 2023 And Beyond
When people ask me what I do for work, my short answer is this: I work with CEOs to transform their processes so they can create capacity to scale. Why is capacity creation important to your business? No matter what your goals are as a company, none can be achieved and sustained […]
Cold, Heartless and Sterile: How a Poorly Designed Process Hurts Your Customers
Cold. Heartless. Sterile. CHS. This is an acronym I use with all my clients to describe poorly designed processes. Oftentimes the biggest mistake I see companies make is that they design processes that are good for the company but not good for the customers. The company may reduce costs and increase its profitability, but […]
4 Ways Process Improvement Creates Better Experiences at Work
When we think about the benefits of process improvement, it’s always about increased productivity, reduced waste/cost and better quality. However, what really makes this work great is its ability to create a better work experience for everyone in the organization. Process improvement creates a culture of doing things the right way at the right time […]
People Over Process: Put Your People First and Watch Your Processes Improve
A well-designed process always starts with how you improve the lives of the people experiencing the process, both the employee and the customer. The company then benefits as a result. People make it possible for a business to run. Some companies, however, still think that operations are like robots… but they aren’t. It’s the people […]
