Why do processes seem so hard to create?

 From the desk of Klark Brown

WE ALL KNOW PROCESSES MATTER

What we will cover: 

• Define Processes

• The Importance of Processes

• Keep It Simple Silly

• Everyone has to be aligned

• Where do we store all this?

DEFINE PROCESSES

I find this definition to be exactly how we define it at Restoration Advisers. I would add that a process is a proclamation of how WE do something. The {your company name} Way. Something uniquely designed by your team, for your team, and what delivers the best results for your customers. 

Copy and pasting processes from others or ChatGpt might work to make you feel better or like you have checked a box…..but a true process is one that has probably been recreated at least 4 times and is now field-tested and agreed upon by all. The need for your entire team to have “buy-in” is a deciding factor to the success of the process delivering the results you all see.
Processes are the small steps of a bigger plan. A SYSTEM. One System might have many Processes.
It’s also important to note that a process has many internal parts that we like to call steps. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCESSES

Imagine being told you have a gallbladder that needs to be removed in 3 days. It’s serious enough that waiting will cause additional pain and possibly larger issues.
Your medical team should immediately go to their playbook, their systems library and find the “PATIENT NEEDS A GALLBLADDER REMOVED”.
If this team is good, this will be something they have done 8,549 times.
The first process will be to advise you what that entails, when, how much, recovery time, prep instructions, etc.  Do you think that is purely from memory?
Maybe now, but what about new nurses and doctors? They need a process of how THAT clinic or ward handles things.
Hopefully, they will have processes for everything that happens after leading to follow-up visits after discharge. This is stored away in an LMS (learning management system) for continuing education, updates, and new staff learning.
The fact that many think we are “too small” really shocks me. The work we do, with the consequences of errors, is enormous. 

Here is a FREE mitigation checklist. This checklist has been used for millions of dollars of mitigation work. Its the basis of many other processes. Its a GREAT starting point.  

K.I.S.S (keep it simple silly)

This is an age old logic. If we are bing honest, we know that it’s true. The simpler something is the easier to absorb, execute and remember.
“But we do complicated things”. Valid, but not really. The individual things we do, by themselves are about as straight forward as they come. We just overthink it and try to make multiple things into one bigger teachable moment.
EXAMPLE
Build poly containment in a standard doorway:

• Have 10-12 pre-cut pieces of poly {insert measurements}
• Have precuts rolled and placed into a 2-3” piece of pvc tube. Use caps if you want. 
• Place on the truck. 
• When a project needs it, they pull out one (or as many as they need). 
• You can also have a material list laminated and in that tube as well
• Razor, tape, zipper, tape measure, etc. This allows them to make sure to bring into the structure from the house
• Video or steps (5-10 max) of how to build a containment door (available in LMS platform)
• Then the required completion inventory and expectation of recreating more pieces to maintain levels (this is done when slower or back at the office)

That’s a process. Learn, Teach, Rinse, and Repeat. 

Your individual processes can be cut into micro bites, and then assembled later with other associated processes that relate to the same area of the task. 

Anything too hard to remember, won’t be. Brains shut down when things are overly complex. 

EVERYONE HAS TO BE ALIGNED

Let’s say you have processes for almost everything you do.
Does everyone do them the way they are intended? Every time?
Is there a system for noncompliance? What does wrong and right look like? You have to talk about that. It’s not common knowledge of all things. No one is a mind reader. 

Constant evaluation and coaching must be the culture. Look for those that stand out and do most things right more often. You have yourself a position of a potential trainer there.
You just delegated and you can work on the bigger most important things. 

WHERE DO WE STORE ALL THIS

We are not fans of pen and paper here. When updates are required you have to track down all copies, edit, re-print (kill those trees) and then redistribute. You hope you didn’t miss anything.
 Tools we see used:

• DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive (Online cloud platforms
• Your Restoration Software (some have this capability)
• Trainual (our favorite)
• Nothing at all- Owners Brain

I will speak to these:
-Cloud based

•  costs more and more the more you put in. 
• There are also limitations of file types. 
• Not always useful in the field/ mobile

-PM Software

• A great choice if you have that system. Not many do

-Trainual.
We love Trainual and have helped clients built out a many process and systems on this platform. 

• The best choice for
• Scaling
• Capacity
• Live update
• Measured completion/ quizzes
• Accountability
• Multiple file types (video, etc)
• Live notifications of new modules or changes
• Assign training per role/ positions
• Mobile app

CONCLUSION

Our goal was to start conversations about how to start with the process. It’s not always easy to get started because the rest of the chaos keeps you distracted.
This is actually what we do at Restoration Advisers. We have developed an actual system called R[OS]™️ which is a coaching program that helps small to medium companies move out of being buried in the business to some level of freedom and owning a company they dream of. We would love to have that conversation, where we coach on the creation of systems as we have lain out here today. 

Book a call here to learn more about R[OS]™️ and how documenting systems and processes will allow you the freedom to pursue other opportunities.